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Assistant Hospital Housekeeping Officer

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Health Administration

Summary

This position serves as the Assistant Service Chief for the Environmental Management Service located at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center.

DRIVER'S LICENSE REQUIREMENT: A driver's license in the State or Territory in which assigned is required. Candidates must pass a Federal service driving test and/or complete any related requirements.

***This position is undergoing a classification consistency review and may result in a change in grade***

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
05/21/2026 to 06/01/2026
Salary
$93,231 - $121,203 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Cincinnati, OH
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—Ad-hoc telework may be available as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
50% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
CBSR-12968560-26-JS
Control number
870284700

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Duties

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The Cincinnati VA Medical Center is a two-division campus located in Cincinnati, Ohio and Fort Thomas, Kentucky serving 15 counties in Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Southeast Indiana with 6 Community Based Outpatient Clinics located in Bellevue, KY; Florence, KY; Lawrenceburg, IN; Hamilton, OH; Clermont County, OH, and Georgetown, OH. Cincinnati VAMC also supports two off main campus locations in the Cincinnati area via an Eye Center and Mental Health Outreach Community Division.

Major Duties:

  • Serve as staff official to the Chief, Environmental Management Service (EMS).
  • Ensure effective environmental sanitation and visible cleanliness according to standards from The Joint Commission, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, VHA Central Office, and other authorities.
  • Manage linen services for the facility and oversee the employee uniform program for over 85 employees.
  • Share responsibility for operation and evaluation of the Medical Center's environmental management program as prescribed by VHA directives, handbooks, and relevant guidance.
  • Serve on committees and attend meetings in the absence of the Chief of EMS, including Administrative Executive Board, Executive Leadership Board, Safety Council, Water Safety Committee, Environmental Health and Infection Control Committee, Space Committee, and Green Environmental Management Systems.
  • Assist in overall management deliberations regarding the objectives and mission of the Medical Center.
  • Act as advisor and consultant to the Chief of EMS on business practices, budget management, environmental sanitation, preventative building maintenance, pest control, and linen and textile care.
  • Consult and participate with top management in analyzing the implications of laws, regulations, policies, and technical advancements in the absence of the Chief of EMS.
  • Assist in directing and planning EMS operations, fully coordinating efforts with other activities throughout the medical center to minimize impact on daily operations.
  • Maintain close relationships with all Medical Center services for effective environmental management.
  • Help establish standards and criteria for environmental sanitation tailored to the Medical Center's needs.
  • Develop technical procedures and standards; ensure instructions are followed for a clean and sanitary environment.
  • Provide specialized training on handling contaminated and non-contaminated linen and proper use and upkeep of EMS equipment.
  • Share responsibility for establishing efficient and effective organizational structures and staffing patterns.
  • Plan and schedule work to maximize personnel utilization and support integration with the Medical Center mission.
  • Assist in developing short- and long-range budget requests to support EMS program needs.
  • Develop statistical data on workload, staffing, supply needs, equipment requirements, linen services, uniforms, and pest control services for approval by the Chief of EMS.
  • Oversee linen service contracts, including determining daily PAR levels, spoiled linen pickup, and clean linen distribution.
  • Assist in pest management through supervision of the pest control program; monitor schedules and standards for pest control throughout the Medical Center.
  • Handle special assignments involving complex Medical Center characteristics.
  • Perform other related duties as assigned.


Work Schedule: Various tours based on service needs
Telework: This position may be authorized for ad-hoc telework according to agency policy. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Assistant Hospital Housekeeping Officer/PD916970
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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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
  • DRIVER'S LICENSE REQUIREMENT: A driver's license in the State or Territory in which assigned is required. Candidates must pass a Federal service driving test and/or complete any related requirements.
  • 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, 06/01/2026.

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-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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 (IOR) for Hospital Housekeeping Management Series (0673): An IOR is a basic requirement that must be met in order to qualify for entry into this job series, and cannot be waived. Education must be accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.

Education:
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.
NOTE: You will be required to provide a copy of your transcript.

OR

Specialized Experience:
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 above IOR requirement, you must also meet the specialized experience as described 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: knowledge of environmental sanitation requirements, infection control, preventative maintenance practices, demonstrated knowledge of waste management, including the requirements relating to hazardous, toxic, and infectious wastes and provisions for final disposition, knowledge of pest management, including alternative methods of control and the selection and application of chemicals, experience in management and program oversight, knowledge of personnel management and applicable laws and regulations, knowledge of contract administration, budgeting, and acquisition, experience identifying trends and problems associated with patient care, ability to advise on related business operations utilizing local, state, and federal laws and policies, and experience utilizing a variety of management, personnel, budgeting, and related systems.
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Administration and Management
  • Technical Competence
  • Hazardous Materials

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: Physical demands do exceed those of a typical office setting. There will be walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light items.

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/.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Areas of Consideration - Applicants will be considered based on the following areas of consideration.

  • First Area of Consideration (Facility Employees) - Current, permanent Cincinnati VA Medical Center employees (this includes Outpatient Clinics and permanent employees of the Veteran Canteen Service assigned to this facility)
  • Second Area of Consideration (Other VA Employees) - Current, permanent Department of Veterans Affairs Employees (VA employees who are located at other VA medical centers).
  • Third Area of Consideration (Status Candidates) - Current, permanent Federal employees, former Federal employees with reinstatement rights, and VEOA eligibles (separated under honorable conditions after three or more years of continuous active service or preference eligible).
  • Fourth Area of Consideration: Special Hiring Authorities
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.

Veterans Health Administration

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

VA Healthcare System Serving Ohio, Indiana and Michigan (VISN 10) 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.

Agency contact information

Jennifer Shifflett
Email
jennifer.shifflett@va.gov
Address
Cincinnati VA Medical Center
3200 Vine Street
Cincinnati, OH 45220
US

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