Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to current, permanent employees of the Veterans Health Administration, VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System within the Environmental Services Department. This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements).

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Duties may include but are not limited to the following:

• Assists the Chief, Environmental Management Services in developing and presenting most, if not all, professional health care sanitation, regulated medical waste, pest management, recycling and infection control matters.
• Receives administrative direction with assignments in terms of broadly defined missions or functions.
• Expert in sanitation, infection control, regulated medical waste, and recycling and pest management.
• Assist in the responsibility for the short, mid, and long-range planning and programming aspects of the Environmental Management Services program.
• Responsible for identifying areas for improvement, developing the processes for that improvement, implementing the improvements in the program, and evaluating the outcomes of the implemented processes.
• Independence to complete these tasks, and then provide updates to the Chief, Environmental Management Services.
• Oversees a program to collect and dispose of all general waste, infectious waste, recycling, and regulated waste generated at the medical facility.
• Reviews contract specifications for general refuse, infectious waste, and recycling contracts.
• Assists in the activities related to interior design.
• Supervises a staff of 25 employees and is directly responsible for developing performance plans and evaluating the performance of his/her subordinates.
• Responsible for planning and directing the activities of subordinates and managing training and support needs to assure an appropriate work environment.
• Performing the recruitment and hiring process for positions within the section.
• Hearing and resolving complaints from both employees and patients.
• Identifying, providing, and arranging developmental and training needs of employees.
• Protects printed and electronic files containing data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, federal regulations, VA statutes and policy, and VHA policy; protects the data from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion; follows applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc., as set out in the computer access agreement that the employee signs.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm
Telework: Not Eligible
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Hospital Housekeeping Officer/PD70284A.
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

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, 05/11/2026.

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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. 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.

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

• Specialized Experience: You must have one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service that has equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, with Experience in two or more of the following areas, or other work related to the position to be filled: 1. 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. 2. Experience in laundry and linen management. 3. Experience in interior design management. 4. Experience that demonstrated a knowledge of waste management, including the requirements relating to hazardous, toxic, and infectious wastes and provisions for their final disposition. 5. Experience that demonstrated a knowledge of pest management, including alternative methods of control and the selection and application of chemicals.

OR,

• Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree or successfully completed two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, LL.B or J.D. in a related field of the position to be filled (i.e. Major study in public health or business administration with emphasis in hospital administration)

OR,

• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience as described above, to meet the total experience requirements. The education portion must include graduate study that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position (i.e. Major study in public health or business administration with emphasis in hospital administration). This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Experience must be clearly indicated in your resume.

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

• Attention to Detail
• Clerical
• Compliance
• Computer Skills

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 Demands: The physical layout of the facility and the immediate span of control over area maintenance and environmental services operations require frequent walks throughout a multi building campus. Incumbent will be required to frequently walk throughout the interior and exterior of the campus. The position requirements include but are not limited to the following:

• Constant walking, standing, bending, stooping, squatting, and working in awkward positions. Climbing of ladders and stairs and use of arms and legs for high cleaning. Heavy lifting as much as 50 pounds and must be able to lift large laundry bags of 40 pounds (dry weight) or more at least five feet to load laundry carts. Moving of large laundry carts, linen and trash carts, and heavy recycle bins. Pushing of recycle tubs, cleaning carts, and heavy trash bins. Ability to control very heavy, self-propelled equipment weighing over 1,600 pounds.

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.