Supervisory Healthcare Engineer (Chief) - Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration

Summary The Chief Engineer has full administrative and managerial responsibilities for planning, staffing, budgeting, developing, and effectively managing the total Engineering Program. The Engineering Program functions include all planning, design, and supervision of project renovation, modernization, and construction work; safety, industrial hygiene, disaster management, and green environmental management services; fleet and energy conservation services; and all maintenance and repair of buildings. Responsibilities This position serves as the Chief Engineer within a medical center/VISN/VACO hierarchy. In this capacity, he meets regularly with other Engineers from across the country and VA Leadership from the Office of Capital Asset Management and Engineering Support (OCAMES). This position interfaces between VACO and the other Chief Engineers in the VISN and the VISN Capital Asset Manager. This position assists the VISN offices and other chief engineers by providing technical advice and input on a wide range of engineering issues, including the Strategic Capital Investment Plan, Capital Asset Inventory, Capital Asset Resource Survey, Deferred Maintenance, management of an engineering department, and a myriad of engineering related topics. The Chief Engineer is typically responsible for all personnel in the Engineering Service, including supervisory general engineers and staff engineers. The Chief Engineer collaborates with the Associate Director, program managers, members of professional guilds, and others as appropriate but maintains final authority in establishing organizational structure and guidelines, performance standards, work review, and reporting requirements and defines the line of authority and supervisory controls essential to carry out the mission of the Engineering Service. This position has final responsibility for the selection, evaluation, initiation, or promotion of subordinate employees. This position has final responsibility for adverse and other personnel actions for the members of the service. This position selects, supervises, and coordinates the activities of subordinates. This position is responsible for the following activities for employees that this position directly supervises; leave approval, performance standards and ratings, and planning and establishing all service activities. In exercising this responsibility, the Chief Engineer may delegate authority as appropriate and in a manner that will ensure the efficient operations of the service. The Chief Engineer provides professional supervision for program managers and subordinates. The Chief Engineer exercises final authority for the full range of personnel actions and organization design proposals recommended by subordinate supervisors. Formal clearance may be required for a few actions such as removals and incentive awards. Responsible for initiating and fostering a partnership environment with the Service for decisions related to service projects, hearing/resolving subordinates' complaints, taking disciplinary actions, identifying developmental and training needs of employees, establishing long-term and short-term goals for the Service, and approving expenses and awards. The Chief Engineer is responsible for overseeing the overall planning, direction, and timely execution of the multiyear Strategic Capital Improvement Plan (SCIP), the Energy Program, the Safety Program, and the Construction Program through subordinate organizational units , final responsibility for these activities rests with this position . The Chief Engineer maintains constant surveillance of the entire facility's compliance with standards of Joint Commission and other accrediting and regulatory agencies related to the Environment of Care. This position is fully responsible for ensuring and maintaining quality in the service. Supervision and oversight exercised in this position require exceptional coordination and integration of long-term and community programs, administrative services, personnel, and financial resources both within and outside the service. The Chief Engineer's actions have a direct and substantial impact on the effective functioning of the various program elements within Engineering as well as the overall quality and cost-effectiveness of patient care within the facility. The Chief Engineer functions as a consultant to management and other services on problem areas and programs requiring expertise in Infrastructure functions. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm Telework: Not Authorized. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 688-24053-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Authorized. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. 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: 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. Serving in a direct patient-care capacity must be proficient in spoken and written English. 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. NOTE: 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 as outlined in paragraph 3.b. of this appendix. 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 meeting the basic requirements you must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-13. (Example of GS-13 Experience: For all supervisory assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity, difficulty, range of variety and be performed by the incumbent as a major duty at least 25% of the time. The incumbent must supervise staff for at least 25% of the time, administratively and technically at the full performance grade level or below. At this level, Supervisory Healthcare Engineers are assigned at the facility level, supervising professional engineers and other support positions at GS-13 equivalent and below. Supervisory Healthcare Engineers exercise the full range of supervisory responsibility to include development of performance standards and performance evaluations; recommendations for appointment, awards, advancements, and when appropriate, disciplinary actions; and identification of continuing training needs, etc. They provide complex professional engineering advice to peers, subordinates and/or non-professional administrators/managers. They review or direct the review of technical plans, specifications and analyses of design as submitted by subordinates. Supervisory Healthcare Engineers provide professional advice to improve such plans, specifications and analyses. They direct necessary changes and furnish assistance as required. They advise subordinate personnel on methods and procedures to be used in special studies on highly complex projects. Supervisory Healthcare Engineers oversee subordinate professionals' work. They are the technical authority, providing expert advice pertaining to the maintenance of facilities, structures or landscapes 11 that may involve large geographic regions. Supervisory Healthcare Engineers review subordinates' activity plans, specifications and cost estimates for technical adequacy and feasibility. They oversee maintenance standards for advanced equipment or systems technology. Supervisory Healthcare Engineers provide for the budgeting and financial management for engineering. They supervise a staff to accomplish the construction work and maintenance of the organization.) 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 as related to healthcare facilities. Knowledge related to the management of overall healthcare system resources (i.e., finances, space, equipment, supplies, schedules, and staffing). Skill in using effective communication in managing interpersonal relationships with internal and external customers, stakeholders, executive leadership, labor representatives, and managers. Skill in balancing multiple responsibilities, setting priorities, delegating tasks and projects, meeting multiple deadlines, analyzing complex organizational problems, and developing and implementing effective solutions that result in efficient operations. Skill in applying considerable independent judgment to interpret broad or general national policies and guidelines and adapt/apply them to specific compliant programs in the local healthcare system. Skill in recognizing and assessing evolving scenarios, utilizing initiative, and self-directing and assigning resources to affect resolutions. Skill in complying with national internal and outside regulatory agencies and organizations (including, but not limited to, TJC, OSHA, NFPA, etc.) regulations, requirements, guides, policies, procedures, directives, standards, and general medical program requirements as they relate to healthcare engineering. Ability to anticipate, develop, and implement strategies in meeting the healthcare system's short-term and long-term strategic goals in a highly fluid environment. Ability to interview candidates for positions, recommend appointments, advancements, or, when appropriate, disciplinary actions; evaluate performance and identify continuing education and training needs. Preferred Experience: Healthcare experience, experience with managing aging structures and large facilities with remote facilities. 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-14. 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. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This 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. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. 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. 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.