Healthcare Engineer
What you'd do
These Healthcare Engineer positions are in the Facilities Management services at the Edward P. Boland VA Medical Center, located Leeds, MA. The positions are full-time at 40 hours per week.
Major duties
The position serves as a Project Engineer at an assigned Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System. This position 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 (architectural, electrical, life safety, mechanical, civil, structural, etc.) at an assigned medical center and associated Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC). Major Duties & Responsibilities are as follows but not limited to: Plan, design, and oversee major healthcare system projects for VA-owned and leased facilities. Oversee Architecture/Engineering (A/E) and Construction contracts to ensure contractors meet all contractual requirements, codes, regulations, specifications, and schedules. Provide engineering support across the healthcare system, including maintaining construction specifications, drawings, and a technical reference library of codes and standards (OSHA, NFPA, ANSI, etc.). Serve as healthcare engineering advisor, consultant, designer, contract administrator, project manager, construction coordinator, and instructor throughout project design and construction. Perform duties as a Contracting Officer Representative (COR) for professional design and construction projects. Serve as Chairperson of the Integrated Project Team (IPT), leading multidisciplinary teams and contributing to strategic planning and decision-making. Maintain COR certification for administration of Facility Engineering Service's A/E and Construction contracts. Perform construction management and post-project activities while ensuring continuity of building and utility services for ongoing medical operations. Communicate technical information effectively to various individuals, including technical and clinical personnel. Interprets and applies TJC requirements, NFPA 101, NFPA 99, and VA standards; provides direction to A/E firms for complex healthcare designs. Resolves design conflicts and construction challenges to prevent schedule delays and cost impacts. Reviews A/E documentation (NRM, Minor, Leased projects) for technical quality, healthcare code compliance, and consistency with VA standards. Provides recommendations and alternatives to achieve project goals within engineering standards and budget constraints. Reviews contractor submittals, manages change order requests, ensures compliance with drawings/specifications, and enforces safety practices. Coordinates construction work within an active healthcare environment to maintain patient safety and uninterrupted operations.. Develops reports for supervisory review. Directs contractor activities within the medical facility, approving means and methods to protect patients and staff. Trains and guides contractors in working safely within medical environments, addressing infection control, fire safety, dust/noise/vibration mitigation. Applies advanced knowledge of Infection Control risk assessments and containment requirements. Ensures safe work practices during lead/asbestos abatement or hazardous materials operations. Manages construction schedules, layouts, inspections, and quality assurance activities. Prepares cost estimates, reports, schedules, and technical documents for construction projects. Resolves complex construction problems and latent defects; develops and issues revised drawings/specifications. Provides expert engineering advice to administrators and managers on complex construction challenges. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm. 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. Functional Statement #: F04801, F04802, F04803, F04774 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Preferred Experience: Engineer with a Mechanical or Electrical degree/experience.
What you need to qualify
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. (1) 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 (2) 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 (3) 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. 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: Healthcare Engineer, GS-07. (1) Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. Healthcare Engineer, GS-09. (1) 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 in paragraph 3.b.(1); OR Bachelor's degree as outlined in paragraph 3.b.(1) 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. (2) 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. Healthcare Engineer, GS-11. (1) 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 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. (2) 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. Healthcare Engineer, GS-12. (1) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. (2) Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to meeting the experience requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following 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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.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. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.
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