Clarification from the agency

Must be a current, permanent employee of the Environmental Management Services line in the Coatesville VA Medical center and those eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan hiring authority.

The Environmental Services Technician (Lead) position is a working leader for housekeeping operations throughout the medical center. The position leads Housekeeping Aids and others as assigned. The position leads two (2) or more employees in performing their duties while performing the full range of housekeeping tasks required to maintain the Medical center and other facility units in a clean, organized and sanitary condition. The position is guided by Environmental Management Services (EMS) and Medical Center policies and procedures, VA regulations and verbal instructions from EMS Management.

Duties of this position include but are not limited to:

• Communicates instructions from the Supervisor to the employees and then validates the completion of the work assigned
• Coordinates projects with nurses and other area supervisors to ensure timely and successful completion of work
• Sets the pace of each task, demonstrates methods and techniques, and provides direction to assigned employees in their proper usage of cleaning supplies and equipment
• Ensures all tasks are complete and deadlines are met
• Engages with all employees to provide purpose, direction and motivation in accomplishing all tasks, while training the employee in proper procedures and techniques to meet or exceed desired outcomes of workload and safety
• Reports progress of employees to the Supervisor and makes recommendations as necessary, on all matters to include the progress of work, any infractions of policies and procedures, and assures all safety compliance
• Performs the full range of housekeeping duties
• Cleans all areas of responsibility including horizontal and vertical surfaces in: outpatient surgery, outpatient clinics, central sterile, clean rooms, patient areas, laboratory, pharmacy, offices, support and patient areas, isolation rooms, storage rooms, corridors, stairwells, toilet rooms, shower rooms, and all other Medical center areas as required
• Uses proper procedures in dust mopping, damp mopping, emptying waste receptacles, emptying and replacing medical waste receptacles, washing walls, cleaning light fixtures, and surfaces as necessary, refilling toilet tissue, paper towels and soap dispensers
• Leads employees in textile distribution and inventory management, uniform management and the Patient Assistance Program; provides on-the-job training to all employees assigned
• Identifies and recommends to the Supervisor employees that need remedial training based on observations made in the work site
• Moves furniture and sets up conference rooms for meetings, trainings or other events
• Scrubs, strips, refinishes, and polishes floors by using hand operated and industrial equipment

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 7:00 am - 3:30 pm. Work schedule subject to change based on agency needs.
Position Description Title/PD#: Environmental Services Technician Lead/PD99913S
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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 may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period (if applicable) 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, 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, 04/22/2026.

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
• Interpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading)
• Lead or Supervise
• Special Aptitude - Housekeeping Work
• Work Practices

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:

• Maintaining multiple floor surfaces, to include, stripping and refinishing
• Infection control protocols

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: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

Working Conditions: The work is accomplished in a variety of different areas including operating rooms, treatment rooms, examination rooms, imaging rooms, wards and other public, recreational and administrative areas. Protective clothing and personnel protective equipment (PPE) including gowns, gloves, safety shoes, masks, etc. is required in the accomplishment of some aspects of the work. There is the potential for exposure to strong cleaning solutions, bodily fluids and communicable disease. The work can involve occupied patient rooms and interaction with both medical and psychiatric patients. May be required to work inside and outside. May require some exposure to hazardous cleaning chemicals.

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.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

• Performance Appraisal
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

• Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
• An SF-50 showing 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
• Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
  • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
  • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

Next steps