The position serves as an Architect for the VA South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS), Engineering Service, South Texas Construction and Abatement Crew (STCAC). The Architect will serve as the only Design Professional / Technical Specialist for STVHCS facility. The Architect will exercise professional architectural expertise and initiates, coordinates, and maintains a master plan for all facilities within STVHCS complex.

Duties

Exercise architectural expertise and initiates, coordinates, and maintains a master plan for all facilities within STVHCS complex. Coordinate/develop design criteria relative to future projects with the Executive Leadership Team, Chief of Engineering services, Facility Planner, and project Architectural/Engineering (A/E) firms and provide authoritative advice to facility concerning many aspects of campus planning, architectural design, building construction, utilities, and facilities support systems. Manage professional architecture work within a healthcare facility involving the art and science of conceptualizing, planning, developing, and implementing designs to ensure that buildings and structures are responsive to human activities and needs; structurally sound; and economical to acquire, operate and maintain. Research, analyze and resolve complex architectural problems/issues. Coordinate and prioritize the sequence, direction, and progress of the work of other professional engineers or architects in their functional areas ensuring compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations, codes and ordinances concerning health, safety, and the environment. Provide guidance in the administration/design of construction projects and assist other personnel in the resolution of complex construction and/or maintenance problems encountered and provide technical support/advice to other facility staff in emergency situations. Serve as the contracting officer's representative/construction coordinator during the design and construction of all assigned projects, which include Station Level, NRM, CSI, and Minor Construction Projects and perform the architectural and technical functions involving the preparation, award, and management of contracts. Develop the Scopes of Work and Independent Government Cost Estimates to meet the Contracting Officer's requirements and satisfy the customer's needs. Prepare, evaluate/recommend approval, and defend architectural design decisions, construction cost proposals, project scopes of work and schedules, and recommendations to contractors or other engineering activities. Discuss/coordinate results of audits/reviews with the Contracting Officer's Representative, Chief Engineers, contractors, and other government officials. Research/apply newest developments to modify current architectural practices. Use computer-aided design/drafting software to create blueprints. Abreast of emerging technologies in Computer Aided Design and Drafting programs and other relevant architectural and engineering software applications. Develop from space directives/criteria and client requirements, graphic analysis charts, diagrammatic sketches, tentative sketches, schematic outlines, or other architectural design criteria for projects which involve complications such as cost limitations; multiple functions; safety hazards; climatic conditions; lack of precedents in designs for specialized functions; use of new building materials; environmental conditions; numerous codes/regulations that conflict with functional, aesthetic, or economic needs or that restrict architectural design methods/approaches; and complications that restrict architectural design methods/approaches. In-depth knowledge of applicable codes, standards/regulations such as the International Building Code, the Life Safety Code, standards and guidelines of the American Institute of Architects, applicable standards of the National Fire Protection Association & The Joint Commission Standards. Prepare scopes of work for services that are contracted with Architect/Engineer firms. Prepare cost estimates for A/E services. Perform technical reviews of project documents prepared by A/E firms and coordinates the work of A/E firms with other facility projects. Conduct/direct the conduct of, investigations of project site to determine the feasibility of proposed projects; essential site configuration; and condition of addition or renovation structure and essential data prior to initiating design. Develop complete specifications, costs estimates and working drawings, including floor plans, interior/exterior elevations, sections, and scale and full-size details of structures including those that involve such problems as extreme and variable climate conditions; complications arising from construction cost limitations and scarce building materials required for novel functions; presence of strong local influences, environmental conditions, and/or numerous codes and regulations that conflict with practical/functional needs. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Architect (Design)/PD04000O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

o qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/28/2023. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Individual Occupational Requirement: Degree: Architecture or related field that included 60 semester hours of course work in architecture or related disciplines of which at least (1) 30 semester hours were in architectural design, & (2) 6 semester hours were in each of the following: structural technology, properties of materials and methods of construction, and environmental control systems. OR Combination of education and experience -- college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the arts and sciences underlying professional architecture, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the architectural principles, methods, and techniques and their applications to the design and construction or improvement of buildings. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by at least one of the following: 1. Related Curriculum: Degree in architectural engineering may be accepted as satisfying in full the basic requirements, provided the completed course work in architectural engineering provided knowledge, skills, and abilities substantially equivalent to those provided in the courses specified in paragraph A. The curriculum for a degree in either architecture/architectural engineering covers function, esthetics, site, structure, economics, mechanical-electrical, and other engineering problems related to the design and construction of buildings primarily (but not exclusively) intended to house human activities. The courses required for a degree in architecture generally place emphasis upon planning, esthetics, and materials and methods of construction, while the courses for an architectural engineering degree place equal or greater weight on the technical engineering aspects such as structural systems, mechanical systems, and the properties of materials. Because of this difference in emphasis, persons with degrees in architecture may have a preference for work assignments that offer greater opportunities for them to express their artistic and creative abilities. As a result, they may be more concerned with planning and design aspects of architecture, and persons with degrees in architectural engineering may be more engaged in aspects emphasizing technical engineering considerations. 2. Experience: An applicant lacking a degree in architecture must have had l year of experience in an architect's office or in architectural work for each year short of graduation from a program of study in architecture. In the absence of college courses, 5 years of such experience is required. This experience must have demonstrated that the applicant has acquired a thorough knowledge of the fundamental principles and theories of professional architecture. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include: utilizing architectural concepts, principles, and practices applicable to the full range of duties to plan, design, renovate, and construct structures such as office buildings, shops, clinical and medical spaces, laboratories, boiler and water treatment plants, and warehouses; justifying recommendations to modify standard practices to resolve complex issues; presenting plans, designs, drawings, and reports; preparing and communicating technical plans, survey reports, and corrective actions; operating computerized systems of drawing and record keeping such as Computer Aided Design and Building Information Modeling; use test procedures with instruments and equipment for inspection practices of medical center construction; apply government contracting principles, guidelines and public law of building, safety and environmental codes (OSHA, NFPA, JCAHO, EPA, etc.); utilizing labor laws and wage requirements concerning public contracts; producing cost analysis of construction costs to negotiate changes in contracts; oversee installation of utility systems such as power distribution, electronic, plumbing, steam, vacuum, medical gas, fire alarm, fire protection, electrical and mechanical systems; adapting policies or precedents used in the design and construction of new facilities or the repair and modification of existing facilities to meet special needs/demands; employing related disciplines (e.g., interior design, structural, electrical and mechanic engineering) to ensure that areas of overlapping responsibilities between technical disciplines receive proper design considerations and total project objects are met; developing designs, architectural, interior designs, and engineering criteria for major healthcare facility programs, while recommending new methods and techniques for improving healthcare facility designs to produce quality designs. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully competed 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Architecture Contract Administration Critical Thinking Design Project Management For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, & similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings &/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry & lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.

A transcript must be submitted with your application.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Audie L Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital 7400 Merton Minter Boulevard San Antonio, TX 78229 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]