HEALTHCARE ENGINEER – ENERGY ENGINEER

*** This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until December 13, 2024. The initial cutoff date for referral of eligible applications will be July 09, 2024. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as needed basis until positions are filled. *** The position serves as the resident expert at the Western Colorado Health Care System within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System in support of VISN, VACO and Executive Office of the President execution of Law, Executive Order or VA Policy in which Energy Management is the primary concern. Basic Requirements: -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). -English Language Proficiency Healthcare Engineer candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English 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. OR -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 above. Grade Determinations: Healthcare Engineer, GS-13 -Experience One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-12) . AND -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 current and evolving concepts and principles of general engineering to resolve novel or obscure problems; extend and modify techniques; develop new approaches that guide other engineers who solve a variety of technical problems; and/or apply new, innovative or experimental advanced engineering theories, developments or practices. Skill in construction, capital planning and multiple healthcare system portfolio management inclusive of budget development and tracking. Skill to collaborate with persons having diverse viewpoints, goals or objectives to achieve a common understanding of the problem and a satisfactory solution by justifying, defending, negotiating or settling controversial and far-reaching matters through active participation in conferences, meetings or presentations. Ability to interpret broad guidelines and exercise considerable judgment and ingenuity in interpreting and adapting existing guides, developing new and improved hypotheses, concepts or approaches to previously tested or reported and/or in developing new policies that advance the organization. Ability to coordinate and interact with regional facilities, national and corresponding staff for the implementation and coordination of policies and program plans to apply prioritization methodologies that align facilities’ capital asset requests and develop infrastructure options that result in the efficacious use of regional level capital strategic plans. Ability to adapt and apply trends in healthcare delivery systems that impact long-term capital assets (such as aging equipment and physical plants) for regionally integrated healthcare systems. Ability to consult and collaborate with all organizational levels in a national healthcare organization, outside organizations and businesses regarding both strategic and financial activities of a regional healthcare organization. Ability to implement and/or sustain a capital asset and construction program that meets healthcare facility related standards, codes, policies and regulations inclusive of state and local codes. Assignment For all assignments above the journey level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. At this level, employees are non-supervisory and are typically found at the Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISN) or national program office level, however, employees may be located at the facility level with VISN or national assignments. Healthcare Engineers are the project managers for all VISN or some national level operations, accreditation, construction (major, minor and nonrecurring maintenance) and capital planning activities. At this level, Healthcare Engineers are advanced engineers overseeing engineering and project design programs for several VA Medical Centers (VAMCs) and Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). They implement value engineering theories and principles and assure the most economical methods of construction or construction materials are utilized and achieve cost efficiency for the Federal Government. They coordinate VISN capital investment project submissions and provide guidance on investment categories, strategies, financial planning and budgeting. Healthcare Engineers evaluate and establish VISN-wide cost estimating strategy. They assist facility management when developing strategies to address the correction of space, functional and operational deficiencies and provide guidance, direction and policy interpretation on sensitive and complex issues in support of the acquisition and administration of all construction projects and capital planning. Preferred Experience: None References: VA Handbook 5005/150, Part II, Appendix G-72 Physical Requirements: The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, boiler rooms, mechanical rooms and facility maintenance shop areas. 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 accessing boiler plants, chiller plants, cooling towers, roofs, Mechanical Rooms, basements, pipe chases and sub-basement crawl spaces. 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, drawing rolls, briefcases, test and balancing equipment, or driving or traveling by motor vehicle.
This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.