This Supervisory Healthcare Engineer position is located in the Engineering Service at the VA Boston Healthcare System, Brockton, MA campus. This position serves as a Supervisor within Engineering Service with responsibility for a section at a multi-faceted and affiliated VA Medical Center, including outlying Community Based Outpatient Clinics. This position is full-time at 40 hours per week.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. BASIC REQUIREMENTS. To qualify for appointment to this position, all applicants must possess the following: a. 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). b. Education. 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). (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 (2) 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 (3) 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. c. 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. d. English Language Proficiency. Healthcare Engineer candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f). GRADE DETERMINATIONS. In addition to the basic requirements above, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Supervisory Healthcare Engineer, GS-13 (1) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. (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: (a) Knowledge of data analysis techniques related to managing workload, quality, performance and productivity within the area of responsibility. (b) Knowledge related to the management of overall department resources, (i.e., finances space, equipment, supplies, schedules and staffing) at the local level. (c) 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. (d) Skill in using effective communication in managing interpersonal relationships, leading and dealing with employees, team leaders, labor representatives and managers. (e) 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. (f) Ability to draft and/or recommend local policies and/or directives related to healthcare engineering management. (g) Ability to recognize and assess evolving scenarios, utilizing initiative, self-direction and assigned resources to affect resolutions. (3) Assignment. 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 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. Definitions. a. Creditable Experience. To be creditable, the experience must have been accomplished after satisfying the basic education requirement as outlined in this appendix, required the use of knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) directly applicable to the assignment and be associated within the scope of the healthcare engineering profession. b. Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to healthcare engineering experience at the next lower grade level of the position being filled. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. c. Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to a full-time workweek. For example, an individual employed 20 hours per week, or on a half time basis, would receive one full-time work week of credit for each two weeks of service. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Reference. VA Handbook 5005/150, Part II, Appendix G72, dated March 18, 2022. 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 traveling by motor vehicle.
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional 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 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. Supervision and oversight exercised in this position require exceptional coordination and integration of long term programs, administrative services, personnel, and financial resources both within and outside the service. The 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. This position functions as a consultant to management and other services on problem areas and programs requiring expertise in engineering functions. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): 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) Ad Hoc Telework: Authorized for telework that occurs on an occasional, non-routine basis. Telework that occurs to complete short-term special assignments or to accommodate special circumstances even though the telework arrangement may occur continuously for a limited and specific period of time. Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: PDF04775 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure: Required NOTIFICATIONS: Position is in the Excepted Service. Current and former Federal employees may submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held. Position is covered by a special rate. Selectee may be required to work at any VA Boston Healthcare System campus or CBOC, as needed. Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment..