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 spoken and written English 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.
NOTE: Employees at this level serve as Healthcare Engineers at the full performance level. They work independently, under general supervision with wide latitude to exercise independent judgment. Healthcare Engineers demonstrate intimate grasp of high order healthcare engineering and capital subject matter. They serve as institutional resources for healthcare delivery processes and systems, working extensively with clinical stakeholders, acquisition staff, contractors and executive leadership by leading healthcare engineering programs, technology assessments, integration planning and implementation of both current and emerging technologies. Healthcare Engineers support the delivery of healthcare to Veterans by contributing to the education of clinical staff, planners and leadership to ensure safe and efficient healthcare delivery. Healthcare Engineers plan, execute and document highly complex, multi-faceted healthcare facility construction projects and inspections while prioritizing resources against approved scopes of work, contract documents and budgets. They identify problems and develop innovative solutions within the context of applicable rules, regulations and procedures, as it relates to the healthcare environment.
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-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:
- Knowledge of current and evolving concepts and principles of general engineering to resolve novel or obscure problems; extend and modify techniques; develop new approaches that guide other engineers who solve a variety of technical problems; and/or apply new, innovative or experimental advanced engineering theories, developments practices.
- Skill in construction, capital planning and multiple healthcare system portfolio management inclusive of budget development and tracking.
- Skill to collaborate with persons having diverse viewpoints, goals or objectives to achieve a common understanding of the problem and a satisfactory solution by justifying, defending, negotiating or settling controversial and far-reaching matters through active participation in conferences, meetings or presentations.
- 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.
- Ability to interpret broad guidelines and exercise consider able judgment and ingenuity in interpreting and adapting existing guides, developing new and improved hypotheses, concepts or approaches to previously tested or reported and/or in developing new policies that advance the organization.
- Ability to coordinate and interact with regional facilities, national and corresponding staff for the implementation and coordination of policies and program plans to apply prioritization methodologies that align facilities' capital asset requests and develop infrastructure options that result in the efficacious use of regional level capital strategic plans.
- Ability to adapt and apply trends in healthcare delivery systems that impact long-term capital assets (such as aging equipment and physical plants) for regionally integrated healthcare systems.
- Ability to consult and collaborate with all organizational levels in a national healthcare organization, outside organizations and businesses regarding both strategic and financial activities of a regional healthcare organization.
- Ability to implement and/or sustain a capital asset and construction program that meets healthcare facility related standards, codes, policies and regulations inclusive of state and local codes.
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 in the range of GS 13 .
Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.