Recent Graduate - Industrial Hygienist

Sowela; United States; On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Department of Labor seeks a Recent Graduate Industrial Hygienist to engage in safety inspections, hazard evaluation, and corrective action planning. The role emphasizes collaboration with higher-graded specialists and field staff to ensure compliance and worker safety.

The incumbent will analyze exposures, document findings, and support enforcement of health and safety standards under the GS framework. This is a non-remote, in-person appointment with a one-year program duration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or graduate degree in industrial hygiene or related field.
• Chemistry coursework as specified, plus additional relevant science courses.
• Certification from the Board for Global EHS Credentialing (ABIH) qualifies.

Responsibilities

• Develops contacts with higher-graded specialists and line staff during inspections.
• Communicates hazards and coordinates corrective actions for safety improvements.
• Identifies hazards and supports implementation of OSHA-based controls.
• Assists in evaluating standards, policies, and recommended actions.

Skills

Hazard identification

Safety inspections

Regulatory compliance

Education

Bachelor's or higher in industrial hygiene/related field

Engineering/physical science with chemistry coursework

ABIH certification

Job description

Open 10/15/2026 to 10/28/2026

This is an appointment under the DOL Recent Graduates program. The program duration is one year. Upon successful completion of the program and at the agency's discretion, the appointee may be converted to a term or permanent position in the competitive service.

Selectee must report in person to the assigned office. This is not a remote position.

Open to applicants who have graduated, within the past two years, (with an associate, bachelor, master, professional, doctorate, diploma, vocational, technical degree, or certificate, etc.) from a qualifying educational institution or career or technical education program (including registered Apprenticeship Programs, Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Job Corps, Climate Corps).

Major Duties include, but are not limited to, the following:GS-07:

• Develops contacts with higher-graded specialists, industrial hygienists, and safety engineers in the immediate office or assigned inspection/compliance review assignment as well as line supervisors, employees, and employee representatives met during assigned inspections or compliance reviews.
• Communicates the nature and type of hazards and unsafe working conditions encountered, and to coordinate the carrying out of measures to correct any adverse occurrence, unguarded machine operations, and fire hazards.
• Motivates and encourages personnel who are usually willing and cooperative to adopt safe working practices and to remedy hazardous conditions.
• Resolves assignments that consist of specific, often unrelated duties which provide an orientation to occupational work and the different types of safety hazards and unsafe working conditions and the techniques, measures, and procedures used to eliminate or control them.
• Makes recommendations concerning the appropriate course of action to be followed by determining the merits of the case and by evaluating testimony and the applicability of OSHA policies and court decisions.

GS-09:

• Deposes, makes affidavits and testifies in a court of law where an opposing attorney may challenge the competence of the IH including his/her work methods or findings.
• Identifies areas in need of immediate corrective action or conditions which are of imminent danger to life or limb.
• Assists in investigating mishaps resulting in fatalities or injuries and serious incidents.
• Assists in conducting sampling, arranging for shipment of samples to laboratory for analysis, reviewing laboratory analyses, and preparing reports which include findings and recommendations for control of identified hazards.
• Inspect worksites, machines, equipment operations, environmental conditions, work practices, protective devices, equipment, and safety procedures.
• Conducts research assignments using internet technology to prepare for onsite inspections or in response to requests for information.
• Selects and applies appropriate regulatory provisions to determine whether establishments are complying with prevailing safety and occupational health standards.
• Uses the automated system to calculate penalties assessed based on the gravity of the violations and consideration of the severity of possible injury or illness and the probability that such should occur.

As the employee progresses, the assignments will become more difficult and complex with less supervision.

Conditions of employment

• Must be at least 16 years.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Candidate required to obtain the necessary security/investigation level.
• The entire duration of the Recent Graduate Appointment constitutes a trial period.
• Subject to a drug test prior to appointment at GS-11 and GS-12 grade levels.
• Requires medical exam and must maintain physical requirements.
• This position requires the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
• You will be required to lift items weighing up to 25 lbs.
• Requires a valid driver's license.
• Appointees must sign a DOL Pathways Recent Graduate Program Participant Agreement.

Qualifications

Applicants must have graduated, within the past two years, (with an associate, bachelor, graduate/higher level degree, etc.) from a qualifying educational institution or a career or technical educational program including registered Apprenticeship Programs, Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Job Corps, Climate Corps).

THIS POSITION HAS A BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT. ALL APPLICANTS MUST MEET THIS REQUIREMENT IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED.

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 (ABIH)).

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.

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.

You must meet the "Individual Occupational Requirements" listed above and the Specialized Experience to qualify for Recent Graduate - Industrial Hygienist, as described below.

At the GS-07 level: In addition to meeting the individual occupational requirement, applicants must have at least 52 weeks specialized experience at the next lower level in the normal career progression of the position being filled. When compared to Federal experience, this experience must be equivalent to at least the next lower grade level of GS-05. This experience may have been gained either in the Federal or private sectors. Resumes should reflect the majority but is not limited to the following specialized experience listed below:

• Assisting in the planning of or conducting basic occupational safety or occupational health inspections of workplaces.
• Identifying occupational health and safety hazards; evaluating occupational safety or occupational health programs and making recommendations for improvement when deficiencies are noted.
• Applying occupational safety and/or occupational health standards and criteria to unsafe working conditions.

OR

Education: One full year of progressively higher-level graduate education or Superior Academic Achievement in a bachelor's degree program. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts showing degree conferred.)

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A qualifying combination of education and competencies as described below.

At the GS-09 level: In addition to meeting the individual occupational requirement, applicants must have at least 52 weeks specialized experience at the next lower level in the normal career progression of the position being filled. When compared to Federal experience, this experience must be equivalent to at least the next lower grade level of GS-07. This experience may have been gained either in the Federal or Private sectors. Resumes should reflect the majority but is not limited to the following specialized experience listed below:

• Assisting in the planning of or conducting of occupational safety or occupational health inspections.
• Conducting research and studies records or files regarding Occupational safety or occupational health mishaps/accidents.
• Identifying occupational health and safety hazard.
• Assisting in or knowledge of calculating penalties to be assessed based on the gravity of occupational safety and/or occupational health violations.

OR
Education: completed a Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position, such as experience with assisting in identifying and evaluating health hazards; surveys, assessing, understanding, and investigating health problems, determining the probable cause, and recommending solutions. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts showing degree conferred.)
OR
Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience as described below.
Combining Education and Experience

In addition to meeting the basic education requirement, an equivalent combination of successfully completed related graduate (GS-09) level education and specialized experience as described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement, can be used to meet the total experience requirements for this position. For more information please click here (Application of Qualification Standard/Option 5).

If you wish to use your education as a basis for meeting the eligibility and/or minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must submit academic transcripts demonstrating that you meet the qualifying educational requirements. If specific course work is required to fulfill the eligibility and/or minimum qualification requirements, you must supply transcripts from each academic institution in which the required courses were taken in order to receive credit for that course work. See the 'Qualifications and Evaluations' section of this announcement for more details.