The Engineering Service is seeking a full-time Supervisory Healthcare Engineer at the VA Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama.
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). 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). 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. This Supervisory Healthcare Engineer, GS-13, position is the deputy to the Supervisory Healthcare Engineer, GS 14, who supervises professional engineers and other support staff. They supervise the engineering service to accomplish the operations of the service. The deputy, as an assistant chief, in this position exercises the full range of supervisory responsibility to include but not limited to development of performance standards and performance evaluations, recommendations for appointment, awards, advancements, and when appropriate, disciplinary actions and identification of continuing training needs. The deputy provides a safe, reliable and precisely controlled operating environment for direct patient care. They are experts in the design, sustainment and improvement of the medical care environment, including all hospital building features, automated building management and environmental control systems, critical utility systems and medical equipment technology. They work under the authority and direction of the Supervisory Healthcare Engineer, GS-14, and may collaborate directly with executive leadership, medical staff, nursing staff and other clinical personnel regarding the design and operation of the environment for medical care. They manage the healthcare system's capital assets program and construction projects. They educate and advise clinical staff on the safe use of critical building features, utility systems and fire prevention systems as they relate to the environment of care. They educate and advise clinical staff on medical equipment technology including selection, operation, safety and security. Deputies/Assistant Chiefs ensure the healthcare system complies with a multitude of VA established or adopted standards, codes, accreditation and regulatory requirements including, but not limited to, those issued by TJC, OSHA and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In summary, they apply engineering concepts and methodologies to enhance the delivery of healthcare by providing a technologically advanced, safe and reliable healthcare environment. They coordinate the operational planning, organizing, directing, evaluating and management process for service line programs, which may include setting qualitative and quantitative standards. They may develop and provide the Executive Leadership Team and the clinical staff information on the methods, techniques and procedures necessary to integrate engineering, maintenance, biomedical, capital management and other engineering programs into the mission of the medical center. They assist the Supervisory Healthcare Engineer, GS-14, with oversight of the TJC, Environment of Care Programs for Utility Systems Management, Safety, Life Safety and Medical Equipment Management for both their assigned medical center and all CBOCs. 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 the management of overall healthcare system resources, (i.e., finances, space, equipment, supplies, schedules and staffing).(b) Knowledge of mechanical, electrical, structural, civil and other engineering/architectural principles, practices and their applications as related to healthcare facilities.(c) Skill in using effective communication in managing interpersonal relationships with internal and external customers, stakeholders, executive leadership, labor representatives and managers.(d) Skill in balancing priorities, delegating tasks and meeting multiple competing deadlines.(e) Skill in interpreting broad or general national policies and guidelines and adapting/applying them to specific compliant programs at the local healthcare system.(f) Skill in recognizing and assessing evolving scenarios, utilizing initiative, self-direction and assigned resources to affect resolutions.(g) Ability to analyze complex organizational problems and develop and implement effective solutions that result in efficient operations.(h) 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.(i) Ability to ensure compliance with healthcare industry standards and regulatory agency and organization (including but not limited to TJC, OSHA, NFPA, etc.), regulations, requirements, guides, policies, procedures, directives and general medical program requirements as they relate to healthcare engineering.(j) Ability to interview candidates for positions, recommend appointments, advancements, or when appropriate, disciplinary actions; evaluate performance and identify continuing education and training needs. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: VA Directive and Handbook 5019
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: The Supervisory Healthcare Engineer will serve as the Chief Compliance Officer responsible for developing/maintaining/updating policies and procedures to meet the requirements of organizations and agencies such as the National Fire Protection Association, the Joint Commission, College of American Pathologist (CAP), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), American Association for the Accreditation of Lab Animals (AAALAC), Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA), and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to name a few. The Supervisory Healthcare Engineer is required to act in the absence of the Chief Engineer. The Supervisory Healthcare Engineer will serve as a Supervisor within the Engineering Service. The Supervisory Healthcare Engineer has direct supervisory authority over five employees and line authority over 168 employees. The supervised positions are as follows: Associate Chief Engineer, Plant and Utility Operations ;Associate Chief Engineer, Facility Maintenance Supervisory Program and Management Analyst The Deputy Chief Engineer has full administrative and managerial authority for the medical center's engineering program. By coordinating the engineering activities with all administrative and medical activities, he/she initiates policies, procedures and goals for the Engineering Service. The Deputy Chief Engineer actively participates in formal and informal management meetings in an advisory capacity in all major aspects of the medical center relating to policy matters and long range planning. Formal meetings include committee work such as Environment of Care, Space Committee, and Capital Activations and Planning amongst other meetings. The Deputy Chief Engineer actively participates in the program planning and administration of all activities of the Engineering Service. The Supervisory Healthcare Engineer functions with authority to resolve problems, answer questions, and make decisions necessary for the operation of the service and for the service responsibilities to the entire Medical Center. Due to the requirements of maintaining the environment of care, the Supervisory Healthcare Engineer must be proficient in several engineering disciplines, i.e. electrical, mechanical, civil, etc. The Supervisory Healthcare Engineer, in conjunction with the engineering section supervisors, maintains a complete professional engineering support component within the service to meet the requirements and needs of the medical center and its professional and administrative staff. The Supervisory Healthcare Engineer provides direction and review of professional and technical maintenance programs; professional engineering work in several disciplines such as civil engineering, electrical engineering, biomedical engineering and mechanical engineering; emergency and disaster planning; and support and assistance to management in developing Medical Center policies, procedures and resource allocations. The Supervisory Healthcare Engineer coordinates the actions between the Construction Management (CM) Section and the M&O Section in coordination with the Supervisory General Engineer over the CM Section. The Supervisory Healthcare Engineer supports the Chief Engineer on special assignments and other duties as required. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:00am-3:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized Relocation Assistance: May be 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) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 52217F