Environmental Protection Specialist

Summary This position is located at the Palo Alto VA Medical Center serving as an Environmental Protection Specialist with Safety and Emergency Management Service.

The Environmental Protection Specialist is responsible for the implementation of environmental policies and regulatory program activities. Assignments also include responsibility for the technical adequacy of plans, designs, and specifications concerning environmental activities within a facility.

Responsibilities An Environmental Protection Specialist performs practical duties associated with air quality, storm water, hazardous materials programs, and sustainability programs.

This includes developing and conducting public outreach and education activities, conducting inspections of VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), evaluating compliance status issues, and drafting enforcement actions.

Incumbents in this class must be able to work cooperatively within a team setting to develop and implement compliance programs.

The environmental protection specialist supports the further development and implementation of VA's Green Environmental Management System (GEMS), performs environmental reviews for construction projects, and also provides consultative support in the implementation of environmental sustainability programs.

Work involves continual learning in order to understand and stay current on environmental compliance issues, enforcement strategies, and sustainable practices.

Employees in this class perform related duties as required.

Major duties and responsibilities include, but not limited to:

Administers environmental programs to assure compliance with applicable laws and regulation for air emissions, wastewater discharge, solid and hazardous waste, fuel and oil storage, and spill prevention, among other areas.

Manages the hazardous waste program at all VAPAHCS facilities including collection, segregation, manifesting, recordkeeping, and contract management. Interacts with federal, state, and local environmental agencies with respect to facility environmental issues. Leads environmental audits and incident investigations, conducts root cause analysis, develops corrective actions, and tracks incidents to closure. Trains employees and lower grade environmental staff. Leads construction projects reviews to determine environmental impacts, confirm environmental compliance requirements, and assess environmental risk control needs. Participates in the facility GEMS committee.

Monitors environmental compliance through ongoing review of operations and program management as they pertain to Federal, State and local environmental statutes, regulations and other related environmental requirements, Executive Orders, VA and VHA policies.

Assess performance as it relates to regulatory compliance and GEMS program conformance, and informing facility management of findings.

Act as the primary point-of-contact and speak on behalf of the VAPHRCS with Federal, State, and local regulatory and other agencies, tribal organizations and the public for environmental issues.

Identifies environmental aspects, including 'significant environmental aspects', in order to focus on and manage the activities that pose the greatest potential (positive and negative) with regard to environmental regulatory compliance.

Develops and submit all required documentation to external regulatory agencies including but not limited to EPA. Supports the GEMS manager as it relates to Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

Work also requires a comprehensive knowledge of management practices and procedures to resolve problems of major significance on a regional and state scale.

Promotion Potential:

The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met.

Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Physical Requirements:

The work may require some physical exertion, such as long periods of standing, or recurring and considerable walking, stooping, bending, crouching, and climbing.

These may be performed during regular, periodic construction activities, field inspections, or to observe and study work operations in an industrial, storage, or comparable work area.

Work may also include frequent lifting of moderately heavy items weighing less than 50 pounds, such as equipment and samples.

Work Schedule:
Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position

Position Description/PD#:
Environmental Protection Specialist/PD00378-O, PD00379-O, and PD00370-O Relocation/

Recruitment Incentives:
Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS):

Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/25/2024. Time-In-Grade Requirement:

Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

For a GS-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7.

For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9.The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service.

An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials.

If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement.

In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

Note:

Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
GS-7 Level:

Specialized Experience:

You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
experience in developing, analyzing, evaluation, and modifying environmental programs, policies, and procedures.

Possessing the judgement and broad perspective to apply a thorough knowledge of the principles, concepts, and practices relating to environmental protection programs as they concern problems of organizing, planning, funding, and controlling environmental activities.

OR, Education:
Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have one (1) full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement.

Education at the graduate level in an accredited college or university must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study.

If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement.

The superior academic achievement provision is applicable to all occupations covered by this standard. See the OPM - "General Policies and Instructions" for specific guidance on applying the superior academic achievement provision.

OR, Combination:
Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond six months of graduate education. GS-9 Level:

Specialized Experience:

You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

Experience interpreting policy and regulatory requirements; developing changes to methodology and providing recommendations for improvements; researching and evaluating information for unusual circumstances and problems; determining efficient and feasible solutions to meet the project or situation requirements; exercising judgment and originality in planning and prioritizing the sequence, direction, and progress of the work and devising solutions and actions to resolve issues; justifying actions, determinations, and recommendations to modify, adapt, or refine existing applications, processes, precedents, and techniques.

OR, Education:
Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.B.

or J.D., if directly related to the work of the position.

OR, Combination:
Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond 1 year of graduate education. GS-11 Level:

Specialized Experience:

You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

applying a wide range of environmental theories, concepts, principles, standards and methods to perform a wide range of assignments; devising, customizing, operating, overseeing, and evaluating environmental processes and programs; formulating, executing, advising on, and explaining recommendations or solutions to complex problems; adapting precedents or existing strategies to meet unusual needs or special demands and act as a principle contributor on team-based projects or coordinating a team project and providing technical oversight and direction; preparing, presenting, and evaluating plans, designs, reports and correspondence.

OR, Education:
Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.

D or equivalent doctoral degree OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, OR a directly related LL.M.

OR, Combination:
Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.

You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond two (2) years of graduate education one year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study.

If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement.)

.

To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first year of graduate education).

Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

Communication Compliance Environmental Engineering Planning and Evaluating Technical Competence 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; religions; 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.

Note:
A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities.

Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note:
Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment.

You can verify your education here:
If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education

For further information, visit:
Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation)

Leave:

Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee.

Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act (or the Act) prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from requesting applicant criminal history record information before extending a conditional or tentative offer of employment.

In accordance with 5 U.S.C § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Act.

Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 calendar days of the date of the alleged non-compliance to VA at Applicant written complaints should include the following: Administration name: Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Office name, employee name and contact information or contractor who made contact (if known).

Date of contact.

Details regarding the job opportunity announcement applied to, and copies of any documents or other evidence related to the complaint.

Visit Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) for more information.

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