Healthcare Engineer

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Fayetteville (AR); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Telework available

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs seeks a Healthcare Engineer to plan and design construction projects for VA medical facilities and clinics.

Role covers architectural, electrical, life-safety, mechanical, civil, and structural aspects across complex environments, ensuring continuity of building and utility services. The candidate will manage project design and construction administration for minor construction, non-recurring maintenance, and leases, coordinating with clinical staff and

Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship required; English proficiency per federal rules.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Architecture; ABET or NCEES-equivalent education.
• Professional registration/licensure as PE or Architect preferred; grandfathering may apply for current VA employees.

Responsibilities

• Plan and design healthcare facility projects; manage architectural, electrical, life safety, mechanical, civil, structural domains.
• Administer construction for minor and major projects, service contracts, leases, and station-level initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with Joint Commission, FDA, CAP, NFPA, OSHA and VA standards; coordinate with clinical and facilities staff.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Architecture

Job description

Summary

This Healthcare Engineer position performs project planning/designs - manages designs/construction and provides construction administration for minor construction projects - non-recurring maintenance projects - station level projects - service contracts - 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)'s

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

• 1
• United States Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.)
• Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C.
• 7407(a)
• 2
• English Language Proficiency: Healthcare Engineer candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C.
• 7403(f)
• 3
• 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
• Foreign Education
• To be creditable - engineering - architecture or related education completed outside the U.S. must be submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to a Bachelor's degree
• 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: In addition to the basic requirements - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• Healthcare Engineer - GS-07 Experience
• None beyond the basic requirements
• Healthcare Engineer - GS-09 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 the Education Requirements
• OR Bachelor's degree - as outlined in the education 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
• Healthcare Engineer - GS-11 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 the education 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 the education 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 the education 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 (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 Experience
• One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade
• 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/
• Preferred Experience: ABET Accredited Engineering Degree Managing Construction Projects Managing the process of A/E design from concept through construction Continued in Education section below...

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties of the Healthcare Engineer include - but are not limited to: 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 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 Performs healthcare engineering project construction management and post project activities while ensuring continuity of building and utility services for medical facility operations 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 powe - 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 Assists in the development and implementation of the environment of care program that meets current Joint Commission - Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - College of American Pathologists (CAP) - NFPA - and VA requirements - particularly as it relates to construction safety and infection control Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 7:0am-3:30pm (Subject to change based on the needs of the service) Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• 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: Available - per supervisor discretion Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: GS-7 - 564-00418-F
• GS-9 - 564-0419-F
• GS-11 - 564-0420-F
• GS-12 - 564-0421-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized