Supervisory Healthcare Engineer

Veterans Health Administration; United States; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Health Administration is seeking a Deputy Chief in the Engineering Service to lead planning, organization, direction, and evaluation of Service Line programs. The role focuses on setting qualitative and quantitative standards across engineering operations within the VA healthcare system.

Preferred candidates will have engineering or architectural licensure/education, and demonstrated supervisory experience, plus the ability to coordinate interdisciplinary teams.

Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship required.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Degree from ABET/EAC-accredited program or equivalent.
• FE exam with EIT or licensure demonstrated.
• Professional engineering or architectural licensure (or grandfathering) applicable.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, direct, evaluate & manage Service Line programs.
• Achieve qualitative & quantitative standards for engineering programs.
• Coordinate interdisciplinary engineering efforts and resources.
• Assist in policy development and implementation for engineering management.
• Ensure compliance with VA qualification standards and supervisory duties.

Skills

Data analysis

Workload management

Resource management

Supervisory duties

Communication skills

Prioritization

Policy drafting

Initiative & self-direction

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Architecture

FE exam / Engineering in Training

Professional Engineer license / Architect license

Job description

This position serves as the Deputy (Assistant Chief) in the Engineering Service. This position is responsible for the planning, organizing, directing, evaluating & management process for Service Line programs, which include setting qualitative & quantitative standards. The Assistant Chief must be competent in many aspects of managing VHA Healthcare Facility Engineering Programs including Interdisciplinary Engineering Coordination and Integration. 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.
• English Language Proficiency: Healthcare Engineer Candidates must be proficient in the spoken and written English language in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• 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.

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).

Grandfathering Provision

1. Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
2. Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels.
3. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
4. Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
5. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

Grade Determinations

In addition to the basic requirements outlined above, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of the candidates.

Supervisory Healthcare Engineer, GS-13

1) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-12).

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 data analysis techniques related to managing workload, quality, performance and productivity within the area of responsibility.
• Knowledge related to the management of overall department resources, (i.e., finances space, equipment, supplies, schedules and staffing) at the local level.
• Knowledge of the full range of supervisory duties, which include responsibility for assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, training and development, recommendation of awards, advancements and disciplinary actions.
• Skill in using effective communication in managing interpersonal relationships, leading and dealing with employees, team leaders, labor representatives and managers.
• Ability to balance multiple responsibilities, set priorities, delegate tasks, meet multiple deadlines, analyze organizational problems and develop and implement effective solutions that result in efficient operations.
• Ability to draft and/or recommend local policies and/or directives related to healthcare engineering management.
• Ability to recognize and assess evolving scenarios, utilizing initiative, self-direction and assigned resources to affect resolutions.

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-13.

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 Chief Engineer 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.