Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent Department of Veterans Affairs employees, current permanent Federal employees of other agencies and all US 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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Major duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Responsible for strengthening and enhancing healthcare facility engineering and operations.
• Serves as a key managerial advisor reporting directly to the Chief Engineer. This position acts in the full authority and capacity of the Chief in his/her absence, and is relied on for authoritative advice on all aspects of engineering matters. This position is a fully participating technical advisor in all or almost all significant management planning, policy, and decision-making actions of the Medical Center except those of a primarily medical nature. This position is involved with long and short-range planning, establishing policy, and budgeting for the Medical Center, as well as for all Engineering Service programs.
• Provides management support and technical expert consultation to the Chief Engineer for all issues relative to the areas listed above. This position has significant decision-making authority, responsibility, and accountability on issues affecting all of Engineering Service. This position collaborates with operations and program managers to ensure integrated goals and priorities for Engineering Service are met. This position also works closely with peers in other service lines to meet their needs as internal customers and the needs of external customers as well. Facilitates stakeholder understanding of clinic program desires and engineering, technical, facility, and infrastructure requirements and capabilities. Has knowledge of, and plays in integral role in the accomplishment of, overall VISN and Medical Center goals, missions, and priorities to assure a positive impact on other programs and resources.
• Responsible for the planning, organizing, directing, evaluating, and management process for the Engineering Service that includes setting qualitative and quantitative standards. This position develops and provides the Medical Center executive leadership and the clinical staff information on the methods, techniques, and procedures necessary to integrate these programs into the mission of the Medical Center. This position provides professional and technical guidance and direction and review of assigned programs, including professional engineering work in several disciplines such as; civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, structural engineer, environmental engineering, and fire safety and safety engineering.
• Oversees human resources management matters for the services, including development and implementation of succession and workforce plans. Determines organizational changes in key positions within the Service; ensures internal personnel-related programs are dealt with in a timely and efficient manner; communicates agency and local policies and priorities to all employees within the Service; delegates to each section supervisor the authority and responsibility to carry out assigned tasks; follows progress of each and recommends improvement to be made where warranted; ensures labor/management relations are maintained in accordance with Medical Center policy; and procedures and that other requirements such as effective use of performance standards, EEO policies, and other personnel-related rules and regulations are effectively enforced.
• Occasional travel is required of this position, including but not limited to: national and regional conferences, site visits to other facilities in the VISN (or the VISN offices), face-to-face meetings regarding national and regional projects/assignments, specialized training for certain medical equipment and/or systems, other training opportunities that may improve the Assistant Chief Engineer's ability to better serve the needs of the VA.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
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)
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) and 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: Ad-hoc only, per Supervisor's discretion
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
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.
• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• A current, valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position.
• Must pass pre-employment driving physical examination.
• 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: To qualify for appointment to this position, all applicants must possess the following:

• 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).
• English Language Proficiency: Healthcare Engineer candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Education:
  • 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 and architectural degrees include, but are not limited to: Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Architecture and Architectural Engineering. Titles may vary from educational institutions and change over time OR,
  • 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,
  • 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.

GRADE DETERMINATIONS: In addition to the basic requirements outlined above, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.
Supervisory Healthcare Engineer (Deputy), GS-13.

• Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
  • Equivalent experience is demonstrated by: Independent work, under general supervision with wide latitude to exercise independent judgment. Intimate grasp of high order healthcare engineering and capital subject matter. Serving as institutional resource 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. Supporting the delivery of healthcare to Veterans by contributing to the education of clinical staff, planners and leadership to ensure safe and efficient healthcare delivery. Planning, executing and documenting highly complex, multi-faceted healthcare facility construction projects and inspections while prioritizing resources against approved scopes of work, contract documents and budgets. Identifying problems and developing 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:
  1. Knowledge of the management of overall healthcare system resources, (i.e., finances, space, equipment, supplies, schedules and staffing).
  2. Knowledge of mechanical, electrical, structural, civil and other engineering/architectural principles, practices and their applications as related to healthcare facilities.
  3. Skill in using effective communication in managing interpersonal relationships with internal and external customers, stakeholders, executive leadership, labor representatives and managers.
  4. Skill in balancing priorities, delegating tasks and meeting multiple competing deadlines.
  5. Skill in interpreting broad or general national policies and guidelines and adapting/applying them to specific compliant programs at the local healthcare system.
  6. Skill in recognizing and assessing evolving scenarios, utilizing initiative, self-direction and assigned resources to affect resolutions.
  7. Ability to analyze complex organizational problems and develop and implement effective solutions that result in efficient operations.
  8. Ability to anticipate, develop and implement strategies in meeting the healthcare system's short term and long-term strategic goals in a highly fluid environment.
  9. Ability to ensure compliance with healthcare industry standards and regulatory agency and organization (including but not limited to TJC, OSHA, NFPA, etc.), regulations, requirements, guides, policies, procedures, directives and general medical program requirements as they relate to healthcare engineering.
  10. Ability to interview candidates for positions, recommend appointments, advancements, or when appropriate, disciplinary actions; evaluate performance and identify continuing education and training needs.

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

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

Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

How you will be evaluated

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

Area of Consideration-Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:
1. Current permanent VA employees of the facility.
2. All other VA employees.
3. All other applicants.

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.