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. Serving in a direct patient-care capacity must be proficient in spoken and written English.
- 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: Foreign Education. To be creditable, engineering, architecture, or related education completed outside the U.S. must be submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials, and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to a Bachelor's degree as outlined in paragraph 3.b. of this appendix.
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:
In addition to meeting the basic requirements you must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-13. (Example of GS-13 Experience: For all supervisory assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity, difficulty, range of variety and be performed by the incumbent as a major duty at least 25% of the time. The incumbent must supervise staff for at least 25% of the time, administratively and technically at the full performance grade level or below. At this level, Supervisory Healthcare Engineers are assigned at the facility level, supervising professional engineers and other support positions at GS-13 equivalent and below. Supervisory Healthcare Engineers exercise the full range of supervisory responsibility to include development of performance standards and performance evaluations; recommendations for appointment, awards, advancements, and when appropriate, disciplinary actions; and identification of continuing training needs, etc. They provide complex professional engineering advice to peers, subordinates and/or non-professional administrators/managers. They review or direct the review of technical plans, specifications and analyses of design as submitted by subordinates. Supervisory Healthcare Engineers provide professional advice to improve such plans, specifications and analyses. They direct necessary changes and furnish assistance as required. They advise subordinate personnel on methods and procedures to be used in special studies on highly complex projects. Supervisory Healthcare Engineers oversee subordinate professionals' work. They are the technical authority, providing expert advice pertaining to the maintenance of facilities, structures or landscapes 11 that may involve large geographic regions. Supervisory Healthcare Engineers review subordinates' activity plans, specifications and cost estimates for technical adequacy and feasibility. They oversee maintenance standards for advanced equipment or systems technology. Supervisory Healthcare Engineers provide for the budgeting and financial management for engineering. They supervise a staff to accomplish the construction work and maintenance of the organization.)
In addition to meeting the experience requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following KSAs:
- Knowledge of mechanical, electrical, structural, civil, and other engineering/architectural principles, practices, and their applications as related to healthcare facilities.
- Knowledge related to the management of overall healthcare system resources (i.e., finances, space, equipment, supplies, schedules, and staffing).
- Skill in using effective communication in managing interpersonal relationships with internal and external customers, stakeholders, executive leadership, labor representatives, and managers.
- Skill in balancing multiple responsibilities, setting priorities, delegating tasks and projects, meeting multiple deadlines, analyzing complex organizational problems, and developing and implementing effective solutions that result in efficient operations.
- Skill in applying considerable independent judgment to interpret broad or general national policies and guidelines and adapt/apply them to specific compliant programs in the local healthcare system.
- Skill in recognizing and assessing evolving scenarios, utilizing initiative, and self-directing and assigning resources to affect resolutions.
- Skill in complying with national internal and outside regulatory agencies and organizations (including, but not limited to, TJC, OSHA, NFPA, etc.) regulations, requirements, guides, policies, procedures, directives, standards, and general medical program requirements as they relate to healthcare engineering.
- Ability to anticipate, develop, and implement strategies in meeting the healthcare system's short-term and long-term strategic goals in a highly fluid environment.
- Ability to interview candidates for positions, recommend appointments, advancements, or, when appropriate, disciplinary actions; evaluate performance and identify continuing education and training needs.
Preferred Experience: Healthcare experience, experience with managing aging structures and large facilities with remote facilities.
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-14 .
Physical Requirements: The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, training rooms, and libraries. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. The Chief Engineer must also work outdoors in all types of weather. There may be occasional exposure to moderate risks or discomforts in storage areas or hazardous waste sites. The work is primarily sedentary, although some physical effort may be required, e.g., walking, standing, climbing ladders, stooping, kneeling, and carrying light items such as manuals or briefcases, or driving or traveling by motor vehicle.