Supervisory Registered Respiratory Therapist

Clarification from the agency

This job is Open to current employees of the VA Maine Healthcare System NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

The Supervisory Registered Respiratory Therapist they have broad and overall responsibility for the service-level department and full responsibility for clinical practice, program management, education, human resources management, budget management and supervision for employees whose work involves providing high acuity care. Performs all functions related to the role of Chief. They initiate and conduct audits and analyze a wide variety of data related to program planning and the specialized needs of the Veteran, the service and the medical center.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Plan, assess and evaluate programs to ensure coordination between care delivered by the program and overall delivery of health care within the facility.
• Initiate and conduct audits and analyze a wide variety of data related to program planning and the specialized needs of the Veteran, the service and the medical center.
• Advise leadership on policy implications, key issues, relationships to both internal and external interest groups and recommend courses of action.
• Maintain interdepartmental relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals.
• Coordinate and negotiate resolutions to complex problems and report progress and resolution of problems in achieving goals and objectives to higher levels of management.
• Prepare special reports and responses, congressional responses, briefing papers, issue briefs and decision papers for the medical center leadership, VISN or central office, which may be highly sensitive, confidential and of a complex nature.
• Develop policies, procedures and protocols, performance and quality standards, position descriptions and functional statements.
• Represent the department at interdisciplinary meetings and on facility level committees.

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Telework: AdHoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: F02926
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

Notifications:

• This position is in the Excepted Service.
• This position is not Bargaining Unit position.
• The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's.
• No award SF50's will be accepted as they don't possess the correct information.
• Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.
• No Award SF-50s or SF-50s older than one year will be accepted, as they do not contain the correct information.
• Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.
• Current and former federal employees are required to submit copies of their most recent SF-50, Notice of Personnel Action. The SF-50 should include details such as the position title, series, grade, step, tenure, and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In certain instances, multiple SF-50 forms may be necessary to demonstrate a higher grade previously held.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

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. RTs/RRTs appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Education. Individuals must have successfully completed a respiratory care program accredited by the CoARC or its successor.
• Licensure. Persons appointed or reassigned to RRT positions in the GS-0601 series must possess and maintain for the duration of employment a full, current and unrestricted license from a state to practice as an RRT.
• Credential. Persons appointed or reassigned to RRT positions in the GS-0601 series must possess and maintain for the duration of employment a valid, current, unrestricted credential of RRT.

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 the basic requirements for employment, all individuals referred and assigned to this occupation must meet all the qualification requirements and KSAs defined in the specific assignment as follows:

Supervisory Registered Respiratory Therapist, GS-14:

Experience, Licensure and Credential: Candidates must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level demonstrating the clinical competencies described at that level. It is highly desirable that the candidate possess certification in one or more functional specialties such as critical care, pulmonary, education and sleep medicine. AND Hold an active license and RRT credential.

Education: It is highly desirable that the candidate possess a Bachelor of Science degree from a nationally accredited college or university in respiratory care; cardiopulmonary science; or a health-related field.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the requirements above, candidates must demonstrate all the following KSAs:

i. Skill in implementing patient care and operations change by recognizing opportunities for improvement and analyzing data.
ii. Skill in the development and implementation of appropriate standards of care for respiratory care.
iii. Ability establish a completely integrated program that emulates "best practice" and follows national policies.
iv. Ability to supervise employees.
v. Ability to forecast resource needs to manage fiscal matters.

Assignments: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity and range of variety and must be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. RRTs at this grade in this assignment are designated as Chiefs. They manage complexity level 1 and 2 respiratory care department. They manage all administrative and clinical aspects of the organizational unit. The organizational unit may be located at one facility or multiple divisions of a facility. Decisions are made exercising wide latitude and independent judgment. They have broad and overall responsibility for the service-level department and full responsibility for clinical practice, program management, education, human resources management, budget management and supervision for employees whose work involves providing high acuity care. They provide leadership with objective, independent assessments and recommendations for policy, operational and administrative issues and initiatives requiring decision and action. They plan, assess and evaluate programs to ensure coordination between care delivered by the program and overall delivery of health care within the facility. Supervisory RRTs initiate and conduct audits and analyze a wide variety of data related to program planning and the specialized needs of the Veteran, the service and the medical center. They advise leadership on policy implications, key issues, relationships to both internal and external interest groups and recommend courses of action. They maintain interdepartmental relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals. They coordinate and negotiate resolutions to complex problems and report progress and resolution of problems in achieving goals and objectives to higher levels of management. They prepare special reports and responses, Congressional responses, briefing papers, issue briefs and decision papers for the medical centerleadership, VISN or central office, which may be highly sensitive, confidential and of a complex nature. They develop policies, procedures and protocols, performance and quality standards, position descriptions and functional statements. They represent the department at interdisciplinary meetings and on facility level committees. They represent the facility to VISN-level leadership.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS14. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS13.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

How you will be evaluated

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

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

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.

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.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.

Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• License
• Other (1)
• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.

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