Housekeeping Aid (Leader) Job in Fort Wayne, IN

Vacancy No. CBSR-12799344-25-KAP Department Veterans Health Administration
Salary $19.80 to $23.06 Grade 2 to 2
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/12/2025 Close Date 9/17/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Fort Wayne, IN


Summary

The Housekeeping Aid Work Leader for the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VANIHCS-Fort Wayne, IN. This position, generally aligned under to the Housekeeping Supervisor, is responsible for supporting and performing tasks (e.g., environment of care, textile distribution and training) associated with the Environmental Management Services (EMS) goals and objectives. The position has no formal disciplinary authority over staff in the execution of daily tasks.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority 5 CFR 337.205(b) (1)-(4) for this occupation

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to:

  • Maintain the Medical center and other facility units in a clean, organized and sanitary condition
  • The leader will communicate instructions from the Supervisor to the employees and then validates the completion of the work assigned.
  • This position 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.
  • As a working leader, the position also performs the full range of housekeeping duties.
    • Sweeping and mopping floors
    • Cleaning and sanitizing bathrooms
    • Dusting
    • Cleaning isolation rooms
    • Polishing floors
  • The position is required to use proper procedures in dust mopping, damp mopping, emptying waste receptacles, emptying and replacing medical waste receptacle, washing walls, cleaning light fixtures, and surfaces as necessary, refilling toilet tissue, paper towels and soap dispensers. The position makes beds and turns mattresses.
  • May be required to take the lead in textile distribution and inventory management, uniform management and 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.
  • May be required to move furniture and set up conference rooms for meetings, trainings or other events.
  • Additionally, the position scrubs, strips, refinishes, and polishes floors by using hand operated and industrial equipment.
  • Other duties assigned
  • Housekeeping Aid Work Leaders also oversee projects such as:
    • Shampooing carpets
    • Cleaning light fixtures
    • Washing walls

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 3:00pm - 11:30pm (2nd shift)
Position Description Title/PD#: Housekeeping Aid (Leader)/PD91263A
Physical Requirements: This position requires occasional bending/stooping, crouching, and kneeling. Lifting up to 50 lbs. Approximately 40% of the time spent standing, 40 % of the time spent walking and 20% of time spent sitting. Hearing and Visual Acuity. Manual dexterity to use a phone and operate equipment.

This position is in the competitive service.

"VA Healthcare System Serving Ohio, Indiana and Michigan (VISN 10) advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being."

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
  • Subject to a background/suitability investigation
  • Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
  • May serve a probationary period
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc.
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

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

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:
  • Customer Service
  • Dexterity and Safety
  • Interpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading)
  • Lead or Supervise
  • Plan and organize work
  • Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment


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. You must provide detailed information of your experience performed. Information such as "I was a housekeeper or housekeeping aid" is insufficient to determine your qualifications. Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week.

Physical Requirements/Working Conditions: This position requires occasional bending/stooping, crouching, and kneeling. Lifting to 50 pounds. Approximately 40 percent of time spent standing, 40 percent of time spent walking and 20 percent of time spent sitting. Hearing and visual acuity. Manual dexterity to use a phone and operate equipment.

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.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

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.

Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/.

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. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. 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.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

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.

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

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.

Review our benefits

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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.


***Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.**

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.

YOUR RESUME MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

  • Your name and current contact information.
  • Experience must include job title and duties performed.
  • Descriptions of job duties must be sufficiently detailed to document the level of your experience.
    • (Information such as "I was a housekeeper or housekeeping aid" is insufficient to determine your qualifications).
  • Beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment.
  • Average hours worked per week (month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week).

Note: Do not include photographs, links to social media such as LinkedIn, inappropriate material, inappropriate content, or personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc., on your resume or with your application package.

  • For a brief video on creating a Federal resume, click here.
  • TIP: A good way to ensure you include all essential information is to use the Resume Builder in USAJOBS to create your resume.
  • For additional information see: What to include in your resume.
  • IMPORTANT: Please ensure your resume includes up-to-date contact information (phone number(s), email address(s), etc.)
To determine your qualifications and referral status, we may review your resume and supporting documentation and compare it against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire. Ensure you support your self-ratings by the information you provide in your application. We may verify or assess your qualifications at any time. Inflated or unsupported qualifications may affect your rating. Any misrepresentation or material omission of facts may be enough cause to end further consideration of your candidacy.

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.

Required Documents

Documents Accepted:

  • Cover Letter
  • Resume
  • Separation Notice (RIF)

Documents Required:
  • Resume

Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.

Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.

Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.

How to Apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online.

To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/17/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12799344.

1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.

2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.

NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Agency contact information

Kelly Pilozo
Address
Northern Indiana HCS
1700 East 38th Street
Marion, IN 46953
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.

After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.