Industrial Hygienist

Summary

The position is responsible for planning - coordinating - evaluating - implementing - and administering a comprehensive industrial hygiene program at all Finger Lakes Healthcare System (FLHCS) facilities engaged in medical - surgical - long-term - residential and outpatient care.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 04/13/2026. Individual Occupational Requirements

Basic Requirements

• The education must be accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education(external link) at the time the degree was obtained
• Applicants must meet one of the following requirements: A bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree in industrial hygiene - occupational health sciences - occupational and environmental health - toxicology - safety sciences - or related science
• Or - A bachelor's degree in a branch of engineering - physical science - or life science that included 12 semester hours in chemistry - including organic chemistry - and 18 additional semester hours of courses in any combination of chemistry - physics - engineering - health physics - environmental health - biostatistics - biology - physiology - toxicology - epidemiology - or industrial hygiene
• Or - Certification from the Board for Global EHS Credentialing (formerly American Board of Industrial Hygiene(external link) (ABIH))
• Courses in the history or teaching of chemistry are not acceptable
• Link to OPM Individual Occupational Requirements Note: Courses in the history or teaching of chemistry are not acceptable
• Evaluation of Education All science or engineering courses offered in fulfillment of the above requirements must be acceptable for credit toward the completion of a standard 4-year professional curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in science or engineering at an accredited college or university
• For engineering degrees to be acceptable - the curriculum must be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) as a professional engineering curriculum
• Evaluation of Experience Qualifying experience involves the recognition - evaluation - corrective actions - and elimination of environmental conditions in the workplace that causes sickness - impaired health - or illness
• This experience must demonstrate a professional knowledge of the theory and application of the principles of industrial hygiene and closely related sciences such as physics and engineering controls
• Such work must have involved experience in all of the following areas: the acquisition of quantitative and qualitative data - and the measurement of exposures for a variety of chemical - physical - and biological stresses
• the analysis of the data acquired and the prediction of probable effects of exposures on the health and well-being of workers
• and the selection and recommendation of appropriate controls - including management - medical - engineering - education or training - and personal protective equipment
• SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE (GS-11 GRADE LEVEL) - In addition to meeting one of the above requirements - applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped them with the knowledge - skill and ability to successfully perform the duties of this position - and that is typically in or related to the work of this position
• To be creditable - this specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service
• Specialized experience includes: knowledge of industrial hygiene principles - procedures - standards - equipment - techniques - and methods
• managing an industrial hygiene program
• performing analysis to determine nature and degree of toxic materials
• knowledge of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards (such as hazardous waste - drinking water - medical waste - etc.)
• conducting surveys/studies of work operations regarding hazardous conditions
• and preparing comprehensive industrial hygiene reports
• Such work must have involved experience in all of the following areas: 1) the acquisition of quantitative and qualitative data - and the measurement of exposures for a variety of chemical - physical - and biological stresses
• 2) the analysis of the data acquired and the prediction of probable effects of exposures on the health and well-being of workers
• and 3) the selection and recommendation of appropriate controls - including management - medical - engineering - education or training - and personal protective equipment
• OR - SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) - Applicants must possess successful completion of three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. in industrial hygiene - occupational health sciences - occupational and environmental health - toxicology - safety sciences - or related science
• The education is qualifying if it provided the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do the work of the Industrial Hygienist position
• This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university
• OR - COMBINING EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED)- Combination of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements
• To calculate - first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting - you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned)
• Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess
• Add the two percentages
• The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-11
• For example - an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e
• 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e
• 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education
• Physical Requirements: The work includes frequent inspections of various spaces such as laboratories - mechanical spaces - boiler plants etc
• and necessitates a good deal of walking - standing - bending - and climbing
• For more information on these qualification standards - please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
  
  

Duties

• Duties include - but are not limited to: Serves as Industrial Hygienist for two campus style Medical Centers - one large Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) - and several small rural CBOCs
• Conducts surveys of working conditions to determine the nature and magnitude of hazardous exposures and the effectiveness of existing control measures
• Works with management and labor representatives to ensure elimination or control of identified hazards and compliance with and occupational safety and health regulations and standards
• Conduct inspections and surveys to identify potential health hazards and presence of hazardous conditions
• Establishes adequate and reasonable abatement schedules and resolution of occupational safety and health hazards - such as those associated with airborne chemical contaminants - harmful noise levels - inadequate ventilation - temperature extremes or inadequate illumination that may impact the healthcare system or its processes
• Leads the development of industrial hygiene goals - policy - and procedural documentation for the FL HCS - in accordance with occupational safety and health regulations and guidelines
• Works closely with facility leadership to review how industrial hygiene considerations are integrated into the planning and operational activities of the facility for which the position is responsible
• Coordinates industrial hygiene activities with regional representatives and supports the development of integrated planning for all facilities within the region
• Participates with local - network - and national-level committees to ensure that consistent and appropriate industrial hygiene measures are followed
• Prepares technical reports on any aspect concerning Industrial Hygiene Programs for distribution to VACO - VISN office - facility management and employees - and employee representatives
• Conducts background reviews of areas surveyed and of the characteristics of the work processes (i.e
• chemical inventories - handling - storage and disposal methods) to ensure compliance with applicable standards and requirements contained in VA Directives and applicable federal - state and local regulations
• Assists in obtaining Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) for hazardous materials used within the healthcare system and shall review these SDSs to ensure compliance with proper use - storage - PPE - and disposal of hazardous chemicals and agents
• Ensures that employees receive education and training employees on the proper utilization of this information
• Investigates incidents resulting in physical injury or occupational exposure and advises supervisors on the adequacy and effectiveness of existing safety procedures and recommends any corrective action needed
• Other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: M-F - 7:30am-4pm Telework: This position is NOT telework eligible Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Description/PD#: Industrial hygienist/PD# 23783-O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not authorized