Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees. 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:

• Ensures a safe, reliable, and precisely controlled operating environment for direct patient care through management of a design and construction program to build and renovate hospital and support environments.
• Serves as an expert in the design of the medical care environment, including all hospital building features, automated building management and environmental control systems, and critical utility systems, as well as the oversight of related construction including construction in and adjacent to operational healthcare environments.
• Collaborates directly with the Chief and Deputy Chief of Engineering Service, executive leadership, medical staff, nursing staff, and other clinical personnel regarding the design of the environment for medical care. They manage engineers and technicians who oversee construction and design contracts as contracting officer's technical representatives. They ensure that all hospital design and construction projects comply with a multitude of accreditation and regulatory requirements including, but not limited to, those promulgated by the Joint Commission (TJC), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
• Within the Projects Section, the Project Section Chief manages human resource functions such as hiring, performance, training and development. This position 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 projects section, delegates to subordinates 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.
• Provides technical advice on a wide range of engineering issues, including the Strategic Capital Investment Plan, Capital Asset Inventory, Capital Asset Resource Survey, Deferred Maintenance, and a myriad of engineering related topics. The Project Section Chief is also
  called upon to mentor newer engineers and help them as they learn the things they need to know to successfully perform in Projects Section.
• As part of the Engineering planning team, the Project Section Chief supports the Strategic Capital Investment Planning (SCIP) process. The Project Section Chief participates in discussion of proposed capital projects for the station and makes preliminary designs of major
  alterations, improvements, and additions to implement the Medical Center programs. The Project Section Chief establishes parameters in support of project scope development, ensuring alignment with master plan/strategic capital investment goals and Department objectives, goals, policies and priorities.
• Responsible for the implementation of the Medical Center's capital improvement program. Identified needs are individually transformed into engineering requirements, estimated, and accomplished locally or recommended as part of a comprehensive plan for agency funding.
  Coordinates and oversees scheduling and layout of operations, inspection and surveillance of materials, methods, and equipment used in construction and renovation managed by subordinate engineers and engineering technicians. Provides technical resource information to engineering subordinates.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm
Telework: Ad-hoc only, per Supervisor's discretion
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
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.
• 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.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations:
Supervisory Healthcare Engineer, GS-13

Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to meeting the experience requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following KSAs:
(a) Knowledge of data analysis techniques related to managing workload, quality, performance and productivity within the area of responsibility.
(b) Knowledge related to the management of overall department resources, (i.e., finances space, equipment, supplies, schedules and staffing) at the local level.
(c) Knowledge of the full range of supervisory duties, which include responsibility for assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, training and development, recommendation of awards, advancements and disciplinary actions.
(d) Skill in using effective communication in managing interpersonal relationships, leading and dealing with employees, team leaders, labor representatives and managers.
(e) Ability to balance multiple responsibilities, set priorities, delegate tasks, meet multiple deadlines, analyze organizational problems and develop and implement effective solutions that result in efficient operations.
(f) Ability to draft and/or recommend local policies and/or directives related to healthcare engineering management.
(g) Ability to recognize and assess evolving scenarios, utilizing initiative, self-direction and assigned resources to affect resolutions.

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS 13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS13

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.

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.