Supervisory Healthcare Engineer

The Supervisory Healthcare Engineer is located in the VA Augusta Health Care System (VMHCS) in Augusta, Georgia in the Engineering Service. The Incumbent is assigned at the facility level, supervising professional engineers and other support positions at GS-13 equivalent and below; and ensures 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.

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:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: Healthcare Engineer Candidates must be proficient in the spoken and written English language 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).

Grandfathering Provision. All individuals employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard, are considered to have met all the qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education that is part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements of this standard, but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to the position, the following provisions apply:

1. Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
2. Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels.
3. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
4. Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
5. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements outlined above, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of the candidates.

Supervisory Healthcare Engineer, GS-13:
1) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-12).

2) Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to meeting the experience requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of data analysis techniques related to managing workload, quality, performance and productivity within the area of responsibility.
• Knowledge related to the management of overall department resources, (i.e., finances space, equipment, supplies, schedules and staffing) at the local level.
• 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.
• Skill in using effective communication in managing interpersonal relationships, leading and dealing with employees, team leaders, labor representatives and managers.
• 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.
• Ability to draft and/or recommend local policies and/or directives related to healthcare engineering management.
• 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 GS-13.

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

Responsibilities:

VA Careers - Healthcare Engineer: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-General-Engineer-Career-Flyer.pdf

Major Duties include but are not limited to:

• Collaborates directly with the Chief of Engineering Service, executive leadership, medical staff, nursing staff, and other clinical personnel regarding the design of the environment for medical care.
• Manages construction projects.
• Ensures 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).
• Applies engineering concepts and methodologies to enhance the delivery of healthcare by providing a technologically advanced, safe, and reliable healthcare environment through design and construction.
• Serves as a supervisor within Engineering Service with responsibility for the Engineering and Construction Project Management section at a multi-faceted and affiliated VA Medical Center, including outlying Community Based Outpatient Clinics.

Functions:

• Provides matrix management support and technical expert consultation to the Chief of Engineering Service for all issues related to the areas listed above.
• Makes recommendations to the Chief of Engineering for final approval and has responsibility and accountability for all aspects of the Medical Center Design and Construction program and oversight.
• Collaborates with operations and program managers to ensure integrated goals and priorities for all projects are met.

Engineering Project Management and Administration:

• Overseas the planning, organizing, directing, evaluating and management processes for the Engineering Service Project Section that includes setting qualitative and quantitative standards.
• Provides professional and technical guidance and direction and review of assigned programs, including professional engineering work in several disciplines such as architecture, civil engineering, energy engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, structural engineering, environmental engineering, fire safety and safety engineering.
• Works closely with biomedical engineering and the National Acquisition Center (NAC) in the coordination of complex equipment installations.

Provides Engineering/Architectural and Construction Administration Oversite:

• Receives administrative direction from the Chief, Engineering Service with assignments in terms of broadly defined project related functions.
• provides a complete professional project engineering service to meet the needs and requirements of the medical and administrative staff of the Medical Center.
• Provides professional advice to improve such plans, specifications, and analyses.
• Develops technical data regarding materials, sizes, dimensions, quantities, and costs to be incorporated in formal specifications. Conducts site visits. Ensures construction is conducted in accordance with established specifications.
• Develops competitive bidding cost estimates for a variety of projects of multiple-use nature, or projects in different geographic locations thus presenting different physical or cultural considerations.

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

• Research and/or analyzes problems, issues, or program requirements related to all areas of the facility and all facets of Projects Engineering Section.
• Provides for the financial management of the project section.
• Collects relevant information from many varied sources.

Work Schedule: 7:30am-4:00pm, Monday - Friday.
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized.
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Not Available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 61942F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Salary : $417