Clarification from the agency

Current and permanent employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs and other federal agencies, ICTAP, CTAP, those eligible for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) consideration.

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The Hospital Housekeeping Officer is fully responsible and accountable for planning, directing and monitoring all aspects of the hospital housekeeping program at the VA Medical Center. This includes responsibility for performing the full range of the following duties and responsibilities.

Major Duties for the position include but not limited to:

Environmental Sanitation Program (25%)

• Coordinates a complete program that includes but is not limited to the development and maintenance of standards for cleanliness and sanitation, frequency of cleaning, methods, procedures, necessary supplies and safety precautions to be followed.
• Orientation and training program is maintained for all housekeeping staff.
• Evaluates system is developed as part of the EMS Quality Assurance Program as required by The Joint Commission (TJC).
• Provides daily Environmental Sanitation coverage to designated patients and non-patients.
• Specifies guidelines and cleaning procedures are coordinated to maintain all medical research activities.
• Identifies and autoclaved by EMS in accordance with federal, state and local law prior to disposal.
• Assures safe handling and removal of radioactive waste generated from the VACCHCS Research Program.
• Manages plans and policies submitted to the County Health Department for review and approval that are required within Fresno County.

Pest Control (25%)

• Requires developing a total integrated pest management plan and to have knowledge of the chemical properties and safe handling of pesticides utilized at the VACCHCS.
• Recommends eliminating infestations and taking measures to correct environmental and health discrepancies related to pest management.
• Responsible to provide immediate corrective action in the event that an infestation is reported.

Textile Care (25%)

• Manages and financial responsibility for the VACCHCS textile operations that provide total laundry processing contract and linen distributions service.
• Establishes laundry work standards and works with the Environment of Care Specialist to develop techniques necessary for tailoring manpower requirements with workload characteristics in the laundry.
• Determines purchasing the quantities necessary, works with the Environment of Care Specialist to establish quotas for each ward and other using points within the VACCHCS.
• Responsible for purchasing, issuing, replacing, and processing uniforms of soiled safety apparel and processing of all special-purpose clothing.
• Supports the VACCHCS Director when requests for deviations or exceptions are made.

Supervisory Duties (25%)

• Assist in administrative reviews of the VACCHCS Associate Director with the VACCHCS Director as the next higher-level supervisor.
• Responsible for implementing Environmental Management's programs within VACCHCS policies.
• Supervision and guidelines controlling in the position are minimal.
• Develops procedures, standards and instructions concerning Environmental Management activities.
• Process administrative level, relative to delegated authority and responsibility with other administrative service chiefs (Business Administration, Human Resources Management, Facilities Management, and Information Resources Management Services).

Work Schedule: Full-time; Monday - Friday; 0800am-4:30pm
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Hospital Housekeeping Officer/PD03406-O
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, 05/19/2026.

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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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 may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

Individual Occupational Requirement:

• 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.

In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirements you must also meet the specialized experience below.

• Specialized Experience:
  • You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-12 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Coordinates a complete program that includes but is not limited to the development and maintenance of standards for cleanliness and sanitation; Monitors and evaluates system is developed as part of the EMS Quality Assurance Program as required by The Joint Commission (TJC); Knowledge of waste management plans and policies will be submitted to the County Health Department for review and approval that is required within Fresno County; Requires to have knowledge of the chemical properties and safe handling of pesticides utilized at the VACCHCS; Recommends to eliminate infestations and take measures to correct environmental and health discrepancies related to pest management; Manages and financial responsibility for the VACCHCS textile operations that provide total laundry processing contract and linen distributions service; Establishes laundry work standards and works with the Environment of Care Specialist to develop techniques necessary for tailoring manpower requirements with workload characteristics in the laundry; Responsible for purchasing, issuing, replacing, and processing uniforms; Administrative review of the VACCHCS Associate Director with the VACCHCS Director as the next higher-level supervisor, and as such is responsible for implementing Environmental Management's programs within VACCHCS policies. ~OR~
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have.
  • 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~
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond.

Preferred Experience:

• Planning, directing and monitoring all aspects of a hospital housekeeping program at a Medical Center. This includes responsibility for performing the full range of the following duties and responsibilities: Program Goals, Organizational structure, high level decision making, understanding agency and local policy, establishing personnel management policies, and budget.
• Expertise in Environmental Sanitation and Infection control. Must demonstrate technical knowledge of sanitation, disinfection, and sterilization practices, based on chemistry, biology, and bacteriology. Proven experience handling infectious and regulated hospital waste per CDC, OSHA, and Joint Commission. Must understand integrated pest control methods, including chemical use and alternative approaches. Demonstrates skill in planning, directing, and evaluating housekeeping staff.

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

• Managing Human Resources
• Planning and Evaluating
• Standards
• Strategic Thinking
• Teamwork

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: The work is sedentary and is usually accomplished while the employee is comfortable seated at a desk or table. However, some walking and standing may occur in the course of a normal workday in connection with travel to, and attendance at, meetings and conferences away from the primary work site. Incumbent may be required to be required to bend, lift, carry equipment such as laptops. No special physical effort other than lifting/carrying of equipment is required to perform the work.

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.