Safety and Occupational Health Manager.

Duties

• Serves as the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s (SAO) technical expert in safety and occupational health, providing professional support for the planning, implementation, administration, and evaluation of SAO’s safety and occupational health program. Interprets occupational safety and health standards applicable to federal agencies, construction, and other Smithsonian activities and develops or revises procedures, directives, and memoranda to ensure consistent application across SAO. Conducts research to provide accurate and current data for decision-making, policy development, and best practices. Documents and develops standard operating procedures, safe operating limits, and reporting tools for inspections, audits, investigations, and design reviews.
• Serves as the authority for safety oversight and training across all SAO facilities.
• Prepares safety guides, instructions, and training materials addressing chemical, physical, fire, and electrical hazards. Identifies the need for new or revised guidance to improve safety practices and ensure compliance with evolving standards.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for safety-related emergencies, coordinating initial response, notifying the Executive Leadership Team, and preparing required incident reports, summaries, and follow-up documentation.
• Conducts Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs) and ergonomic assessments across offices, laboratories, maintenance shops, and telescope environments. Recommends hazard controls, ensures implementation, and determines appropriate PPE.
• Oversees all safety and occupational health training, including telescope sites. Provides instructor-led and specialized training (e.g., CPR/AED/First Aid), leads required operational and personnel safety sessions, and ensures safe vehicle operation at mountain sites.
• Provides leadership and oversight for safety programs at SAO-AZ, SAO-HI, and SAO-Greenland facilities. Guides local Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) managers, conducts on-site reviews, resolves deficiencies, assists with hiring and training, and ensures consistent enforcement of SAO standards.
• Works with SAO personnel and contractors to ensure construction and maintenance projects meet safety and health standards with minimal impact on operations. Participates in meetings, site visits, and inspections.

• Oversees the planning, organization, and execution of comprehensive inspection programs across SAO’s diverse work environments in compliance with OSHA, EPA, NRC, NFPA, and Smithsonian policies. Includes laboratories and telescope sites (AZ, HI, and Greenland). Oversees Smithsonian’s Management Evaluation and Technical Review (METR) at all sites and ensures findings are abated and documented in Smithsonian data management systems.
• Investigates accidents, incidents, procedural deviations, and reports of unsafe or unhealthful conditions, including ergonomic hazards. Reports results to SAO and Smithsonian offices, recommends and implements corrective measures, and serves on Accident Review Boards for major incidents. Uploads data and abatement actions, assists with OSHA recordkeeping, ensures accurate determinations of recordability, maintains OSHA 300 logs, and prepares annual summaries of occupational injuries and illnesses in accordance with federal standards.
• Serves as SAO Safety Coordinator for the management of Smithsonian safety and occupational health policy within SAO facilities and as a point of contact for the Smithsonian Emergency Operations Group. Works collaboratively with the Smithsonian’s Office of Safety, Health, and Environmental Management (OSHEM).
• Prepares required regulatory deliverables such as the Department of Labor Annual Report of Safety Program Activities and other Smithsonian documentation.
• Plans and coordinates safety committee meetings at Cambridge facilities and oversees committees at SAO-AZ and SAO-HI.
• Maintains required permits and registrations (e.g., flammable storage and gas permits, wastewater discharge, hazardous waste, and laser registrations).

• Administers SAO’s electronic safety and occupational health management systems for injury/illness reporting, inspections, and incident investigations. Grants and modifies access, assists users, ensures compliance with 29 CFR 1904 and Smithsonian policy, and provides or coordinates training.
• Recommends improvements to enhance the accuracy and management of safety and occupational health data.
• Maintains orderly central files for active and archived records.
• Analyzes data from inspections, investigations, and ergonomic assessments to identify trends and evaluate program performance. Recommends corrective actions for rising injury or illness rates.
• Prepares analytical reports, charts, and presentations for management and safety committees.
  
  

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• May be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
• U.S. citizenship
• Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer
• Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation
  
  

Conditions of Employment

Qualification requirements must be met within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement. See the 'Required Documents' section for additional information.

For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions on

Qualifications

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To qualify at the GS-12 level, applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level or equivalent under other pay systems in the Federal service, military or private sector. Applicants must meet eligibility requirements including time-in-grade (General Schedule (GS) positions only), time-after- competitive appointment, minimum qualifications, and any other regulatory requirements by the cut-off/closing date of the announcement.

For this position specialized experience is defined as experience planning, implementing, and evaluating the requirements of a safety and occupational health program for work activities and environments. Experience must also include developing occupational safety guidance; training personnel on safety-related topics; applying safety and occupational health laws; inspecting workplaces for compliance and hazards; investigating incidents, reviewing designs, drawings and safety plans; conducting ergonomic assessments; and maintaining safety-related databases.

Education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience.

Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages and should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and specialized experience required for this position. Do not copy language directly from the vacancy announcement, as you will be deemed ineligible for consideration. Instead, provide detailed, descriptive information about your actual experience.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Additional information

Important Note: Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire or other assessment tool for consistency. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your resume, you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience. Your resume should provide sufficient information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): If you are applying for a VEOA appointment, you must be a veteran and must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed 3 or more years of active service. ("Active Service" under this law means active duty in a uniformed service and includes full-time training duty, annual training duty, full-time National Guard duty, and attendance, while in the active service, at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary concerned.) A veteran who is released under honorable conditions shortly before completing a 3-year tour is also eligible.

Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: The following links contain information on the eligibility requirements to be considered under a noncompetitive appointing authority:

This position is not included in the bargaining unit.

Recruitment Incentive: Recruitment incentive(s) may be authorized for this position. However, approval for incentives are contingent upon various availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require the incumbent to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a certain time period.

Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.