Healthcare Engineer

Summary

The position serves as a Project Engineer at an assigned Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System. This position performs project planning, produces designs, manages designs, manages construction, and provides construction administration for Minor Construction Projects, Non-Recurring Maintenance (NRM) Projects, Station Level Projects, and Leases, including all areas and aspects (architectural, electrical, life safety, mechanical, civil, structural, etc.)

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Duties

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The position serves as a Healthcare Engineer, program engineering, and resident and program engineering, assisting with the planning, design, and oversight of healthcare system projects and administration of Professional Architecture/Engineering (A/E) and Construction contracts to ensure the contractor is in compliance with all contractual requirements, healthcare regulations and codes, specifications and schedules are met in accordance with the government's requirements for VA owned and leased facilities.

The position supports and advances patient care by applying engineering and organizational skills to healthcare engineering as demonstrated by the following major responsibilities:

• Development and implementation of the environment of care program that meets current Joint Commission, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), College of American Pathologists (CAP), NFPA, and VA requirements, particularly as it relates to construction safety and infection control.
• Provides assistance in a variety of planning and analysis activities that includes conducting or directly overseeing surveys and site investigations to establish baseline data necessary to initiate design for renovations, alterations, and additions to the existing hospital, patient care facilities, administrative buildings, grounds, utility plants and systems, and historic buildings listed on the national registry.
• Development of specifications and plans for alterations, additions to existing buildings, grounds, utility plants and systems, as well as for preparing the site for the installation of highly complex medical equipment ranging from smaller Ultrasound type equipment to larger Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) type equipment.
• Manages healthcare engineering project design and administers construction in accordance with VA policies and procedures, VA Design Guides, VA Design Manuals, VA Master Specifications and related industry codes and standards.
• Performs healthcare engineering project construction management and post project activities while ensuring continuity of building and utility services for medical facility operations.
• Conducts capital asset and infrastructure planning and design for the medical facility spanning initial strategic planning, concept development, design, construction, and effective implementation of complex buildings, utilities, and medical support systems.
• Makes recommendations relating to energy conservation for feasibility and cost effectiveness and supports the facilities energy goals. Some of these methods may be new to the site or the geographic area of consideration and may require substantial research and analysis.
• The position coordinates construction activities for a moderate range and variety of interrelated systems and services. Coordinates and monitors planning and answers design problems for the multi-disciplinary projects including all components of the project life cycle from initial planning and concept to design to construction, project completion and warranty periods.
• Determines the requirements for healthcare projects in relation to the needs of the Healthcare System, inclusive of the parent site, as well as off-site locations under the auspice of the Healthcare System, whether VA owned or leased.
• Project needs are determined for the organization down to the department level based on a broad array of guidelines, standards, regulatory requirements and mission priorities.
• Evaluates how to accomplish the requirements of the project and determines the associated risks necessary to complete the construction within the healthcare facility and identify ways to mitigate project risk.
• Minimize the impact to patient care operations, and in many cases, to ensure patients are able to continue to be cared for in a safe and secure manner due to the inability for the medical center to stop seeing patients during the construction phase of a project.
• Responsible for determining what temporary means and methods are necessary to be executed to reduce any risk of danger to patients or staff while a standard of medical care is met for all patients.
• Knowledge of healthcare operations is required to include how utilities and services support healthcare operations for each type of care provided.
• Evaluating programs and projects to assure compliance with all environmental, safety and security standards.

Work Schedule : Monday-Friday 7:00am-3:30pm

Telework : Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # :25112-F, 26248-F, 26249-F, 26250-F

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

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.
• 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 ( 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

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements :

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).

Education

(1) Bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering or Architecture. To be acceptable, the curriculum must be from a school with at least one 3 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

(2) 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

(3) 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 :

Healthcare Engineer, GS-07

(1) Experience. None beyond the basic requirements.

Healthcare Engineer, GS-09

Experience or Education Candidates at this level must meet one of the following:

(a) One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade;

OR

(b) Master of Engineering degree or Master of Architecture degree or Master of Science degree in Engineering or a related field of study as outlined in paragraph 3.b.(1);

OR

(c) Bachelor's degree as outlined in paragraph 3.b.(1) plus two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education in a related field of study, provided the applicant's total background demonstrates the core competencies for GS-09 level assignment.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

(a) Knowledge of the principles, theories, concepts and practices of the engineering profession.

(b) Ability to interpret relevant codes, regulations, guidelines and standards to make recommendations to assure compliance with healthcare facility programs.

(c) Ability to understand the operational professional engineering needs of clinical services in the healthcare system.

(d) Ability to prepare material on current technical topics and trends for presentation to other technical staff and mid-level hospital management and to keep abreast of changes in engineering technology related to a healthcare facility.

Healthcare Engineer, GS-11

Experience or Education Candidates at this level must meet one of the following:

(a) One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade;

OR

(b) Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in Engineering or a related field of engineering as outlined in paragraph 3.b(1)

OR

(c) Master of Engineering degree, Master of Architecture degree, Master of Science degree in Engineering or a related field of study as outlined in paragraph 3.b.(1), plus 1 full year of progressively higher-level graduate education in a related field of study, provided the applicant's total background demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities for GS-11 level assignment;

OR

(d) Bachelor's degree as outlined in paragraph 3.b.(1) plus 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education in a related field of study, provided the applicant's total background demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities for GS-11 level assignment.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA). In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

(a) Knowledge of either mechanical, electrical, structural, civil or other engineering/architectural principles, practices and their applications in the healthcare environment.

(b) Knowledge of basic project management principles as applied to the healthcare setting.

(c) Ability to apply healthcare engineering related standards, codes, policies and regulations, inclusive of, state and local codes.

(d) Ability to communicate effective orally and in writing with internal and external customers with tact and diplomacy.

(e) Ability to develop material for clinical or administrative staff that addresses the principles and application of engineering technology and/or theory used in healthcare.

(f) Ability to advise staff on emerging engineering technology related to a healthcare facility, while keeping abreast of changes in such technology and utilizing the information to solve healthcare facility engineering challenges.

Healthcare Engineer, GS-12

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 mechanical, electrical, structural, civil and other engineering/architectural principles, practices and their applications in the healthcare environment.

(b) Knowledge of healthcare industry standards and related regulatory agency and organization (including, but not limited to The Joint Commission (TJC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), etc.) regulations, requirements, guides, policies, procedures, directives, standards and general medical program requirements as they relate to healthcare engineering.

(c) Knowledge of construction standards, methods, practices and techniques, materials and equipment to determine compliance with engineering regulations and standards.

(d) Skill in researching and analyzing information, conditions, human factors and projections to make sound engineering and business recommendations and decisions to proactively identify problems and develop innovative solutions within the context of applicable rules, regulations and procedures.

(e) Ability to plan and execute complex, multi-faceted projects and inspections while prioritizing resources against approved scopes of work, contract documents and budgets.

(f) Ability to organize and lead multi-disciplinary task forces with members from different departments and divisions, as well as design and construction firms.

Preferred Experience: This position evaluates and manages the requirements for healthcare projects from the planning/design phase to construction and ultimately through the activation process. These requirements are in relation to the needs of the Healthcare System, inclusive of the parent site, as well as off-site locations under the auspice of the Healthcare System. The project needs are determined for the organization down to the department level based on a broad array of guidelines, standards, regulatory requirements, and mission priorities.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-7 to GS-12.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements

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: 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:

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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

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.

Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their life to the fullest. The VA is committed to Whole Health and values Veteran and Employee health and wellbeing. As a VA employee, you will practice Whole Health in an environment that supports personalized and proactive care.

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.

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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.

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