The position serves as the resident expert within the Medical Center at an assigned Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System in support of VISN, VACO, and Executive Office of the President execution of Law, Executive Order or VA Policy in which Energy Management is the primary concern.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. BASIC REQUIREMENTS. To qualify for appointment to this position, all applicants must possess the following: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). Education. (1) 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 (2) 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 (3) 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. 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 above, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Healthcare Engineer, GS-07. Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. Healthcare Engineer, GS-09. Experience or Education. Candidates at this level must meet one of the following: (a) One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade; OR (b) Master of Engineering degree or Master of Architecture degree or Master of Science degree in Engineering or a related field of study as outlined above; OR (c) Bachelor's degree as outlined above plus two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education in a related field of study, provided the applicant's total background demonstrates the core competencies for GS-09 level assignment. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of the principles, theories, concepts and practices of the engineering profession. (b) Ability to interpret relevant codes, regulations, guidelines and standards to make recommendations to assure compliance with healthcare facility programs. (c) Ability to understand the operational professional engineering needs of clinical services in the healthcare system. (d) Ability to prepare material on current technical topics and trends for presentation to other technical staff and mid-level hospital management and to keep abreast of changes in engineering technology related to a healthcare facility. Healthcare Engineer, GS-11. Experience or Education. Candidates at this level must meet one of the following: (a) One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade; OR (b) Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in Engineering or a related field of engineering as outlined above; OR (c) Master of Engineering degree, Master of Architecture degree, Master of Science degree in Engineering or a related field of study as outlined above, plus 1 full year of progressively higher- level graduate education in a related field of study, provided the applicant's total background demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities for GS-11 level assignment; OR (d) Bachelor's degree as outlined above plus 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education in a related field of study, provided the applicant's total background demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities for GS-11 level assignment. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA). In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of either mechanical, electrical, structural, civil or other engineering/architectural principles, practices and their applications in the healthcare environment. (b) Knowledge of basic project management principles as applied to the healthcare setting. (c) Ability to apply healthcare engineering related standards, codes, policies and regulations, inclusive of, state and local codes. (d) Ability to communicate effective orally and in writing with internal and external customers with tact and diplomacy. (e) Ability to develop material for clinical or administrative staff that addresses the principles and application of engineering technology and/or theory used in healthcare. (f) Ability to advise staff on emerging engineering technology related to a healthcare facility, while keeping abreast of changes in such technology and utilizing the information to solve healthcare facility engineering challenges. Healthcare Engineer, GS-12. 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 in the healthcare environment. (b) Knowledge of healthcare industry standards and related regulatory agency and organization (including, but not limited to The Joint Commission (TJC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), etc.) regulations, requirements, guides, policies, procedures, directives, standards and general medical program requirements as they relate to healthcare engineering. (c) Knowledge of construction standards, methods, practices and techniques, materials and equipment to determine compliance with engineering regulations and standards. (d) Skill in researching and analyzing information, conditions, human factors and projections to make sound engineering and business recommendations and decisions to proactively identify problems and develop innovative solutions within the context of applicable rules, regulations and procedures. (e) Ability to plan and execute complex, multi-faceted projects and inspections while prioritizing resources against approved scopes of work, contract documents and budgets. (f) Ability to organize and lead multi-disciplinary task forces with members from different departments and divisions, as well as design and construction firms. Preferred Experience: Engineering degree. 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-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-7 to GS-12. Physical Requirements: Light lifting & carrying (under 15 pounds), both hands required, walking (2 hours), standing (6 hours), climbing (use of legs and arms), both legs required, and depth perception. Environment factors continued in education section...
Energy, Sustainability, and Climate Change Adaptation Program Management Evaluate energy conservation measures as they apply to the health care system's existing energy systems and makes recommendations for implementation. Adhere to and upload data to national VA program office databases. Stay abreast of conservation programs of local utilities and take advantage of opportunities available to the Medical Center. Monitor the energy consumption of the Medical Center and is responsible for required national reports and leadership presentations relating to energy consumption. Resolve technical questions on energy conservation related issues. Make commitment and decisions on acceptance or rejection of materials, methods, and workmanship as per contract drawing specifications and manufacturers' recommendations. Performs Healthcare Planning/Design Management Determine the requirements for healthcare projects in relation to the needs of the Healthcare System, inclusive of the parent site, as well as off-site locations under the auspice of the Healthcare System, whether VA owned or leased. Provide a broad review of all disciplines of Engineering when applied to a healthcare environment to support construction document reviews and preparation. Working knowledge of The Joint Commission (TJC) requirements, NFPA 101 the Life Safety Code and NFPA 99 Healthcare Facilities Code, in addition to VA design requirements is necessary to provide direction to Architectural/Engineering firms on complex healthcare designs to ensure compliance and regulatory requirements are met for the medical facility. Manages Healthcare Design and Construction Administration Use independent seasoned engineering judgment in evaluating and performing scheduling and layout of operations, inspection, and surveillance of materials, methods, and equipment used in construction. Responsible for managing and dealing with constantly changing priorities and deadlines based on engineering workload. Responsible for training the facility maintenance staff on new equipment or complex utility systems to ensure the staff have the comprehensions, qualifications and understanding of the systems to maintain and operate. Performs Healthcare Construction Management and Post Project Activities Provide direction and guidance to the contractor for construction within the facility. Provide training and guidance to the contractor to improve the contractor's ability to work within the medical facility requirements and confinements to better perform the scope of work. Responsible for working knowledge of Infection Control and the requirements to be followed included in Risk Assessments, their application in the health care environment, and methods necessary to retain separation of active construction from the healthcare environment. Medical Infrastructure Planning Assist on the medical center construction projects, space functional changes, and associated planning with respect to medical technologies and medical-related technologies. Regulatory Agencies Assist in monitoring and reporting on construction and utilities management program that allows the Veterans Health Administration to meet the requirements set by accrediting organizations such as TJC. Network Security Share responsibility in ensuring that information security issues are managed effectively for engineering databases and building automation systems. Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:00am-3:30pm Compressed/Flexible: May be authorized after training (at supervisor's discretion) Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized