Clarification from the agency

This Announcement is for All Current Permanent VHA Employees. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Engineering Program Management and Administration

The Deputy Chief Engineer is responsible for strengthening and enhancing healthcare facility engineering and operations. Key managerial advisor reporting directly to the Chief Engineer. Acts in the full authority and capacity of the Chief in his/her absence, and is relied on for authoritative advice on all aspects of engineering matters.

Provides management support and technical expert consultation to the Chief Engineer for all issues relative to the areas listed above. Significant decision-making authority, responsibility, and accountability on issues affecting all of Facilities Management Service. Collaborates with operations and program managers to ensure integrated goals and priorities for Facilities Management Service are met.

Responsible for the planning, organizing, directing, evaluating, and management process for the Facilities Management Service that includes setting qualitative and quantitative standards.

Develops Medical Center policies, procedures and resource allocations for assigned programs. Oversees human resources management matters for the services, including development and implementation of succession and workforce plans.

Supports the VISN Capital and Energy Engineers in the administration of the programs.

The Deputy Chief is a member of and routinely participates on VISN and national committees and work groups. In this capacity he meets with others on the committee's from around the country and representatives from VISN, VACO and the VHA Healthcare Engineering and Facilities Enterprise Support Services.

As part of Medical Center planning team, the Deputy Chief Engineer supports the Strategic Capital Investment Planning process.

Creates and supports programs to ensure the healthcare system manages and maintains fire safety equipment, systems, and life safety building features.

Identifies risks associated with highly sophisticated utility systems and the general physical environment. Periodically reviews major utility systems and associated equipment to assure compliance with regulations, operating standards, and ability to meet medical center needs.

Responsible for providing professional engineering direction to ensure compliance with legislative and accrediting requirements at the Medical Center.

Changing national initiatives often require the Deputy Chief Engineer to adjust the manner in which all the previously discussed services are provided.

Responsible for maintaining effective relations with local Government agencies, Labor Unions, Professional Engineering Societies, Affiliated Universities, Research Program Leaders and other interested organizations as required.

Responsible for maintaining the precisely controlled research laboratory environment, where advanced equipment and instrumentation is utilized in conducting VA Research Programs.

Budgeting/Financial Management

Provides for the budgeting and financial management for Facilities Management Service. This includes budget formulation, justification, and execution; financial management; and financial reporting. Identifies functional requirements for current and future programs inclusive of life-cycle costs.

Research and Analysis

Researches and/or analyzes problems, issues, or program requirements related to all areas of the facility and all facets of Facilities Management Service. Provides expert analysis and advice on complex program issues.

Special Projects: Plans and/or accomplishes special projects. Manages special projects for major office or program issues of broad impact.

Professional Engineering/Architectural Analysis and Advice

This position serves as the Deputy Chief Engineer within a medical center/VISN/VACO hierarchy. In this capacity he meets regularly with other Engineers from across the country and VA Leadership from the Office of Capital Asset Management and Engineering Support.

Must meet program performance standards as defined at the national, VISN level, and medical center level. Develops and maintains performance monitoring, tracking and reporting systems.

Performs Construction Administration

This position is 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.

Develops technical data regarding materials, sizes, dimensions, quantities, and costs to be incorporated in formal specifications.

Prepares correspondence, technical reports, estimates, fact sheets, status reports, and schedules as required to complete project assignments. Consults with contractor personnel to resolve difficult and complex unforeseen problems and latent conditions encountered during construction.

Work Schedule: M-F, 7:30am-4:00pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #:549460
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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 examination.
• 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.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 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 trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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. Healthcare Engineer candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Education.

• (1) Bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering or Architecture. To be acceptable, the curriculum must be from a school with at least one 3 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
• (2) 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
• (3) 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

Grade Determinations:

Supervisory Healthcare Engineer (Deputy), GS-13.

Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade.

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

• Knowledge of the management of overall healthcare system resources, (i.e., finances, space, equipment, supplies, schedules and staffing).
• Knowledge of mechanical, electrical, structural, civil and other engineering/architectural principles, practices and their applications as related to healthcare facilities.
• Skill in using effective communication in managing interpersonal relationships with internal and external customers, stakeholders, executive leadership, labor representatives and managers.
• Skill in balancing priorities, delegating tasks and meeting multiple competing deadlines.
• Skill in interpreting broad or general national policies and guidelines and adapting/applying them to specific compliant programs at the local healthcare system.
• Skill in recognizing and assessing evolving scenarios, utilizing initiative, self-direction and assigned resources to affect resolutions.
• Ability to analyze complex organizational problems and develop and implement effective solutions that result in efficient operations.
• 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.
• Ability to ensure compliance with healthcare industry standards and regulatory agency and organization (including but not limited to TJC, OSHA, NFPA, etc.), regulations, requirements, guides, policies, procedures, directives and general medical program requirements as 12 they relate to healthcare engineering.
• Ability to interview candidates for positions, recommend appointments, advancements, or when appropriate, disciplinary actions; evaluate performance and identify continuing education and training needs.

Assignment. For all supervisory assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity, difficulty, range of variety and be performed by the incumbent as a major duty at least 25% of the time. The incumbent must supervise staff for at least 25% of the time, administratively and technically at the full performance grade level or below. This Supervisory Healthcare Engineer, GS-13, position is the deputy to the Supervisory Healthcare Engineer, GS14, who supervises professional engineers and other support staff. They supervise the engineering service to accomplish the operations of the service. The deputy, as an assistant chief, in this position exercises the full range of supervisory responsibility to include but not limited to development of performance standards and performance evaluations, recommendations for appointment, awards, advancements, and when appropriate, disciplinary actions and identification of continuing training needs. The deputy provides a safe, reliable and precisely controlled operating environment for direct patient care. They are experts in the design, sustainment and improvement of the medical care environment, including all hospital building features, automated building management and environmental control systems, critical utility systems and medical equipment technology. They work under the authority and direction of the Supervisory Healthcare Engineer, GS-14, and may collaborate directly with executive leadership, medical staff, nursing staff and other clinical personnel regarding the design and operation of the environment for medical care. They manage the healthcare system's capital assets program and construction projects. They educate and advise clinical staff on the safe use of critical building features, utility systems and fire prevention systems as they relate to the environment of care. They educate and advise clinical staff on medical equipment technology including selection, operation, safety and security. Deputies/Assistant Chiefs ensure the healthcare system complies with a multitude of VA established or adopted standards, codes, accreditation and regulatory requirements including, but not limited to, those issued by TJC, OSHA and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In summary, they apply engineering concepts and methodologies to enhance the delivery of healthcare by providing a technologically advanced, safe and reliable healthcare environment. They coordinate the operational planning, organizing, directing, evaluating and management process for service line programs, which may include setting qualitative and quantitative standards. They may develop and provide the Executive Leadership Team and the clinical staff information on the methods, techniques and procedures necessary to integrate engineering, maintenance, biomedical, capital management and other engineering 13 programs into the mission of the medical center. They assist the Supervisory Healthcare Engineer, GS-14, with oversight of the TJC, Environment of Care Programs for Utility Systems Management, Safety, Life Safety and Medical Equipment Management for both their assigned medical center and all CBOCs

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

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.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

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.