The Technical Career Field (TCF) is a national workforce development program within VHA that was designed to replenish technical staff in critically identified positions. VA offers a comprehensive Healthcare Engineer total rewards package - visit our 2023 VHA Total Reward$ of a General Engineer Career Flyer (1).pdf

Duties

The Technical Career Field (TCF) is a national workforce development program within VHA that was designed to replenish technical staff in critically identified positions. The TCF career fields represent those technical fields where VA-specific knowledge and experience is desirable for success in the field. Individuals selected follow a formal training plan for one or two years during which they are trained, coached, and supervised by a preceptor. Preceptors are selected annually, through an extensive application process, for their technical expertise, their commitment to training and the suitability of their facility as a training location. *Selectees will be required to sign Mobility, Training, and Continued Service Agreements. This is a developmental position leading to a GS-12, performing assignments intended to broaden skills and provide practical experience leading to progressively more complex assignments performed under progressively less supervision. You will ultimately acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-12. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds. At the GS-7 entry level, this is a 2-year long program, the incumbent performs general healthcare engineering assignments to gain knowledge and experience necessary to support engineering operations, project management and compliance. At the GS-9 grade level, this is a 1-year long program, the incumbent functions in a developmental capacity with oversight by a supervisor for more complex assignments. Job duties include using basic engineering principles to provide limited professional services for the institution; performing general healthcare engineering assignments to gain knowledge and experience necessary to support engineering operations, project management and compliance; assessing healthcare facility programs and making recommendations to assure compliance with relevant regulations, guidelines and standards; applying engineering and code related knowledge to support the operational engineering requirements of the healthcare system; and preparing material on current technical topics and trends for presentation to the supervisor. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:00a.m. - 3:30 p.m. 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) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. 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 Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Physical Requirements: Work will involve office work (50%) and some physical exertion such as walking, bending, stooping, climbing in utility rooms crawlspaces, attics, boiler and chiller plant (50%). Such work will require an average amount of agility and dexterity.

Requirements

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. Your degree must be conferred no later than 5/30/2024. 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. Education. 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 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. Grandfathering Provision. All individuals employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date (March 18, 2022) of this qualification standard, are considered to have met all the qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education that is part of the basic requirements of the occupation. Foreign Education. To be creditable, engineering, architecture or related education completed outside the U.S. must be submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to a Bachelor's degree as outlined above. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements outlined above, you must meet the following criteria. Healthcare Engineer, GS-07. Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. Assignment. At the entry level, Healthcare Engineers serve in a career development position, performing under close supervision of a supervisor or qualified individual who reviews and ensures the employee meets competency requirements. They perform general healthcare engineering assignments to gain knowledge and experience necessary to support engineering operations, project management and compliance. Developmental assignments include, but are not limited to, assessing healthcare facility programs and making recommendations to assure compliance with relevant regulations, guidelines and standards; and preparing material on current technical topics and trends for presentation to the supervisor. NOTE: A two-year formal training program is required. Healthcare Engineer, GS-09. Experience or Education. Candidates at this level must meet one of the following: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade; OR 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 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: Knowledge of the principles, theories, concepts and practices of the engineering profession. Ability to interpret relevant codes, regulations, guidelines and standards to make recommendations to assure compliance with healthcare facility programs. Ability to understand the operational professional engineering needs of clinical services in the healthcare system. 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. Assignment. At the GS-9 grade level, employees function in a developmental capacity with oversight by a supervisor for more complex assignments. NOTE: A one-year formal training program is required. Healthcare Engineer, GS-11. Experience or Education. Candidates at this level must meet one of the following: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade; OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in Engineering or a related field of engineering as outlined in paragraph 3.b.(1); OR OR Master of Engineering degree, Master of Architecture degree, Master of Science degree in Engineering or a related field of study as outlined in paragraph 3.b.(1), 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 Bachelor's degree as outlined in paragraph 3.b.(1) 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: Knowledge of either mechanical, electrical, structural, civil or other engineering/architectural principles, practices and their applications in the healthcare environment. Knowledge of basic project management principles as applied to the healthcare setting. Ability to apply healthcare engineering related standards, codes, policies and regulations, inclusive of, state and local codes. Ability to communicate effective orally and in writing with internal and external customers with tact and diplomacy. Ability to develop material for clinical or administrative staff that addresses the principles and application of engineering technology and/or theory used in healthcare. 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. Creditable Experience. To be creditable, the experience must have been accomplished after satisfying the basic education requirement as outlined above, required the use of knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) directly applicable to the assignment and be associated within the scope of the healthcare engineering profession. References: VA Handbook 5005/150 Part II Appendix G72 dated March 18, 2022 Green Environment Management Systems (GEMS) program. Incumbent familiarizes self with how their activities impact VA's goal to implement sound stewardship practices that are protective of the air, water, land, and other natural and cultural resources. In accordance with the goals of the VA GEMS program, seeks to cost-effectively meet or exceed compliance with applicable Federal, State, and local environmental; public health; and resource protection laws, regulations, and VA requirements. Incumbent seeks to incorporate practices necessary to implement the requirements of Executive Order 13423, "Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy and Transportation Management."

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Northampton VA Medical Center 421 North Main Street Leeds, MA 01053 US
• Name: Jessica Nieves
• Phone: 413-584-4040 X6777
• Email: [email protected]