The position serves as a Project Architect for both VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System (VA ECHCS) and VA Western Colorado Health Care System (VA WCHCS) within VISN 19. This position also serves as a consultant to the VISN engineering team and can review proposals/designs for other health care systems within VISN 19 as requested. This position is aligned in the Strategic Planning and Development Service under the Capital Planning & Activations Section.

Duties

Performs Healthcare Planning/Design Management The position determines the requirements for healthcare projects in relation to the needs of two unique Healthcare Systems within VISN 19, inclusive of the respective parent sites, as well as off-site locations under the auspice of the Healthcare Systems, whether VA owned or leased. Project needs are determined for the organization down to the department level based on a broad array of guidelines, standards, regulatory requirements and mission priorities. The position evaluates how to accomplish the requirements of the project and determines the associated risks necessary to complete the construction within the healthcare facility and identify ways to mitigate project risk. A unique task of a Healthcare Architect during the construction phase of a project is to minimize the impact to patient care operations, and in many cases, to ensure patients can continue to be cared for in a safe and secure manner due to the inability for the medical center to stop seeing patients during the construction phase of a project. The position is responsible for determining what temporary means and methods are necessary to be executed to reduce any risk of danger to patients or staff while a standard of medical care is met for all patients. A detailed knowledge of healthcare operations is required to include how utilities and services support healthcare operations for each type of care provided. The position is responsible for evaluating programs and projects to assure compliance with all environmental, safety and security standards. The position plans and designs a phased approach for the means and methods of construction activities to be executed for complex medical construction projects in order to minimize risk and impact to patients and patient care operations and the daily patient treatment procedures that cannot be impacted without severe patient hazard. Manages Healthcare Design and Construction Administration The position uses independent seasoned architectural judgment in evaluating and performing scheduling and layout of operations, inspection, and surveillance of materials, methods, and equipment used in construction. Responsible for reviewing contractor submittals, contractor change order requests, assuring project compliance with drawings and specifications, administering A/E and VA Headquarters review processes, assuring safety practices, and making sound architectural and engineering recommendations to appropriate leadership for action. Coordinating and overseeing work in a healthcare environment requires the incumbent to have knowledge of complex medical systems and is responsible to coordinate work while keeping patients safe and the medical facility operational. Performs Healthcare Construction Management and Post Project Activities The position provides direction and guidance to the contractor for construction within the facility. Provides approvals on means and methods performance of work and how it is conducted within a medical environment to ensure impacts of the construction does not impact patient care operation or provides a risk to patients or staff. Medical Infrastructure Planning The position assists on the medical center construction projects, space functional changes, and associated planning with respect to medical technologies and medical-related technologies. This includes site preparation for medical equipment, station level projects, non-recurring maintenance projects, and minor construction project designs. Infrastructure planning support often involves conceptual design, as well as very detailed planning activities. Regulatory Agencies The position assists 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. The position remains current with standards interpretation, implementation objectives, and regular reporting requirements. The position assists by presenting details regarding the facility Construction Management Program to the accreditation bodies. Network Security The position shares responsibility in ensuring that information security issues are managed effectively for engineering databases and building automation systems. Documentation of such systems including details such as backup, disaster recover, security, etc. is difficult in scope but critical to management of the networked systems. Work Schedule: Mon-Fri, 7:00am-3:30pm Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 55707-O Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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. 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 Architectural or 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 (NCRB). 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). GS-13 Grade Determination: 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 current and evolving concepts and principles of general engineering to resolve novel or obscure problems; extend and modify techniques; develop new approaches that guide other architects who solve a variety of technical problems; and/or apply new, innovative or experimental advanced architecture/engineering theories, developments or practices. (b) Skill in construction, capital planning and multiple healthcare system portfolio management inclusive of budget development and tracking. (c) Skill to collaborate with persons having diverse viewpoints, goals or objectives to achieve a common understanding of the problem and a satisfactory solution by justifying, defending, negotiating or settling controversial and far-reaching matters through active participation in conferences, meetings or presentations. (d) Ability to interpret broad guidelines and exercise considerable judgment and ingenuity in interpreting and adapting existing guides, developing new and improved hypotheses, concepts or approaches to previously tested or reported and/or in developing new policies that advance the organization. (e) Ability to coordinate and interact with regional facilities, national and corresponding staff for the implementation and coordination of policies and program plans to apply prioritization methodologies that align facilities' capital asset requests and develop infrastructure options that result in the efficacious use of regional level capital strategic plans. (f) Ability to adapt and apply trends in healthcare delivery systems that impact long-term capital assets (such as aging equipment and physical plants) for regionally integrated healthcare systems. (g) Ability to consult and collaborate with all organizational levels in a national healthcare organization, outside organizations and businesses regarding both strategic and financial activities of a regional healthcare organization. (h) Ability to implement and/or sustain a capital asset and construction program that meets healthcare facility related standards, codes, policies and regulations inclusive of state and local codes. References: VA Handbook 5005/150 March 18, 2022, Part II, Appendix G72, HEALTHCARE ENGINEER QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-0801 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, training rooms, and libraries. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. The incumbent must also work outdoors in all types of weather. There may be occasional exposure to moderate risks or discomforts in storage areas or hazardous waste sites. 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 or briefcases, or driving or traveling by motor vehicle.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Eastern Colorado HCS Denver 13611 E. Colfax Ave Aurora, CO 80045 US
• Name: Shannon Muse
• Phone: 4054562337
• Email: [email protected]