The Healthcare Engineer position at the Jennifer Moreno Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System performs project planning, produces designs, manages designs, manages construction, and provides construction administration for Minor Construction Projects, Non-Recurring Maintenance (NRM) Projects, Station Level Projects, and Leases, including all areas and aspects at an assigned medical center and associated Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC)'s.

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to: Conducts capital asset and infrastructure planning and design for the medical facility spanning initial strategic planning, concept development, design, construction, and effective implementation of complex buildings, utilities, and medical support systems. Manages healthcare engineering project design and administers construction in accordance with VA policies and procedures, VA Design Guides, VA Design Manuals, VA Master Specifications and related industry codes and standards. Performs healthcare engineering project construction management and post project activities while ensuring continuity of building and utility services for medical facility operations. Assists in the provision of a continuing education program for clinical staff and maintenance personnel addressing the principles and application of building and utility systems in the delivery of health care. This includes a curriculum that addresses the safe and effective use of medical gases, emergency power, ventilation, and other healthcare infrastructure related technology. This requires skill to effectively communicate, both orally and in writing, with a wide variety of individuals, including technical and professional clinical staff, to communicate technical information. Assists in development and implementation of the environment of care program that meets current Joint Commission, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), College of American Pathologists (CAP), NFPA, and VA requirements, particularly as it relates to construction safety and infection control. Work Schedule: M-F 08:00-4:30 Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. Education: Applicants must meet one of the following 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; OR 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 GS-7 Experience: None beyond the basic requirements above. GS-9 Experience or Education: Applicants must meet one of the following: At least 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7). Master of Engineering degree or Master of Architecture or Master of Science degree in Engineering or a related field of study (as outlined in the basic requirements above). Bachelor's degree as outlined in basic requirements 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 the GS-9 level. In addition to the experience/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 presentation to other technical staff and mid-level hospital management and to keep abreast of changes in engineering technology related to a healthcare facility. GS-11 Experience/Education: Applicants must meet one of the following: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower level (GS-9). Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree in Engineering, or a related field of engineering (as outlined in the basic requirements above). OR 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 requirements 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. Bachelor's degree (as outlined in the first bullet point in the basic requirements 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 the GS-11 level assignment. In addition to the experience/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. GS-12 Experience: Applicants must have at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must 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. 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-07 to GS-12. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G72 - Healthcare Engineer Qualification Standard.

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.

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 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. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements of this standard, but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to the position, the following provisions apply:

• Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
• Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels.
• Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
• Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
• Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

Contacts

• Address San Diego VA Medical Center 3350 La Jolla Village Drive San Diego, CA 92161 US
• Name: Mark Pick
• Phone: 602-277-5551 X3300
• Email: [email protected]