Housekeeping Aid - Environmental Services Technician

Summary

This position is located in the Environmental Management Service (EMS) of the Veterans Healthcare System in Johnson City, TN. This position performs both janitorial and custodial services (e.g., textile distribution and inventory activity, sanitizing and disinfecting, waste removal, cleaning of blinds, replacing curtains, washing windows and walls, dusting and polishing furniture and fixtures, discharge cleaning, sweeping, scrubbing and extracting, polishing floors and applying floor finishes).

Learn more about this agency

Duties

Help

The Housekeeping Aid - Environmental Services Technician executes a full range of housekeeping activities in patient and non-patient care areas. These duties include, but are limited to the following:

• Use of powered cleaning equipment for proper and efficient accomplishment (e.g.: buffing and polishing machines of rotary, plate and drum design rotary; plate and drum type floor stripping units; tank, canister and upright vacuum cleaners, wet/dry vacuum cleaners, pressure washers, steam cleaners and spray cleaners, high speed and ultra-high speed electric and battery operated burnishers, walk behind and ride on battery operated and electric automatic scrubbers, rotary, extraction and bonnet type carpet shampooing equipment, and other powered equipment) to perform cleaning of rooms, areas, items of furniture or equipment, or specific architectural features (e.g.: floors, walls, baseboards, windows, metal fixtures, ceilings, etc.).
• Use of cleaning chemicals (ex: sanitizer germicidal detergent disinfectants, deodorizers, odor neutralizers, and deodorants, acidic, alkaline and neutral cleaners, floor strippers, floor finishes for hard and resilient floor surfaces, metal polishes which must be used, applied, and removed in accordance with specific label directions to assure the safety and protection of personnel and property).
• Make beds, change linens, collect soiled linens, remove, transport, repackage, dispose and store general waste, regulated medical waste, chemotherapeutic waste and radioactive waste, and may deliver clean linen and supplies.
• Check and replenish consumable supplies (e.g.: soap, hand towels, toilet tissue, bottled water, latex gloves, etc.) in the course of cleaning and servicing rooms and areas within the Medical Center.
• Remove, transport, repackage, dispose and store sharps as a part of service rendered to clinics in patient rooms, and may replace filled sharps containers with empty containers.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 6:45am - 3:30pm or 3:30pm - 12:00am and Thursday - Monday, 6:45am - 3:30pm

Position Description Title/PD#: Housekeeping Aid - Environmental Services Technician/PD99909S

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

Requirements

Help

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
• Pre-employment physical required
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( 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, 09/29/2026.

EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required, but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards.

SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements:

• Dexterity and Safety
• Follow Directions
• Handle Weights and Loads
• Reliability And Dependability
• Special Aptitude - Housekeeping Work
• Work Practices

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.

NOTE: You must provide detailed information of your experience performed. Information such as "I was a housekeeper or housekeeping aid" is insufficient to determine your qualifications. Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week.

WORKING CONDITIONS: Work is normally performed indoors with adequate heat, light, and ventilation. Some work may be performed outdoors where there may be exposed to varying degrees of heat and cold as well as inclement weather. PPE may be required in some circumstance as exposure to possible contagious diseases, blood and bloody secretion are inherent to this position. Care is required to avoid serious injuries (i.e., broken bones) when working on ladders, or when using 30-100-pound power equipment or handling hazardous materials.

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience at this grade level.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or 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.

Help

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.