Healthcare Engineer

Summary

This position serves as an entry level and career development Healthcare (Project) Engineer at James H. Quillen VA Medical Center. This position will perform general assignments to gain knowledge and experience necessary in project planning, i.e, design production, and assists with construction administration for Minor Construction Projects.

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Duties

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The position is under the direct supervision by a senior Healthcare Engineer, provides engineering support to the assigned medical center and assists with construction specifications, and drawings, technical reference library of codes, standards, and other regulations which are applicable to the engineering construction industries Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and others.

The position serves as an entry level and developmental Healthcare Engineer providing assistance to senior Healthcare Engineers in engineering design, contract administration, project management, and construction coordination during the design and construction of projects. The position with direct oversight by a senior Healthcare Engineer, is responsible, for performing the duties of a Contracting Officer Representative (COR) on minor professional design and construction projects.

This position maintains COR certification to oversee the administration of assigned minor Facility Engineering Service's Architect/Engineer and Construction Contracts. The position supports and advances patient care by applying engineering skills to Healthcare Engineering as demonstrated by the following major responsibilities:

A. Assessing healthcare facility programs and making recommendations to assure compliance with relevant regulations, guidelines, and standards.

B. Applying engineering and code related knowledge to support the operational engineering requirements of the healthcare system.

C. Prepares materials on current technical topics and trends for presentation to supervisor.

This position, under close supervision of supervisor or other senior Healthcare Engineers, assists with determining the requirements for healthcare projects in relation to the needs of the medical center, inclusive of the parent site, as well as off-site locations under the auspice of the medical center, 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.

A unique task of a Healthcare Engineer during the construction phase of a project is to minimize the impact to patient care operations, and in many cases, to ensure patients are able to 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, in conjunction with senior Healthcare Engineers, assists with determining what temporary means and methods are necessary to be executed to reduce any risk of danger

Work Schedule: Mon-Fri 7:45am-4:30pm

Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized

Telework: Not Eligible

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 61342F

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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: 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).

To qualify for appointment to this position, all applicants must possess the following:

1. Citizenship - You of the United States
2. English Language Proficiency - You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d)
3. Education (must meet one of the following):
4. 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
5. 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
6. 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.

GS-07 Healthcare Engineer (Entry Level Developmental) - No additional requirements beyond the basic requirements.

GS-09 Healthcare Engineer (Developmental) Experience/Education Requirement:

• In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-09 you must meet one of the following:
• You must have at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7) 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 basic requirements; OR
• Bachelor's degree as outlined in paragraph 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 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.

GS-11 Healthcare Engineer (Developmental) Experience/Education Requirement:

• In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-11 you must meet one of the following:
• You must have at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-9) OR
• Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in Engineering or related field of engineering as outlined in basic requirements OR
• Master of Engineering degree, Master of Architecture degree, Master of Science degree in Engineering or a related field of study as outlined in basic requirements, 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 basic requirements 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 (KSAs). 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.

GS-12 Healthcare Engineer (Full Performance Level) Experience Requirement: