This Healthcare Engineer serves at the Montana VA Health Care System. This position performs project planning, produces designs, manages designs and construction, and provides construction administration for Minor Construction Projects, Non-Recurring Maintenance (NRM) Projects, Station Level Projects, and Leases; including architectural, electrical, life safety, mechanical, civil, structural, etc., at the assigned medical center and associated Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC)'s.

Duties

Total Rewards: Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Healthcare Engineer: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-General-Engineer-Career-Flyer.pdf This position is located at VA Montana Health Care | Veterans Affairs Duties include, but are not limited to: The HCE provides engineering support and is responsible for maintaining construction specifications and drawings, maintaining technical reference library of codes, standards, and other regulations which are applicable to the engineering construction industries Occupational Safety and Health Administration, National Fire Protection Association, American National Standards Institute, and others. The HCE serves as a healthcare engineering advisor, engineer consultant, engineer designer, contract administrator, project manager, construction coordinator, and instructor during the design and construction of all projects assigned. The HCE is responsible for performing the duties of a Contracting Officer Representative (COR) on professional design and construction projects, training service staff on technical issues and assisting the service staff on the completion of technical and administrative issues regarding infrastructure related operations of the medical facility. The HCE serves as the Integrated Project Team Chairperson, comprised of diverse and multi-discipline professional team members, consisting of internal and external stakeholders, and is an expert in project management. The HCE participates in planning deliberations and contributes to the decision-making process through teamwork, innovation, coordination, and collaboration with other senior members and stakeholders. The HCE maintains COR certification to oversee the administration of Facility Engineering Service's Architect/Engineer and Construction Contracts. The HCE supports and advances patient care by applying engineering and managerial skills to healthcare engineering as demonstrated by the following major responsibilities: a. 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. b. 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. c. Performs healthcare engineering project construction management and post project activities while ensuring continuity of building and utility services for medical facility operations. d. 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. e. Assists in development and implementation of the environment of care program that meets current Joint Commission, Food and Drug Administration, College of American Pathologists, NFPA, and VA requirements, particularly as it relates to construction safety and infection control. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases 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: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 54906-A 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 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. English Language Proficiency: 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 GS-07 Experience: None beyond the basic requirements. GS-09 Experience or Education: Candidates at this level must meet one of the following: One (1) 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; OR Bachelor's degree plus two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education in a related field of study. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (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 developmental level 1, Healthcare Engineers receive guidance from more experienced staff members and require frequent and direct supervision. GS-11 Experience or Education: Candidates at this level must meet one (1) of the following: One (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade; OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in Engineering or a related field of engineering; OR Master of Engineering degree, Master of Architecture degree, Master of Science degree in Engineering or a related field of study plus one (1) full year of progressively higher level graduate education in a related field of study. Bachelor's degree plus three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education in a related field of study In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (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. Assignment: At developmental level 2, Healthcare Engineers function on a semi-independent basis with limited oversight by senior Healthcare Engineers. GS-12 Experience: One (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): Knowledge of mechanical, electrical, structural, civil and other engineering/architectural principles, practices and their applications in the healthcare environment. 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. Knowledge of construction standards, methods, practices and techniques, materials and equipment to determine compliance with engineering regulations and standards. 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. Ability to plan and execute complex, multi-faceted projects and inspections while prioritizing resources against approved scopes of work, contract documents and budgets. Ability to organize and lead multi-disciplinary task forces with members from different departments and divisions, as well as design and construction firms. Assignment: Employees at this level serve as Healthcare Engineers at the full performance level. They work independently, under general supervision with wide latitude to exercise independent judgment. Preferred Experience: Electrical engineering experience strongly preferred. Construction project management experience strongly preferred. Design review and drawing knowledge strongly preferred. Appropriate engineering education, in addition to experience of on site/field project/program management. References: Former VA Handbook 5005 Reference: Part II, Appendix G72 | Effective: March 18, 2022. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: VA Directive and Handbook 5019. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Montana VA Health Care System 3687 Veterans Drive Fort Harrison, MT 59636 US
• Name: Lisbette Santiago Colon
• Email: [email protected]