Summary This position serves as the Area Director for the OSHA Region 5 Area Office. Assigned Safety and Occupational Health Programs cover a range of industries including a variety of high hazard and high risk operations with exposure to chemicals and physical agents. The selectee will be expected to report to the Milwaukee, WI office; this is not a virtual position. This position is outside the bargaining unit. Additional selections may be made, if necessary. Responsibilities The Supervisory Safety and Occupational Health Specialist (Area Director) assumes responsibility for ensuring safe and healthful working conditions for workers within an assigned geographical area. Safety and occupational health programs cover a range of industrial activities that include general and heavy construction, wood products, chemical production, textile mills and associated industries, paper milling and products, rubber and plastic products, foundry and primary metal operations, metal fabrication, alcohol production and maritime industries (ship building and repairing, longshoring). Industries include a variety of high-hazard and high-risk operations (i.e., heavy construction, maritime operations, foundries, textile operations) and exposure to chemicals and physical agents for which standards, regulations, and precedents are not directly applicable, lacking, controversial or contested (i.e., asbestos, cotton dust, lead silica, noise, fiberglass). Duties include but are not limited to the following: Oversee safety and occupational health programs for industries that include a variety of high-hazard and high-risk operations and exposure to chemicals and physical agents for which standards, regulations, and precedents are not directly applicable, lacking, controversial, or contested. Provide leadership, guidance, and advice to a variety of safety and occupational health representatives in the interpretation of pertinent legislation, regulations, and standards to conform with Federal requirements and to ensure achievement of sound program objectives and improved service to workers within the area office jurisdiction. Assign work to subordinates based on priorities, selective consideration, and the difficulty of the work and the capability of the employees. Evaluate work performance of subordinates. Hear and resolve complaints of employees, referring group grievances and more serious unresolved complaints to higher level supervisor. Identify developmental and training need of employees, providing or arranging for needed development and training. Reviewing and approving serious disciplinary actions involving nonsupervisory subordinates. Initiates and conducts informal conferences with employers, and/or their legal representative to consider and resolve specific problems relating to standards, proposed citations and penalties, availability of financial relief, proposed abatement procedures and schedules, rights of employers/employees and formal contest procedures. Makes determination and initiate appropriate actions on issues. Works with agency compliance and legal staff in the development of contested compliance cases by reviewing the quality and validity of the technical aspects of cases and by serving as an expert witness. Participates with the agency Regional Administrator and top Regional staff in program planning, evaluation, redirection and modification of policy and program criteria. Participates in special ad hoc projects affecting regional plans, programs, budget and staff development. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications This series has an individual occupational requirement: Education: Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- 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. OR Experience: (for positions above GS-5): 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. OR Certificates Certification as a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), or Certified Health Physicist (CHP), or similar certification that included successful completion of a written examination meets the requirements for GS-5. Applicants may also qualify for higher grade levels based on their education and/or experience. Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-13, in the Federal Service. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience. Specialized Experience Requirement: In order to meet the specialized experience requirements for this position, the candidate must have 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 enforcement/compliance program elements. Developing and recommending safety and occupational health policy to higher levels of management. Expert knowledge of the safety and occupational health laws, regulations, principles, theories, practices, and procedures to advise on or resolve highly technical matters dealing with occupational safety and health requirements. Development of safety and occupational health standards, regulations, practices, and procedures to eliminate or control potential hazards. Development or implementation of programs to reduce the frequency, severity, and cost of accidents and occupational illnesses. Analysis or evaluation of new and existing jobs, processes, products, or other systems to determine the existence, severity, probability, and outcome of hazards. Design or modification of 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 and occupational health subjects. Experience in specific occupational fields such as industrial hygienist, safety engineer, fire prevention engineer, health physicist, and safety specialist. Supervisory Qualification Requirements: Candidates must demonstrate the following supervisory skills (please describe in your resume): Ability to provide leadership, motivate, train, and work effectively with subordinates who have a variety of backgrounds and training. Ability to accomplish the quality and quantity of work expected within set limits of cost and time. Ability to plan own work and carry out assignments effectively. Ability to communicate with others effectively both orally and in writing in working out solutions to problems or questions relating to the work. Ability to understand and further management goals as these affect day-to-day work operations. Ability to develop improvements in or design new work methods and procedures. Education There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-14. Additional Information Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have speech disabilities, please dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services. Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION, REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION, ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION, FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES As a condition of employment, all personnel must undergo a background investigation for access to DOL facilities, systems, information and/or classified materials before they can enter on duty: BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION You may not be aware, but in the regulations for agency ethics programs, there are requirements for supervisors. Section 2638.103 of Title 5 of the CFR states: Every supervisor in the executive branch has a heightened personal responsibility for advancing government ethics. It is imperative that supervisors serve as models of ethical behavior for subordinates. Supervisors have a responsibility to help ensure that subordinates are aware of their ethical obligations under the Standards of Conduct and that subordinates know how to contact agency ethics officials. Supervisors are also responsible for working with agency ethics officials to help resolve conflicts of interests and enforce government ethics laws and regulations, including those requiring certain employees to file financial disclosure reports. In addition, supervisors are responsible, when requested, for assisting agency ethics officials in evaluating potential conflicts of interest and identifying positions subject to financial disclosure requirements. Supervisory Financial Disclosure (If applicable): This position is subject to the confidential financial disclosure requirements of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-521). Therefore, if selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) to determine if a conflict or an appearance of a conflict exists between your financial interest(s) and your prospective position with DOL. This information will be required annually. Telework or Telework Positions: Eligibility is determined by management based on position duties during the recruitment process. Employee participation in telework on a routine or situational basis is determined by management primarily based on business needs. Employees participating in telework are subject to the terms and conditions of the Department of Labor's Telework Program. Based on agency needs, additional positions may be filled using this vacancy.