Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent employees of the Department of Veteran Affairs, current permanent employees of other Federal agencies and all US Citizens. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The duties of this position include but are not limited to the following:

• Resolves technical work problems not covered by precedents or established policies for nonroutine or complex procedures. Studies continuing problems on the quality and quantity of work and operating effectiveness and takes or recommends needed actions.
• Develops and updates guidelines and policies for nonroutine or complex assignments.
• Initiates formal and follow-up actions for personnel functions, has authority to establish internal guidelines and approve, modify, or reject personnel actions of subordinate supervisors or employees.
• Hears individuals or group grievances and employee complaints.
• Recommends disciplinary actions involving key or other employees.
• Approves, modifies, or rejects career development or training plans or requests, employee utilization requests, and similar matters.
• Approves, modifies, or rejects formal requests from subordinates for promotion, reassignment, status changes, awards, special advancements, selection, and the like.
• Prepares formal evaluations of the performance of key employees or other subordinates and reviews evaluations prepared by subordinates.
• Where applicable, deals with union stewards and others on personnel matters.
• May serve on interdisciplinary committees, task forces or other groups relating to Respiratory Care.
• Delivers respiratory care as need in the more complex respiratory care procedures and to poor risk patients such as those in the older age category.
• Has substantial responsibility for planning and implementing educational programs for in-service and other personnel and respiratory therapy students who rotate through the health care facility.
• ls responsible for auditing respiratory care and initiating or recommending changes where indicated.
• Establishes policies and procedures for the Respiratory Therapy program.
• Trains and supports development of Respiratory Therapists.
• Ensures that equipment is maintained, and preventative maintenance programs are continued in a timely fashion.
• Interacts with a wide variety of professionals including physicians, nurses, other supervisors, and sales representatives.
• AII other duties as assigned.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

• 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.

Qualifications

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: RTs/RRTs appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Education: Individuals must have successfully completed a respiratory care program accredited by the CoARC or its successor.

Licensure: Persons appointed or reassigned to RRT positions in the GS-0601 series must possess and maintain for the duration of employment a full, current and unrestricted license from a state to practice as an RRT.

Credential: Persons appointed or reassigned to RRT positions in the GS-0601series must possess and maintain for the duration of employment a valid, current, unrestricted NBRC credential of RRT.

Grandfathering Provision: May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations: Supervisory Registered Respiratory Therapist GS-13:To qualify for this position you must possess the Experience hold an active license and RRT credential and demonstrate all KSA's as described below.

Experience, Licensure and Credential. Candidates must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level demonstrating the clinical competencies described at that level. Examples of this experience include but are not limited to the following: Performing complex pulmonary function testing and stress/exercise testing; maintaining a quality control program related to pulmonary function testing; treating acute complications for all pulmonary function testing; understanding how to conduct polysomnographic studies, to include obtaining both physiologic and diagnostic data; assisting with troubleshooting polysomnographic equipment and physiologic and diagnostic monitoring devices. Maintaining a quality control program in the sleep lab.

AND

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the requirements above, candidates must demonstrate all the following KSAs:

• Ability to assist in establishing a completely integrated patient care program.
• Ability to organize work, delegate tasks, evaluate performance, manage fiscal matters and meet multiple deadlines.
• Ability to supervise and manage subordinate employees.
• Skill in interpersonal relationships including conflict resolution.
• Ability to establish and monitor standards and priorities for production and patient care.
• Skill in recommending improvements to operations based on evaluation of data.

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.

AREA OF CONSIDERATION: Eligible applicants will be reviewed and referred in this following order.

1) Current permanent VA employees of a facility.
2) All other VA employees.
3) Current permanent Federal employees of other agencies.
4) All other applicants.

NOTE: Veterans' preference is not applicable to VA employees or employees of other federal agencies.


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.