To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/10/2025.
Time-In-Grade Requirement:
Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows 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.
Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.
All applicants must meet one of the Individual Occupational Requirements to be eligible for further consideration for this position.
Education:
Undergraduate Education:
Major study -- chemistry or biological sciences, sanitary science or administration, institutional sanitation or administration, hospital administration, hotel administration, public administration, business administration, or other fields related to the position.
Graduate Education:
Major study -- public health or business administration with emphasis in hospital administration.
Note: If you are basing your IOR eligibility on Undergraduate or Graduate Education, you must submit a copy of your transcripts with your application.
OR
Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5):
Experience in two or more of the following areas, or other work related to the position to be filled: Experience that demonstrated a practical working knowledge of the basic principles of chemistry, biology, and bacteriology as applied to environmental sanitation, infection control, and to the choice and use of antimicrobial agents in the disinfection, sanitization, and/or sterilization of surfaces and equipment.
Experience in laundry and linen management. Experience in interior design management. Experience that demonstrated a knowledge of waste management, including the requirements relating to hazardous, toxic, and infectious waste and provisions for their final disposition. Experience that demonstrated a knowledge of pest management, including alternative methods of control and the selection and application of chemicals.
In addition to the Individual Occupational Requirement, all applicants must meet the following to qualify for this position.
You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
Specialized Experience:
You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade, GS-12 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but is not limited to: Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.
Such experience includes but is not limited to extensive knowledge of advanced sanitation programs and a working knowledge of hospital sanitation programs within the facility in the areas of environmental sanitation, laundry/linen operations, and interior and/or exterior pest control; analytical ability to research, assemble and compile information and data, evaluate the results against appropriate standards and recommend correction action where indicated; knowledge of pertinent regulations and policies as they apply to the duties of the position and to the function of all environmental operation program areas; ability to plan work and to be accomplished by subordinates; set and adjust short-term priorities, and prepare schedules for completion of work; skill in management techniques-specified for all types of employees; knowledge of the operations of the VA, state, local and federal regulations/requirements and other standards pertaining to the textile care operations, waste management, sanitation operations, infection control, lean/departmental process improvement methods, efficiency improvement actions and how these are specified in a health care setting.
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
- Customer Service
- Environmental Engineering
- Labor Relations
- Principles of Finance
- Textiles
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: The work is active in nature with long periods of walking or standing. Weekly environmental rounds require at least 4 hours a week of standing, walking, and inspecting different portions of an area. There is exposure carry light loads of papers, books, and/or report that do not require special physical demands.
Work Environment: The administrative work is usually performed in an office; however, the Hospital Housekeeping Officer may be subjected to dust, lint, harsh chemicals, noise and heat, etc. while performing weekly or ad hoc environmental rounds and inspecting the Textile Care Facility. The Officer is required to travel to all the sites within the health care system 35% of the time in the performance of the HHO's duties.
For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.