Healthcare Engineer

Description:

This is an open continuous announcement until September 30, 2025 . Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available.

Requirements:

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 :

• 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. Please see below 'Education Section'.
• English Language Proficiency. Healthcare Engineer candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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 stated above, the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.

Healthcare Engineer, GS-07

• Experience. None beyond the basic requirements.

Healthcare Engineer, GS-09

• Experience or Education
  • Experience . One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade; -OR-
  • Education . Master of Engineering degree or Master of Architecture degree or Master of Science degree in Engineering or a related field of study as outlined in the Basic Education option 1 above; -OR-
  • Education . Bachelor's degree as outlined in the Basic Education option 1 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.

-AND-

• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  1. Knowledge of the principles, theories, concepts and practices of the engineering profession.
  2. Ability to interpret relevant codes, regulations, guidelines and standards to make recommendations to assure compliance with healthcare facility programs.
  3. Ability to understand the operational professional engineering needs of clinical services in the healthcare system.
  4. Ability to prepare material on current technical topics and trends for presentations to other technical staff and mid-level hospital management and to keep abreast of changes in engineering technology related to healthcare facility.

Healthcare Engineer, GS-11

• Experience or Education -AND- Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs).
  • Experience . One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade; -OR-
  • Education . Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in Engineering or a related field 6 of engineering as outlined in the Basic Education option 1 above; -OR-
  • Education . Master of Engineering degree, Master of Architecture degree, Master of Science degree in Engineering or a related field of study as outlined in the Basic Education option 1 above, plus 1 full year of progressively higher[1]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-
• Education . Bachelor's degree as outlined in the Basic Education option 1 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.

-AND-

• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  1. Knowledge of either mechanical, electrical, structural, civil or other engineering/architectural principles, practices and their applications in the healthcare environment.
  2. Knowledge of basic project management principles as applied to the healthcare setting.
  3. Ability to apply healthcare engineering related standards, codes, policies and regulations, inclusive of state and local codes.
  4. Ability to communicate effective orally and in writing with internal and external customers with tact and diplomacy.
  5. Ability to develop material for clinical or administrative staff that addresses the principles and application of engineering technology and/or theory used in healthcare.
  6. 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 (Full Performance Level)

• Experience -AND- Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)
  • Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade.

-AND-

• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) . In addition to meeting the experience requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following KSAs:
  1. Knowledge of mechanical, electrical, structural, civil and other engineering/architectural principles, practices and their applications in the healthcare environment.
  2. 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.
  3. Knowledge of construction standards, methods, practices and techniques, materials and equipment to determine compliance with engineering regulations and standards.
  4. 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.
  5. Ability to plan and execute complex, multi-faceted projects and inspections while prioritizing resources against approved scopes of work, contract documents and budgets.
  6. 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:

• Managing construction projects with the coordinator of multiple trades, subs, and vendors.
• Quality control as it relates to keeping construction work compliant with project drawings, specifications, and regulations.
• Working in a hospital setting in a role of that maintains or improves the facility.
• Familiarity with contract development, execution, and medication. Managing the process of contracted Architect/Engineer design from concept through construction.

Reference: For information on this qualification standard please visit https://www.va.gov/OHRM/QualificationStandards/HT38/0801-HealthcareEngineer.pdf

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: The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, boiler rooms, mechanical rooms and facility maintenance shop areas. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. Incumbents must also work outdoors in all types of weather. There may be occasional exposure to moderate risks or discomforts in accessing boiler plants, chiller plants, cooling towers, roofs, Mechanical Rooms, basements, pipe chases and sub-basement crawl spaces. 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, drawing rolls, briefcases, test and balancing equipment, or driving or traveling by motor vehicle.