Safeguarding the Fleet: Becoming an Industrial Hygienist or Chemical Engineer at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard

The United States Navy relies on massive infrastructure, advanced industrial technologies, and a dedicated, highly trained workforce to keep its fleets operational. At the heart of this complex network is the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF), located in the scenic maritime city of Bremerton, Washington. Ensuring the safety of the thousands of civilian and military personnel who work on these sophisticated vessels is a monumental task—one that requires highly specialized knowledge at the intersection of engineering, environmental science, and public health.

The Department of the Navy is currently seeking qualified applicants for an interdisciplinary civilian position: Industrial Hygienist / Chemical Engineer. This entry-to-mid-level opening, spanning the GS-05 and GS-07 grade levels, offers a rare pathway into federal service. In this dual-disciplinary framework, professionals from diverse scientific backgrounds can build a rewarding, lifelong career that directly supports national security. This article provides a comprehensive guide to the position, the agency, the application requirements, and the competitive compensation packages waiting for the right candidate.

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About the Agency: The Department of the Navy & U.S. Pacific Fleet

The U.S. Pacific Fleet is the largest naval command in the world, stretching over 100 million square miles. Operating across nearly half of the Earth's surface—from the frozen Arctic Circle to the warmth of the Indian Ocean—the command encompasses approximately 200 modern ships and submarines, nearly 1,200 advanced aircraft, and a combined force of over 130,000 active duty military and civilian personnel.

As a core component of this enormous network, the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF) is renowned for its capacity to repair, modernize, and decommission the Navy's most complex assets, including nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines. Working as a civilian within the Department of the Navy unites professional purpose with daily patriotism. The environment is collaborative, challenging, and filled with cutting-edge technology, serving as an ideal platform for engineers and scientists to test their capabilities in real-world scenarios.

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Job Responsibilities

As an Interdisciplinary Industrial Hygienist or Chemical Engineer, you will not be confined to a standard desk job. Instead, you will actively work to control, mitigate, and eliminate occupational hazards within dynamic, fast-paced shipyard environments. Your daily routine will involve translating complex safety theories into highly practical workplace rules.

Key duties and expectations of this position include:

• Hazard Identification and Control: You will apply fundamental industrial hygiene and chemical engineering principles to identify, evaluate, and control occupational health hazards associated with industrial shipyard processes, such as welding, abrasive blasting, chemical cleaning, and structural painting.
• Workplace Surveys and Investigations: You will assist senior specialists in conducting environmental surveys, air quality monitoring, noise assessments, and physical inspections of industrial shops and active repair areas.
• Data Analysis and Trend Tracking: You will process, review, and analyze industrial accident and occupational injury reports. By looking for common denominators, you will help pinpoint hazard trends and draft data-driven recommendations to prevent future mishaps.
• Regulatory Review and Guidance: You will evaluate and provide critical feedback on local and higher-authority industrial directives, including Uniform Industrial Process Instructions (UIPIs) and specific safety regulations, ensuring they remain up to date and legally compliant.
• Stakeholder Liaison: You will act as a primary point of contact for shipyard safety programs. This involves representing the facility at technical meetings and clearly explaining safety standards to civilian tradespeople, senior leadership, and military representatives.

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Educational and Professional Requirements

Because this is an interdisciplinary position, candidates must meet the rigorous positive education standards set by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for either the Industrial Hygiene Series (GS-0690) or the Chemical Engineering Series (GS-0893).

Pathway A: Industrial Hygiene Series (GS-0690)

To qualify under the Industrial Hygiene pathway, applicants must satisfy one of the following criteria:

1. Direct Major: A bachelor's or higher degree in industrial hygiene, occupational health sciences, environmental health, toxicology, safety sciences, or a directly related scientific field.
2. Related Science with Specific Coursework: A bachelor's degree in engineering, physical science, or life science. This degree must include at least 12 semester hours of chemistry (including organic chemistry) plus 18 additional semester hours in fields such as physics, safety engineering, toxicology, biology, physiology, epidemiology, or biostatistics.
3. Professional Certification: Active certification from the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH) is also accepted as a qualifying factor.

Pathway B: Chemical Engineering Series (GS-0893)

To qualify under the Chemical Engineering pathway, applicants must satisfy one of the following criteria:

1. Accredited Engineering Degree: A bachelor's degree in an engineering program from a school with at least one program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
2. Calculus-Based Scientific Degree: A degree that includes differential and integral calculus and advanced coursework in at least five of the following areas: statics/dynamics, strength of materials, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, electrical fields/circuits, material science, or heat transfer.
3. Equivalent Combination: A mixture of college-level education, advanced technical training, and hands-on experience that demonstrates solid engineering knowledge. This can be validated by passing the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam or holding professional registration as a Professional Engineer (PE) or Engineer Intern (EI).

Experience Requirements by Grade Level

• GS-05: This is the entry-grade level, designed for recent college graduates. You qualify primarily based on your degree and academic records.
• GS-07: To qualify at the GS-07 level, you must show at least one year of professional experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level. This experience must demonstrate your ability to assist with surveys, review chemical hazards, or analyze safety data. Alternatively, you can qualify for the GS-07 level with Superior Academic Achievement (typically a GPA of 3.0 or higher in a bachelor's program) or by completing one full year of graduate-level education in a matching field.

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Salary Overview and Grade Comparison

Federal salaries are calculated based on the General Schedule (GS) structure, incorporating localized adjustments to reflect the cost of living in Bremerton, Washington.

Below is a comparison of the key parameters between the two starting grade levels:

Feature / Metric	GS-05 Grade Level	GS-07 Grade Level
Starting Annual Salary	$45,331 to $58,925	$56,153 to $73,003
Primary Qualifying Factor	Completed Bachelor's Degree in matching field	Specialized experience OR Superior Academic Achievement
Required Experience	None (Entry-level)	1 Year of GS-05 equivalent work or Graduate education
Promotion Potential	Up to GS-12 (Non-competitive)	Up to GS-12 (Non-competitive)
Secret Clearance Required?	Yes	Yes
Bargaining Unit Position?	Yes	Yes

Note: Promotions to higher grade levels (up to GS-12) may occur non-competitively over time as you gain experience and receive positive performance reviews.

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Federal Benefits Package

When you join the Department of the Navy as a civilian employee, you gain access to an industry-leading benefits package designed to support your health, financial future, and overall work-life balance:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Choose from a wide array of Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) plans, alongside dental, vision, and long-term care programs.
• Retirement Security: Participate in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), which features a guaranteed lifetime pension alongside a Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with up to 5% agency matching contributions.
• Generous Paid Leave: Earn paid annual leave (vacation days), separate sick leave, and observe all federal holidays off with pay.
• Telework and Flexibility: This position is telework-eligible, allowing you to combine on-site industrial oversight with administrative work-from-home days, depending on mission requirements.
• Career Growth: Work your way up the ladder quickly. With a non-competitive promotion potential to GS-12, you can significantly increase your salary and technical responsibilities without having to reapply for external openings.

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Application Tips and How to Apply

Applying for a federal position requires meticulous attention to detail. Because this is a public notice announcement, applications are handled directly by the shipyard’s human resources office rather than through the automated USAJobs portal.

To ensure your application is successful, keep these crucial tips in mind:

1. Adhere to the Strict Page Limit: Your resume must not exceed two pages. Resumes that run longer, even by a single line, will be marked ineligible and discarded without being evaluated.
2. Detail Your Academic Coursework: Since this is an interdisciplinary position with strict educational benchmarks, attach highly legible college transcripts (unofficial transcripts are acceptable for the initial application). Ensure your chemistry, math, and engineering courses are clearly identifiable.
3. Include Critical Employment Metrics: For every professional experience listed on your resume, you must include the employer's name, start and end dates (Month/Year), and your average hours worked per week. Failing to include weekly hours may lead the HR team to assume you worked part-time, which could disqualify you from meeting the experience requirements.
4. Sanitize Your Documents: Protect your privacy by blacking out or deleting any social security numbers, exact dates of birth, or sensitive medical history from your resume or transcripts prior to submission.
5. How to Submit: Package your detailed two-page resume, transcripts, and any supporting credentials (such as professional registrations or veterans' documents) into a single email and send it to [email protected].

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is the closing date for this flyer?

This flyer serves as an ongoing notice of anticipated vacancies and will close on November 2, 2026. Applications will be reviewed as individual vacancies arise throughout the year.

Q: Is a physical test or medical screening required?

While this role is not subject to routine pre-employment physical exams, you must be physically capable of accessing industrial work spaces, including shipboard environments, and be able to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) as required by safety protocols.

Q: Can I apply if I am still in my senior year of college?

Yes. You may apply using your current unofficial transcripts. If selected, any formal job offer will be contingent upon you successfully graduating and presenting official transcripts verifying you meet the educational standards before your start date.

Q: Will I receive feedback on my application status?

Because this is an active public notice flyer rather than a traditional job posting, you will not receive a standard "Notice of Results" email. Qualified applicants will be placed in a talent pool, and selecting managers will reach out directly to candidates they wish to interview.

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An interdisciplinary career as an Industrial Hygienist or Chemical Engineer at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard represents a unique opportunity to combine high-level scientific expertise with public service. By joining the team in Bremerton, Washington, you will take on an active role in maintaining the security of the nation while building a stable, benefit-rich federal career. If you meet the educational requirements and are driven to apply your skills in a complex, mission-focused industrial setting, do not hesitate—assemble your transcripts, polish your two-page resume, and submit your application today.