Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to current employees of the announcing facility.

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Major Duties Include but are not limited to the following:
Serve as a full deputy to the Chief, Environmental Management Services (EMS) on matters pertaining to the linen and laundry, environmental conditions and sanitation requirements and various other EMS programs. Directs the EMS housekeeping programs day-to-day operations. Shares all technical and managerial responsibilities of planning, directing, managing, controlling, staffing and evaluating the total program designed to provide a sanitary environment appropriate to medical, surgical, research, inpatient and outpatient treatment facilities such as environment sanitation, laundry operations and linen service, pest control activities, contract operations and patient assistance programs. Participate in integrating EMS programs with the clinical, surgical, research, training and administrative goals of the health care system's facilities/campuses. Assures the programs and staff are in compliance with VA, VHA, The Joint Commission. OSHA and EPA standards, regulations, directives, policies, guidelines and requirements. Participates in the formulation and issuance of health care system policy covering broad areas of environment sanitation, laundry operations and linen service, pest control activities, contract operations, patient assistance programs and employee performance and conduct.

Coordinates EMS programs and activities with other health care systems services and activities. Conducts and supervises sanitary inspections of all hospital areas. Recommends revisions to and develops new EMS policy, procedures, standards and goals to ensure facilities meet accrediting agencies requirements. Develops and conducts a program review and evaluation system to identify realistic plans. the incumbent must exercise broad managerial knowledge and technical expertise within the various disciplines of the Service. This knowledge and experience provides the basis for sound leadership and managerial practices. He/She must seek solutions to existing and possible future challenges, identify long and short range goals, and formulates proposals for higher management and/or appropriate hospital committees. The incumbent plans and initiates improvement actions on a progressive basis. This individual is responsible for making decisions and actions that have substantial impact on general administration practices, program objectives, goals, scheduling, organizational structure and allocation of manpower and other resources. The incumbent is responsible for the comprehensive planning, direction, and coordination of the EMS operation, as well as the evaluation of the medical centers EMS programs and functions. The scope, variety and quality of assigned functions minimally encompass all activities listed in VA Manual M-1, Part VII.

The incumbent analyzes the broad implications of higher levels of authority, laws, regulations, policies, as well as managerial, administrative and technical trends. He/She will collaborate in community affairs for improving the public image of the Department of Veterans Affairs and this medical center and related satellite clinics.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 0800-1630
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Assistant Hospital Housekeeping Management Officer/PD11291O
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 01/21/2026.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

Basic Qualification:

Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have . OR,

Undergraduate Education: Major study -- chemistry or biological sciences, sanitary science or administration, institutional sanitation or administration, hospital administration, hotel administration, public administration, business administration, or other fields related to the position.

Graduate Education: Major study -- public health or business administration with emphasis in hospital administration. OR,

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

General Experience (for GS-5 positions): Examples of qualifying general experience include:

• Work that provided a practical knowledge of supervision and management.
• General administrative work in institutional or building maintenance with responsibility for employing and directing a housekeeping, laundry, or maintenance force; and responsibility for planning work schedules on both a short- and long-term basis.
• Performance of administrative duties that included estimating budget requirements, planning expenditures of funds, estimating materials and equipment needs, supervising employees, and recommending personnel actions.
• Teacher in a formal course of instruction related to supervision or management.
• Work that provided a practical knowledge of methods by which bacteria and viruses are spread and of preventive and control measures.

Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): Experience in two or more of the following areas, or other work related to the position to be filled:

• Experience that demonstrated a practical working knowledge of the basic principles of chemistry, biology, and bacteriology as applied to environmental sanitation, infection control, and to the choice and use of antimicrobial agents in the disinfection, sanitization, and/or sterilization of surfaces and equipment.
• Experience in laundry and linen management.
• Experience in interior design management.
• Experience that demonstrated a knowledge of waste management, including the requirements relating to hazardous, toxic, and infectious wastes and provisions for their final disposition.
• Experience that demonstrated a knowledge of pest management, including alternative methods of control and the selection and application of chemicals. OR,

Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond .

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Change Management
• Communications
• Financial Management
• Human Capital Management
• Organizational Development

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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: Although the majority of the incumbent's duties are sedentary in nature, staff meetings, environmental rounds, conducting training sessions, inspection, and supervisory duties require walking, climbing, stooping, kneeling, crawling, and reaching.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

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 WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

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.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the 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.