Safety and Occupational Health Specialist (Dive Safety Officer)

You will serve as a Safety and Occupational Health Specialist (Dive Safety Officer) for the Occupational Safety & Health Management Branch. Pay will vary based on grade level and/or duty location for which you're selected. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate.

Major duties

Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Prepares new or revised standards, policies, guidance, training, and procedures in support of USGS scientific diving missions. Develops training to address the needs of the missions of USGS scientific divers. Works with regional dive leads, dive groups, and cooperators to ensure safe scientific dive operations. Performs independent external safety audits of dive safety programs and documents results. Provides technical scientific diving expertise and assistance in support of underwater scientific research. Serves as the senior, lead USGS Dive Safety Officer, is an authorized USGS diver, and serves as the Dive Safety Board Chair.

Qualifications

Requirements Continued... As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications: All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-10/16/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected. Selective Placement Factor: This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. If you do not provide evidence that you possess the following selective factor(s), you will be rated not qualified. This position requires the following certifications: 1) Scuba Instructor, 2) Divemaster, 3) Rescue Diver, 4) Advanced Open Water Diver, 5) Basic Scuba Diver, 6) Basic Life Support/Diving First Aid, 7) Emergency Oxygen Administration. Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: Basic Educational Requirement AND/OR Specialized Experience for the series to which you are applying. Basic Requirements: In addition to the specialized experience requirements for this position, you must meet at least one of the following: A. Degree: A degree with major study of safety or occupational health fields (safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene), or degree in other related fields that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours of study from among the following (or closely related) disciplines: safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene, occupational medicine, toxicology, public health, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological sciences, engineering, and industrial psychology. You must submit transcripts. -OR- B. Experience: Experience in or related to safety and occupational health that provided the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: Managing safety or occupational health program elements. Developing and recommending safety and occupational health policy to higher levels of management. Applying safety and occupational health laws, regulations, principles, theories, practices, and procedures to advise on or resolve technical matters dealing with occupational safety and health requirements. Developing safety and occupational health standards, regulations, practices, and procedures to eliminate or control potential hazards. Developing or implementing programs to reduce the frequency, severity, and cost of accidents and occupational illnesses. Analyzing or evaluating new and existing jobs, processes, products, or other systems to determine the existence, severity, probability, and outcome of hazards. Designing or modifying workplaces, processes, products, or other systems to control or eliminate hazards. Inspecting or surveying workplaces, processes, products, or other systems for compliance with established safety and occupational health policies or standards and to identify potential new hazards. Training of workers, supervisors, managers, or other safety and occupational health personnel in safety or occupational health subjects. Work in occupational fields such as industrial hygienist, safety engineer, fire prevention engineer, health physicist, and occupational health nurse. -AND- To qualify for this position at the GS-13 grade level: Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: scientific diving program management, including development, implementation, and evaluation of dive safety policies, procedures, and training; oversight of scientific diving operations and personnel; application of advanced knowledge in dive physiology, hyperbaric medicine, and diving technology; and ensuring compliance with federal regulations and standards governing scientific diving. Experience must include independent authority to guide and advise on complex or novel diving situations and to lead investigations, audits, and programmatic improvements across a large and diverse scientific diving program. You must include hours per week worked. Volunteer 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.

Education

You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work. Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualification

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. Direct Deposit participation required. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/. Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment. Pre-employment and random drug testing are required. You will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received. You must pass a physical examination. You may need to complete a statement regarding your physical ability. You are required to obtain and maintain a Motorboat Operator Certification Course (MOCC). You are required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority. You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, and/or overtime. You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 5 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes. Position will be expected to gain certification within 5 of years of hiring in the following: 1. Dry Suit - Instructor, 2. Diving First-Aid - Instructor, 3. USGS Swift Water Awareness, 4. Hyperbaric Medicine and Diving Physiology, 5. Recognizing & diagnosing Otic barotrauma while in the field, 6. Dive Injury Recognition and Management - Instructor, and 7. Altitude Diving. The duty station of this position may be any USGS location that is agreed upon by the selecting official and the selectee. If the agreed upon location results in the relocation of the selectee, the travel, transportation, and relocation expenses are not authorized. *Additional Requirements located under qualifications*