Basic Requirements:
- Citizenship - You must be a citizen of the United States
- English Language Proficiency - You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d)
- Education (must meet one of the following):
- 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 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.
Applicants who are current VA employees 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). A Healthcare Engineer employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (3/18/2022) who did not meet all the basic requirements in this standard may not be promoted beyond the full performance level (GS-0801-12) or be newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions until meeting the full qualification requirements.
Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements outlined above, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.
Supervisory Healthcare Engineer (Chief Engineer), GS-14.
Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to meeting the experience requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following KSAs:
a. Knowledge of mechanical, electrical, structural, civil and other engineering/architectural principles, practices and their applications as related to healthcare facilities.
b. Knowledge related to the management of overall healthcare system resources, (i.e., finances, space, equipment, supplies, schedules and staffing).
c. Skill in using effective communication in managing interpersonal relationships with internal and external customers, stakeholders, executive leadership, labor representatives and managers
.
d. 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.
e. Skill in applying considerable independent judgment to interpret broad or general national policies and guidelines and adapt/apply them to specific compliant programs at the local healthcare system.
f. Skill in recognizing and assessing evolving scenarios, utilizing initiative, and self-directing and assigning resources to affect resolutions.
g. Skill in complying with national internal and outside regulatory agency and organization (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.
h. 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.
i. Ability to interview candidates for positions, recommend appointments, advancements, or when appropriate, disciplinary actions; evaluate performance and identify continuing education and training needs.
Assignment. 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. Chief Engineers supervise engineering service, including subordinate the Supervisory Healthcare Engineer(s) at the GS-13 level, to ensure compliance with VA, TJC and a variety of other prevailing codes and standards. In addition to Chief Engineers' integral role in providing capability and capacity for the primary medical mission, they ensure the availability of facilities for complex medical research and participate in community partnerships and supports Department of Defense contingency planning. Chief Engineers supervise the engineering staff to accomplish the operations of the service. As Chief Engineers, they exercise the full range of supervisory responsibility to include but not limited to development of performance standards and performance evaluations; recommendations for appointment, awards, advancements, and when appropriate, disciplinary actions and identification of continuing training needs.
a. Chief Engineers provide for a safe, reliable and precisely controlled operating environment for direct patient care. Chief Engineers serve as experts in the design, sustainment and improvement of the medical care environment, including all hospital building features, automated building management and environmental control systems, critical utility systems and medical equipment technology. They collaborate directly with executive leadership, medical staff, nursing staff and other clinical personnel regarding the design and operation of the environment for medical care. They manage capital asset programs and construction projects.
b. Chief Engineers educate and advise clinical staff on the safe use of critical building features, utility systems and fire prevention systems as they relate to the environment of care. They educate and advise clinical staff on medical equipment technology including selection, operation, safety and security. They ensure the healthcare system complies with a multitude of accreditation and regulatory requirements including, but not limited to, those issued by TJC, OSHA and EPA.
c. Chief Engineers apply engineering concepts and methodologies to enhance the delivery of healthcare by providing a technologically advanced, safe and reliable healthcare environment. They are responsible for the planning, organizing, directing, evaluating and management process for service line programs, which include setting qualitative and quantitative standards. They develop and provide the Executive Leadership Team and the clinical staff information on the methods, techniques and procedures necessary to integrate the engineering, maintenance, biomedical, capital management and other engineering programs into the mission of the medical center. They oversee the TJC, Environment of Care Programs for Utility Systems Management, Safety, Life Safety and Medical Equipment Management for both the assigned medical center and all CBOCs.
References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G72 (March 18, 2022)The full performance level of this vacancy is a GS-14 which is the actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy.