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Program Specialist

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Kansas City VA Medical Center - Environmental Management Service

Summary

The Program Specialist works within Environmental Management Services (EMS) and is responsible for developing and maintaining the Quality Assurance Program for all EMS operations to ensure a safe and supportive healing environment. The incumbent creates and delivers training, assess effectiveness, and updates content to keep the program aligned with industry standards and technological advances, emphasizing biological cleanliness and infection prevention.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 06/08/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 8, 2026
This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$62,729 - $98,671 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9 - 11
Promotion potential
11
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Not required
Appointment type
Permanent
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
Yes
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
CBSS-12968086-26-LTR
Control number
871137900

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Duties

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Duties include, but are not limited to:

  • Monitors, inspects and documents functions of all operational segments of EMS to ensure efficiency, productivity, and compliance in accordance with the Department of Veterans Affairs mission, regulations, and directives in addition to Kansas City VA Medical Center
    (VAMC) policies.
  • Compiles reports for submission to VISN, VACO, and other federal departments, state agencies, and private organizations.
  • Provides consultant services which improve the effectiveness, resource efficiency, and resource savings.
  • Addresses unsatisfactory conditions and/or deficiencies in service operation by developing action plans to correct any contributing factors to defective work processes.
  • Performs quality management tasks designed to improve quality of transaction processing, customer service processes and all EMS operational procedures.
  • Analyzes data collected during inspection activities to evaluate quality of overall frontline sanitation, waste management, recycling, textile/linen, and contracted operations and compiles reports for management review.
  • Utilizes the most current information and visual aids to provide basic orientation to all new employees, organizational and procedural education, ongoing in-service and refresher training for veteran employees, and remedial training.
  • Plans, coordinates, and carries out the successive steps in fact-finding and analysis of issues necessary to complete each
    phase of assigned projects.
  • Develops and maintains as a component of the Quality Assurance Program, a comprehensive inspection regimen to be utilized by supervisory staff.
  • Develops a comprehensive Quality Assurance Program to ensure the service meets all regulatory requirements, including JCAHO, OSHA, EPA, and applicable quality standards, in alignment with EPS VACO guidelines.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm, Monday - Friday (Hours may vary based on operational needs. Trainer may be assigned to various shifts as required.)
Telework: This position may be authorized for telework.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist/PD09996-0 and PD09997-0
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved
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
  • 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 identification 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)
  • Advises the service chief on all aspects and matters pertaining to the Environmental Management Service MS Quality Assurance Program.
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, 06/08/2026.

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-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. 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.

GS-9:
Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

  • Skill in applying analytical and evaluative techniques to the identification, consideration, and resolution of issues or problems of a procedural or factual nature.
  • Posses a level is knowledge of the theory and principles of management and organization, including administrative practices and procedures.
OR

Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Mater's or equivalent degree or 2 full years if progressively higher level graduate education leading to such degree; or LL.B or J.D.. in the related field of the position to be filled. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Transcripts must be provided.

OR

Combination: Possess a combination of successfully completed graduate education (beyond a master's degree) and specialized experience as described above to meet total experience requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position.

GS-11:

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level. Specialized Experience is defined as experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
  • Develops and maintains as a component of the Quality Assurance Program, a comprehensive inspection regimen to be utilized by supervisory staff.
  • Plans, coordinates, and carries out the successive steps in fact-finding and analysis of issues necessary to complete each
    phase of assigned projects.
  • Develops a comprehensive Quality Assurance Program to ensure the service meets all regulatory requirements, including JCAHO, OSHA, EPA, and applicable quality standards, in alignment with EPS VACO guidelines.
  • Advises the service chief on all aspects and matters pertaining to the Environmental Management Service Quality Assurance
    Program.
  • Performs quality assurance work focused on preventing deficiencies, ensuring compliance with regulations and standards, and identifying unsatisfactory trends and conditions.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  • Administration and Management
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Education and Training
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Oral Communication
  • Problem Solving
  • Quality Management
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • 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: See Directive and HANDBOOK 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

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.

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?

Agency contact information

Lameka Rose
Phone
816-922-2008
Email
lameka.rose@va.gov
Address
Kansas City VA Medical Center
4801 Linwood Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64128
US

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http://www.va.gov/jobs

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