Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens to include employees of the Department of Veteran Affairs and other Federal Agencies

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Healthcare Engineer: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-General-Engineer-Career-Flyer.pdf

Duties of the position include, but are not limited to:

• Responsibilities for planning, staffing, budgeting, developing, and effectively managing the total Engineering Program.
• Manages human resource functions such as performance, training, and development, hiring, and firing.
• Responsible for strengthening and enhancing healthcare facility engineering and operations.
• Periodically reviews major utility systems and associated equipment to assure compliance with regulations, operating standards, and ability to meet medical center needs.
• Responsible leader and a member of the Medical Center top management team and is relied on for authoritative advice on all aspects of engineering matters.
• Involved with long and short-range planning, establishing policy, and budgeting for the Medical Center. as well as for all FMS programs.
• Budgeting/Financial Management Work Provides for the budgeting and financial management for Facilities Management Service.
• Exercises responsibility for budget formulation, presentation, and execution.
• Maintains awareness of and information about the overall status of financial resources for the office to react to changing situations with timely recommendations.
• Participates with management in defending the budget before senior level management.
• Interacts and negotiates on adjustments or reprogramming in support of major program changes or requirements. Reviews for financial impact.
• Research and/or analyzes problems, issues, or program requirements related to all areas of the facility and all facets of Facilities Management Service.
• Based on operations and changing program requirements, identifies relevant issues.
• Plans and/or accomplishes special projects. Manages special projects for major office or program issues of broad impact.
• Responsible for development and implementation of the Medical Center's capital improvement program.
• Works with medical activities to identify additional space needs and needed renovations.
• Establishes leases as needed. Identified needs are individually transformed to engineering requirements, estimated, accomplished locally, or included as part of a comprehensive plan for agency funding.
• Coordinates and oversees scheduling and layout of operations, inspection and surveillance of materials, methods, and equipment used in construction and renovation managed by subordinate engineers and engineering technicians.
• Provides technical resource information to other engineering supervisors.
• Must have and maintain a valid unrestricted driver's license.
• Other duties as assigned by management.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 08:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.; Subject to change to meet the needs of the Agency
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Available - Ad-hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 00454-F
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: Healthcare Engineer candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U. S. C. 7403(f).
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.
• Education: Bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering or Architecture. To be acceptable, the curriculum must be from a school with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Engineering Accreditation Commission (excludes engineering technology) or National Council of Architectural Registration Boards curriculum. Examples of acceptable engineering and architectural degrees include, but are not limited to: Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Architecture and Architectural Engineering. Titles may vary from educational institutions and change over time; OR,
• Evidence of passing the Fundamentals of Engineering Examination with a bachelor's degree. Evidence can be in the form of an Engineering in Training certificate issued from any State, the District of Columbia, Guam or Puerto Rico, or test results from the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) identifying a passing score; OR.
• Evidence of current professional registration or licensure as a Professional Engineer or Architect. Evidence of current professional registration or licensure can be from any State, the District of Columbia, Guam or Puerto Rico.

Foreign Education. To be creditable, engineering, architecture or related education completed outside the U.S. must be submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to a Bachelor's degree as outlined under education.

Grandfathering Provision: A Healthcare Engineer employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (3/18/2022) who did not meet all the basic requirements in this standard may not be promoted beyond the full performance level (GS-0801-12) or be newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions until meeting the full qualification requirements

GRADE DETERMINATION:

Supervisory Healthcare Engineer, GS-14

In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-14 you must possess/demonstrate the following:

Experience: You must possess at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-13).

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to meeting the experience requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Knowledge of mechanical, electrical, structural, civil and other engineering/architectural principles, practices and their applications as related to healthcare facilities.
2. Knowledge related to the management of overall healthcare system resources, (i.e., finances, space, equipment, supplies, schedules and staffing).
3. Skill in using effective communication in managing interpersonal relationships with internal and external customers, stakeholders, executive leadership, labor representatives and managers.
4. Skill in balancing multiple responsibilities, setting priorities, delegating tasks and projects, meeting multiple deadlines, analyzing complex organizational problems and developing and implementing effective solutions that result in efficient operations.
5. Skill in applying considerable independent judgment to interpret broad or general national policies and guidelines and adapt/apply them to specific compliant programs at the local healthcare system.
6. Skill in recognizing and assessing evolving scenarios, utilizing initiative, and self-directing and assigning resources to affect resolutions.
7. Skill in complying with national internal and outside regulatory agency and organization (including, but not limited to TJC, OSHA, NFPA, etc.) regulations, requirements, guides, policies, procedures, directives, standards and general medical program requirements as they relate to healthcare engineering.
8. Ability to anticipate, develop and implement strategies in meeting the healthcare system's short-term and long-term strategic goals in a highly fluid environment.
9. Ability to interview candidates for positions, recommend appointments, advancements, or when appropriate, disciplinary actions; evaluate performance and identify continuing education and training needs.

References: VA Handbook 5005/150, Part II, Appendix G72, Healthcare Engineer Qualification Standard, GS-0801, Veterans Health Administration, dated March 18, 2022.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected is GS-14.

Physical Requirements: The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, training rooms, and libraries. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. The Chief Engineer must also work outdoors in all types of weather. There may be occasional exposure to moderate risks or discomforts in storage areas or hazardous waste sites. The work is primarily sedentary, although some physical effort may be required, e.g., walking, standing, climbing ladders, stooping, kneeling, and carrying light items such as manuals or briefcases, or driving or traveling by motor vehicle.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

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; religions; 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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.