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Environmental Protection Specialist - Green Environmental Management System (GEMS)

VA Western New York Healthcare System
Buffalo, NY Other
POSTED ON 4/21/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 4/27/2026
The purpose of this position is to plan, implement, administer, and continuously improve the facility's GEMS/Environmental Management System (EMS), ensuring compliance with all VA/VHA environmental directives, Federal and State regulations, and applicable Executive Orders. The person in this position is the primary technical authority for environmental compliance, waste management, NEPA planning, and pollution prevention across all clinical and administrative operations.

Qualifications:

To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level, applicants must meet at least one of the following:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Possess one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-9 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes planning, implementing, and evaluating environmental protection programs; administering a green environmental management program; leading environmental facility inspections to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations; advising management on environmental program status; preparing reports; and training others on specific environmental topics. ~OR~

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE: Possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree possess or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position? This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent one (1) year of full-time study. If that number cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours will be considered an academic year of graduate study. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. ~OR~

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Possess equivalent combinations of education and specialized experience (as described above) to meet the requirements at the GS-11

NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

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/.

Responsibilities:

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

Duties include but are not limited to the following:
  • Serve as GEMS Coordinator and technical lead
  • Maintain Environmental Management System (EMS) scope and environmental policy
  • Develop, implement, and update aspects/impacts register and legal requirements matrix
  • Conduct internal EMS gap analyses and issue written findings; open corrective actions /notices received; assemble evidence logs; and manage responses, etc.
  • Coordinate internal environmental audits and external inspections
  • Serve as SME on Federal and state environmental laws
  • Manage multimedia environmental programs such as Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure Plan, Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan, Clean Air compliance, asbestos and lead management, etc.
  • Provide technical expertise for the design, modification, operation and maintenance of facilities and infrastructure to ensure compliance with environmental regulations
  • Develop/update SOPs and compliance plans
  • Develop, implement, and maintain programs for the identification, collection, storage, accumulation, transportation, and disposal of hazardous, universal, pharmaceutical, regulated medical, and solid waste streams
  • Conduct universal waste training, maintain training rosters, and evaluate effectiveness
  • Analyze waste trends
  • Review proposed construction, renovation, demolition, infrastructure modifications, and space changes for potential environmental impacts
  • Provide technical environmental input on materials, design choices, operational controls, etc.
  • Lead or support spill responses and ensure spill response procedures
  • Perform all other duties as assigned
Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm

Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

Salary : $78,091

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