Clarification from the agency

This position is open to all U.S. 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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Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

• Plans, organizes, directs, evaluates, & manages processes for the Engineering Service Project Section that includes setting qualitative & quantitative standards.
• Manages human resource functions such as hiring, performance, training & development.
• Provides technical advice on a wide range of engineering issues, including the Strategic Capital Investment Plan, Capital Asset Inventory, Capital Asset Resource Survey, Deferred Maintenance, & a myriad of engineering related topics.
• Mentors newer engineers & help them as they learn the things they need to know to successfully perform in Projects Section.
• Participates on station, VISN, & national committees & work groups.
• Supports the Strategic Capital Investment Planning (SCIP) process.
• Establishes parameters in support of project scope development, ensuring alignment with master plan/strategic capital investment goals & Department objectives, goals, policies & priorities.
• Provides professional engineering direction to ensure compliance with legislative & accrediting requirements at the Medical Center for all design & construction projects.
• Develops policies & procedures, to comply with these frequently conflicting requirements, while minimizing adverse impact to patient care.
• Reviews or directs the review of plans, specifications, & analyses of design as submitted by subordinate engineers & engineering technicians.
• Advises subordinate personnel on methods & procedures to be used on highly complex projects.
• Serves as technical authority, providing expert advice pertaining to the design & construction of facilities & structures in a large geographical region, & in a complex functional specialization.
• Coordinates & oversees scheduling & layout of operations, inspection & surveillance of materials, methods, & equipment used in construction & renovation managed by subordinate engineers & engineering technicians.
• Develops technical data regarding materials, sizes, dimensions, quantities, & costs to be incorporated in formal specifications.
• Conducts site visits.
• Provides resolution of problems related to construction.
• Develops competitive bidding cost estimates for a variety of projects of multiple-use nature, or projects in different geographic locations thus presenting different physical or cultural considerations.
• Prepares correspondence, technical reports, estimates, fact sheets, status reports, & schedules as required to complete project assignments.
• Consults with contractor personnel to resolve difficult & complex unforeseen problems & latent conditions encountered during construction.
• Prepares sketches or changes to drawings & specifications to solve problems & incorporates these changed documents into the contract performance documents.
• Reviews & evaluates shop drawings, samples, & material certifications submitted by contractor for contract & performance requirements; recommending approval, rejection, or receipt.
• Researches and/or analyzes problems, issues, or program requirements related to all areas of the facility & all facets of Projects Engineering Section.
• Serves as the principal advisor to the Chief of Engineering on all design & construction project matters.
• Develops status reports or response materials for the Chief Engineer for higher level attention, review, or signature.
• Develops plans to achieve new & complex long term programs as established by the Chief Engineer.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): not authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): not authorized.
Pay: Competitive salary regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
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) & 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 on an ad-hoc basis.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 55056-O

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.
• 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).
• 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.

Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).

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 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 & architectural degrees include, but are not limited to: Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Architecture & Architectural Engineering.

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.

OR

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.

Grandfathering Provision. All individuals employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard (3/18/2022), are considered to have met all the qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education that is part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements of this standard, but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to the position, the following provisions apply:

1. Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
2. Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels.
3. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
4. Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
5. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education &/or licensure/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

Grade Determinations:
Supervisory Healthcare Engineer, GS-13.
Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-12).

Assignments at the GS-12. Healthcare Engineers demonstrate intimate grasp of high order healthcare engineering and capital subject matter. They serve as institutional resources for healthcare delivery processes and systems, working extensively with clinical stakeholders, acquisition staff, contractors and executive leadership by leading healthcare engineering programs, technology assessments, integration planning and implementation of both current and emerging technologies. Healthcare Engineers support the delivery of healthcare to Veterans by contributing to the education of clinical staff, planners and leadership to ensure safe and efficient healthcare delivery. Healthcare Engineers plan, execute and document highly complex, multi-faceted healthcare facility construction projects and inspections while prioritizing resources against approved scopes of work, contract documents and budgets. They identify problems and develop innovative solutions within the context of applicable rules, regulations and procedures, as it relates to the healthcare environment.

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

• (a) Knowledge of data analysis techniques related to managing workload, quality, performance & productivity within the area of responsibility.
• (b) Knowledge related to the management of overall department resources, (i.e., finances space, equipment, supplies, schedules & staffing) at the local level.
• (c) Knowledge of the full range of supervisory duties, which include responsibility for assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, training & development, recommendation of awards, advancements & disciplinary actions.
• (d) Skill in using effective communication in managing interpersonal relationships, leading & dealing with employees, team leaders, labor representatives & managers.
• (e) Ability to balance multiple responsibilities, set priorities, delegate tasks, meet multiple deadlines, analyze organizational problems & develop & implement effective solutions that result in efficient operations.
• (f) Ability to draft &/or recommend local policies &/or directives related to healthcare engineering management.
• (g) Ability to recognize & assess evolving scenarios, utilizing initiative, self-direction & assigned resources to affect resolutions.

Preferred Experience:

• 2 years as project manager & leader with experience in all phases (planning, design, construction, & activation). Experience conducting project review & analysis with success in meeting established milestones.
• 1 year of experience with complex VA healthcare facility designs, encompassing a majority of subjects in architectural, civil, structural, medical gas, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, communications, fire safety, security, & specialized systems (elevators, patient safety lifts, pneumatic tube, etc.).
• 2 years of experience overseeing the administration of architect-engineer and construction contracts in the role of Contracting Officer Representative (COR).
• 1 year of experience successfully leading teams & managing workloads associated with Class I VA hospitals.
• 1 year of experience successfully coordinating with VISN leadership, Engineering Chief & hospital managers.

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.

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.