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Recent Graduate - Safety and Occupational Health Specialist (CSHO)

U.S. Department of Labor
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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 for the Compliance Safety and Health Officer (CSHO) include, but are not limited to, the following:

GS-07:

  • Participates as a member of an inspection team led by a higher-graded specialist and assist in the planning of and/or conduct a limited segment of a major investigation or a small investigation where the exposure and type of hazard and unsafe working conditions is predictable in advance.
  • Researches and studies records and files covering mishaps, injuries, and equipment maintenance data.
  • Audits employer occupational safety and health injury records, safety plans, and program documentation.
  • Assists in the documentation of conducted portions of investigations to help support a legally sufficient case. Takes photographs and videos of apparent violations of occupational safety and health standards.
  • Assists in preparing for opening and closing conferences and outreach activities. Responds to requests for information on OSHA policies, regulations, and programs.

GS-09:

  • Assists in conducting and/or participates in opening and closing conferences with management officials, employees, and employee representatives reviewing hazards or unsafe working conditions.
  • Conducts specific (targeted) outreach activities and provides information on OSHA legislation, regulations, and compliance activities to a variety of different audiences.
  • Assists in planning and conducting portions or limited inspections or compliance reviews in establishments and worksites.
  • Assists in conducting monitoring and evaluation by analyzing select portions of plan changes, programs, procedures, inspections, citations, and reports to determine compliance with approved occupational safety standards and programs.

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).
  • Appointees must sign a DOL Pathways Recent Graduate Program Participant Agreement.
  • You will be required to lift items weighing up to 25 lbs.
  • Requires a valid driver's license.

Qualifications

 

This position has an Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR). All applicants must meet the following requirement to be considered:

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 Specialized 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.

You must meet the IOR and the Specialized Experience to qualify for the Recent Graduate - Safety and Occupational Health Specialist (CSHO), as described below.

Minimum Qualifications:
For the GS-07 level: Specialized Experience: In addition to meeting the individual occupational requirement, applicants must demonstrate 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level, in the Federal or Private Sector. Specialized Experience is described as experience that has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. Examples of specialized experience are as follows:

  • Applying a general knowledge of OSHA or related safety and occupational health standards or codes to advise on or resolve technical matters dealing with occupational safety and health requirements.
  • Analyzing or evaluating new and existing safety inspection jobs, processes, products, or other systems to determine the existence, severity, probability, and outcome of 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.

OR

Education: One full year of progressively higher-level graduate education.

OR

Superior academic achievement in a bachelor's degree program. S.A.A. is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership.

  1. Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, based on completed courses.
  2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.)-- Applicants must have a grade-point average of:

a. 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; orb. 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.3. Election to membership in a National Honor Society - membership in a freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this provision.

OR

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

For the GS-09: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position. Examples of specialized experience include:

  • 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.
  • Analyzing or evaluating new and existing jobs, processes, products, or other systems to determine the existence, severity, probability, and outcome of 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.

OR

Substitution of Experience: Two years of graduate education or a Master's degree in 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

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