Clarification from the agency

Open to Current permanent employees of the VA Providence Medical Center including permanent Veterans Canteen Service employees, current permanent full-time Hybrid Title 38 and permanent full-time Title 38 employees.

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This is a supervisory position in the Environmental Management Service (EMS). As an Assistant Hospital Housekeeping Officer, the incumbent has full responsibility for the planning, directing, and monitoring of all aspects of the hospital housekeeping program.

Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Determines long-range, intermediate, and short-range program goals and policies independently or jointly with higher management and/or the appropriate hospital committee(s).
• Develops and implements operating plans and procedures to achieve program goals, monitoring effectiveness and efficiency of operations within the established framework, and adjusts as necessary.
• Determines needs for an allocation of resources, and accounting for their effective use.
• Coordinates program efforts with other internal activities and stakeholders, and as necessary, program management officials at the headquarters level.
• Understands agency and local hospital policies and priorities and communicates them throughout the hospital housekeeping and other departments.
• Establishes personnel management policies for the housekeeping department which are in line with the general personnel policies of the hospital. Effectively manage situations that require personnel actions affecting key employees that may include serious repercussions.
• Delegates authority to subordinate supervisors and hold them responsible for the performance of their respective organizational units.
• Develops and implements procedures, policies, and practices that meet requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Joint Commission *TJC), American Hospital Association (AHA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and any other applicable accrediting bodies.
• Ensures effective procedures are implemented for minimizing patient, employee or visitor exposure to infectious disease.
• Develops and implements standards for cleanliness and sanitation, including frequency of cleaning, methods, procedures and safety precautions to be followed.
• Maintains proper use of housekeeping and cleaning supplies and maintenance of housekeeping equipment.
• Makes continuous inspections of the medical center to monitor housekeeping techniques, procedures, products, and adherence to infection control standards.
• Learns and implements a full waste management plan to ensure compliance with hazardous/medical waste disposal and storage regulations, and to ensure compliance with medical center policies on waste removal and storage.
• Develops, implements and maintains a comprehensive training program for hospital housekeeping staff.
• Ensures all housekeeping staff receive mandatory training, as well as training to develop them into CHEST certified staff, with a broad array of environmental service competencies.
• Develops and maintains a comprehensive Quality Assurance Program to maintain an acceptable level of environmental sanitation and waste management standards.
• Communicates with Shift Supervisors and Work Leaders to ensure duties and responsibilities are assigned and performed effectively.
• Assists with developing, and maintaining adherence to, the EMS operating budget.
• Serves as Acting Chief in the absence of the Hospital Housekeeping Officer (EMS Chief).
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:00am - 3:30pm
Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Assistant Hospital Housekeeping Officer/PD03086A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Notifications:

• This position is in the Competitive Service.
• Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.
• Selectee required to serve one year supervisory/managerial probationary period.
• This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay.
• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.
• Interchange Agreements with Other Merit System: Employees who occupy medical or medical-related positions and were appointed under 38 U.S.C. 4701(1) or (3) [formerly 38 U.S.C. 4104 (1) and (3)] must be serving in a full-time position without time limit and have served continuously for at least one year in this other merit system to be eligible to convert to the Title 5 System. Some exceptions to this rule may apply if you have previously acquired tenure under a Title 5 appointment.

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)

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, 08/10/2026.

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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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.

Quality Ranking Factor: Able to significantly work unsupervised.

Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): The Hospital Housekeeping Management Series 0673 requires specific education or experience to be met in order to be appointed into a position of this series. You must meet one of the pre-determined education or experience Individual Occupational Requirements listed below as set by Office of Personnel Management (OPM):
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
Specialized 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.

GRADE DETERMINATIONS. In addition to meeting both the Individual Occupational Requirements listed above, and Time-In-grade, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

• GS-11 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience include: experience that demonstrates 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 demonstrates a knowledge of waste management, including the requirements relating to hazardous, toxic, and infectious wastes and provisions for their final disposition; experience that demonstrates a knowledge of pest management, including alternative methods of control and the selection and application of chemicals. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education at or above graduate level (with a major in public health or business administration with emphasis in hospital administration above). Graduate Education: Education at the graduate level in an accredited college or university meets the requirements for positions at GS-7 through GS-11. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

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

• Administration and Management
• Critical Thinking
• Leadership
• Technology Application

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 incumbent walks throughout the medical center, and will be trained in all aspects of Environmental Management Service which requires stooping, bending, walking, lifting, and twisting. 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/.

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.