Environmental Services Technician (EVS) - Housekeeping Aid (Leader)

Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks; Fayetteville (AR); On-site; USD 42,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks seeks an Environmental Services Leader within Environmental Management Services at the VA Medical Center in Fayetteville. The role supports and leads housekeeping operations, focusing on environment of care, textile distribution, and staff training to meet EMS goals.

The position involves leading housekeeping teams, applying cleaning protocols, and ensuring safety for patients and staff while operating floor care and other cleaning equipment across

Qualifications

• Knowledge of cleaning and disinfection principles for hospital settings.
• Ability to follow supervisor instructions and ensure quality results.
• Adherence to medical center policies and safety standards.
• Experience operating housekeeping equipment (scrubbers, buffers, vacuums).

Responsibilities

• Lead housekeeping operations across the VA Medical Center.
• Assign tasks to housekeeping aides to ensure full coverage.
• Apply policies and standards for hospital housekeeping programs.
• Perform floor care: scrubbing, stripping, waxing, polishing.
• Safely handle infectious or non-infectious waste.
• Operate and maintain cleaning equipment and PPE.
• Coordinate work with other departments as needed.

Skills

Leadership

Housekeeping knowledge

Safety awareness

Communication

Tools

Floor scrubbers

Buffers

PPE usage

Job description

Summary

This position is located within Environmental Management Services of a Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The position, generally aligned under to the Housekeeping Supervisor, is responsible for supporting and performing tasks (e.g., environment of care, textile distribution and training) associated with the Environmental Management Services goals and objectives. The position is a working leader for housekeeping operations throughout the VA Medical Center(s).

Major Duties

The VA has adopted Core Values and Characteristics that apply universally across the Department. The five Core Values define "who we are," our culture, and how we care for Veterans, their families and other beneficiaries. The Values are Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect and Excellence ("I CARE"). As a VA professional, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities and leadership positions at your fingertips.

• Possesses the knowledge of and ability to apply principles of chemistry, biology, bacteriology, etc. as they apply to hospital housekeeping requirements.
• Comprehend, interpret and implement verbal and written instructions from Supervisor to ensure acceptable results of assigned area.
• Abide by and adhere to medical center policies.
• Use aseptic cleaning/disinfection techniques.
• Operate and perform minor maintenance to floor scrubber/buffers, wet pickup vacuums, dry vacuums, and battery powered scrubbers.
• Performs duties such as scrubbing, stripping, waxing, and polishing floors; sweeping, mopping, vacuuming and shampooing of rugs and carpets.
• Assigns and changes assignments of housekeeping aids to ensure all areas of the medical center will be covered.
• Comprehend and apply policies, guides, standards and requirements related to hospital housekeeping programs.
• Handle exposure to both non-infections and infectious waste safely.
• Operate battery powered equipment, move furniture and set up ladders or other heavy equipment as required.
• Use standard precautions along with proper personal protection equipment.

Work Schedule: Thursday- Monday 3:00pm - 11:30 pm, subject to change based on the needs of the facility.

Position Description Title/PD#: Environmental Services Technician (EVS) - Housekeeping Aid (Leader)/PD99913S

Physical Requirements

This position requires occasional bending/stooping, crouching, and kneeling. Lifting up to 50 pounds. Approximately 40 percent of time spent standing, 40 percent of time spent walking and 20 percent of time spent sitting. Hearing and visual acuity. Manual dexterity to use a phone and operate equipment.

Working Conditions

The work is accomplished in a variety of different areas including operating rooms, treatment rooms, examination rooms, imaging rooms, wards and other public, recreational and administrative areas. Protective clothing and personnel protective equipment (PPE) including gowns, gloves, safety shoes, masks, etc. is required in the accomplishment of some aspects of the work. There is the potential for exposure to strong cleaning solutions, bodily fluids and communicable disease. The work can involve occupied patient rooms and interaction with both medical and psychiatric patients. May be required to work inside and outside. May require some exposure to hazardous cleaning chemicals.

Requirements

U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation 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 Services Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. 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-year probationary 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 probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Evaluations

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.

What to Expect Next

After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email.

Required Documents

Documents Required: Resume

Resume Requirement: Your resume must include the following information: Job title, description of duties, beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment, and average hours worked per week.

Documents Accepted:

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (VA)
• Other (1)
• Resume Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application. Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted. Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.

Other Information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. Such credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.