Supervisory Healthcare Engineer (Medical Equipment Planner/Architect)

Summary

This position functions as a supervisor within the Facilities Management Service (FMS), overseeing the Healthcare Engineer (Medical Equipment Planner/Architect) Team within the Facility Design (FD) Section of the VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), including its Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs).

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Duties

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Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00AM - 4:30PM

Telework : Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Fi nancial Disclosure Report: Not required

Position Description Title/PD#: Supervisory Healthcare Engineer (Medical Equipment Planner/Architect)/ PD01133F

Major duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

Engineering, Architectural, and Construction Oversight

• Provides technical support to ensure successful project outcomes.
• Delivers comprehensive project engineering services that meet the needs of clinical and administrative stakeholders.
• Advises subordinate personnel on methods and procedures for highly complex projects.
• Oversees the work of engineers and architects.
• Evaluates projects plans, specifications, and cost estimates for feasibility and technical accuracy.
• Resolves design conflicts.
• Mitigates cost and schedule impacts while ensuring adherence to VA standards and codes.
• Responsible for reviewing plans, specifications, and design analysis and directs necessary revisions.

Capital Program Implementation and Construction Management

• Coordinates project construction schedules and operational layouts.
• Oversees equipment installation and inspections.
• Ensures compliance with national design and construction standards, including VA CFM Standards, AIA, FGI, ASHRAE, USP 797/800, NFPA 101, NFPA 99, and TIL Design Guides.
• Supports the execution of the Medical Center's capital improvement program by translating identified needs into equipment planning and procurement requirements.
• Supervises equipment procurement contract activities, including pre-selection, negotiation, and development of independent government estimates (IGE), and may coordinate with external agencies such as SHPO, OSHA, EPA, and local utility providers.
• Develops equipment technical specifications, conducting site visits, resolving construction issues, preparing reports, estimates, and schedules, and reviewing contractor submission such as shop drawings, samples, and material certifications.

Research, Analysis and Budgeting/Financial Management Work and Special Projects

• Provides expert analysis on complex program matters.
• Identifies emerging issues driven by operational changes and evolving needs.
• Collects information from diverse and often hard-to-obtain sources.
• Develops new analytical methods to evaluate findings and offers authoritative recommendations.
• Conducts research and issues technical guidance on national codes and standards, including NFPA, OSHA, TJC, EPA, CDC, and NIOSH.
• Develops and advises on administrative requirements for all Medical Equipment Planning activities within the Facility Design Section.
• Serves as the principal advisor to the Chief of Facility Design (FD) Section on all medical-equipment-related design and procurement matters.
• Ensures compliance with reporting requirements and prepares status reports or materials for higher-level review or signature.
• Develops plans to advance new and complex long-term program established by the Chief of Facility Design, optimizes existing resources, and plans for future needs.
• Identifies training needs, coordinates training programs, develops and refines training guidance, and may conduct classroom or group instruction.
• Additional related duties may be assigned.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• 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

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Basic Requirements :

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• 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 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.
• Foreign Education. To be creditable, engineering, architecture or related education completed outside the U.S. must be submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to a Bachelor's degree as outlined in paragraph 3.b. of this appendix.
• Physical Requirements: The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, training rooms, and libraries. The work area is adequately lit, heated, and ventilated. The incumbent must also work outdoors in all types of weather. There may be occasional exposure to moderate risks or discomforts in storage areas or hazardous waste sites.
• English Language Proficiency. Healthcare Engineer candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

GS-13, Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade.

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.

Assignment: For all supervisory assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity, difficulty, range of variety and be performed by the incumbent as a major duty at least 25% of the time. The incumbent must supervise staff for at least 25% of the time, administratively and technically at the full performance grade level or below. At this level, Supervisory Healthcare Engineers are assigned at the facility level, supervising professional engineers and other support positions at GS-13 equivalent and below. Supervisory Healthcare Engineers exercise the full range of supervisory responsibility to include development of performance standards and performance evaluations; recommendations for appointment, awards, advancements, and when appropriate, disciplinary actions; and identification of continuing training needs, etc. They provide complex professional engineering advice to peers, subordinates and/or non-professional administrators/managers. They review or direct the review of technical plans, specifications and analyses of design as submitted by subordinates. Supervisory Healthcare Engineers provide professional advice to improve such plans, specifications and analyses. They direct necessary changes and furnish assistance as required.

Preferred Experience: Experience supervising multi-discipline teams and project managers to accomplish design, medical equipment acquisition, and activation objectives of a large hospital and remote clinics. Expert knowledge of organizational structure, lean processes, Service Improvement Model (SIM), standard work development, federal labor management, and federal purchase regulations. Expert-level knowledge and experience analyzing a wide rate of complex and unique problems arising in hospital construction, contracting, personnel management, and complex planning studies, and presenting assessment and proposed solutions to senior management. Completion of Level II Federal Acquisition Certification in Program and Project Management (FAC-P/PM), VA Facility Engineer Construction (FE-C) and Contracting Officer Representative (COR) certification is required. Expert-level knowledge and experience in general engineering and architectural concepts, principles, and practices applicable to the full range of construction, and extensive in-depth knowledge of a full range of medical equipment. Expert-level knowledge of contract law and contract administration principles as they relate to Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) regarding design and construction contracts. Experience leading and directing interdisciplinary teams, and resolving complex policy issues, construction problems, customer service issues, and design details. Skill in computer programs and software including Microsoft Windows and Office Suite, Microsoft Project, PowerPoint, AutoCAD, BIM, Revit, Attainia, and other modeling software. Licensed Engineer or Architect. Experience in supervision, budgeting, design, construction, and activations of commercial buildings and projects.

References: VA Handbook 5005/150, Part II, Appendix G72. HEALTHCARE ENGINEER QUALIFICATION STANDARD, GS-0801, Veterans Health Administration, March 18, 2022.

Physical Requirements: The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, training rooms, and libraries. The work area is adequately lit, heated, and ventilated. The incumbent must also work outdoors in all types of weather. There may be occasional exposure to moderate risks or discomforts in storage areas or hazardous waste sites. The work is primarily sedentary, although some physical effort may be required, e.g, walking standing, climbing ladders, stooping, kneeling, and carrying light items such as manuals or briefcases, or driving or traveling by motor vehicle.

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

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.

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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.

Benefits

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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.

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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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.