Healthcare Engineer

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Asheville (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The Western North Carolina VA Healthcare System seeks a Project Engineer to lead project planning, design, and construction for Minor Construction, NRM, and Station Level Projects across its medical center and affiliated CBOCs.

Qualified candidates will have a BS in Engineering or Architecture, or PE/Architect licensure, and progressively responsible experience in healthcare projects with knowledge of TJC, OSHA, NFPA and related standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering or Architecture from an ABET-accredited program or equivalent.
• Engineering experience in healthcare settings including compliance with TJC/OSHA/NFPA and related medical program requirements.
• One year of creditable experience at GS-11 level or equivalent demonstrating project management in healthcare environments.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute project planning for Minor Construction, NRM, Station Level Projects, and Leases.
• Produce and manage engineering designs and construction administration.
• Oversee multi-disciplinary teams and coordinate with design and construction firms.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulations and quality standards in healthcare facilities.

Skills

Engineering principles

Healthcare standards

Project management

Regulatory compliance

Leadership

Audits & inspections

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Architecture

Job description

The position serves as a Project Engineer at the Western North Carolina 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 at an assigned medical center and associated Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC)'s.

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

Citizenship

You must be a citizen of the United States.

English Language Proficiency

You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).

Education (must meet one of the following):

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

1. 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

1. 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.

In addition to the basic requirements, you must also meet the below Grade requirements.

Experience.

One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade, GS-11. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: conduct audits and inspections of worksites to assure compliance, prepare reports and findings, devise solutions and implement corrective actions with limited oversight. They perform project management related to the healthcare setting with limited oversight.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must 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.

Physical Requirements:

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.