Supervisory Healthcare Engineer (Deputy)

Serves as the Assistant Chief Engineer, supporting all engineering programs at a VA Medical Center. Oversees maintenance, utilities, safety, energy management, construction, and capital planning. Provides technical leadership, ensures regulatory compliance, manages personnel and budgets, and integrates engineering operations into the medical center's mission. The Assistant Chief must be competent in many aspects of managing VHA Healthcare Facility Engineering Programs including Interdisciplinary Engineering Coordination and Integration; Facility Maintenance and Operations Management; Construction Development, Management, and Oversight; Healthcare Facility Engineering Program Administration; Healthcare Regulatory, Safety, and Accreditation Compliance; Strategic Planning; Technical Personnel Supervision; and VA Inter-Administration Stakeholder Collaboration. Duties include but are not limited to: Serves as the full Deputy and Assistant Chief Engineer, acting with full authority in the absence of the Chief Engineer and providing managerial and technical leadership for all Engineering Service programs. Manages and oversees professional engineering programs including Maintenance and Repair, Utility Plant Operations, Energy Management and Conservation, Safety, Fire Prevention, Industrial Hygiene, Emergency Preparedness, Vehicle Fleet, Grounds, Capital Planning, and Construction Project Management. Plans, organizes, directs, evaluates, and manages Engineering Service operations, establishing qualitative and quantitative standards and integrating engineering programs into the medical center's mission and strategic objectives. Provides authoritative technical advice on engineering matters, collaborating with Executive Leadership, clinical staff, VISN Capital and Energy Engineers, VACO leadership, and national committees on engineering issues, strategic capital planning, and infrastructure requirements. Oversees Joint Commission Environment of Care Programs, ensuring compliance with Utility Systems Management, Life Safety, Safety, and Medical Equipment Management requirements for the Medical Center and all CBOCs. Administers human resources programs for Engineering Service, including workforce planning, succession planning, hiring, performance management, disciplinary actions, and labor/management relations. Provides budget formulation, justification, execution, and financial management for Engineering Service, advising senior management and negotiating adjustments or reprogramming related to major program changes. Conducts research and analysis on engineering programs, regulatory requirements, national codes (NFPA, OSHA, TJC, EPA, CDC, NIOSH), and emerging initiatives, developing policies, procedures, and administrative guidance to ensure compliance. Leads construction administration activities including capital improvement program development, space planning, renovation oversight, technical reviews, cost estimating, contractor coordination, and compliance with VA CFM, AIA, FGI, ASHRAE, and USP 797/800 standards. Provides professional supervision and mentorship to engineers, architects, project managers, technicians, and other engineering personnel; oversees review of plans, specifications, and engineering analyses. Develops long-range strategic plans for facility infrastructure and physical plant needs, ensuring alignment with Strategic Capital Investment Planning (SCIP) objectives and VISN/department priorities. Ensures compliance with all accrediting, regulatory, and environmental requirements including OSHA, EPA, FDA, and Joint Commission; manages safety programs, life safety initiatives, and risk identification for complex utility systems. Directs administrative management functions, including policy interpretation, development of local procedures, administrative requirements for Engineering Service operations, and preparation of reports and materials for senior leadership review. Plans and executes special projects, national/regional initiatives, and cross-agency activities; develops training priorities, administers training programs, and provides instruction as needed. Maintains effective working relationships with local government agencies, labor unions, professional societies, affiliated universities, research organizations, and national VA program offices. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday, 7:00am-3:30pm Telework: Ad Hoc Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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 spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education: To be found eligible applicants must provide documentation supporting at least one of the following: 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. 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. Grade Determinations: GS-13 level: In addition to the basic requirements, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-12). 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 the management of overall healthcare system resources, (i.e., finances, space, equipment, supplies, schedules and staffing). Knowledge of mechanical, electrical, structural, civil and other engineering/architectural principles, practices and their applications as related to healthcare facilities. Skill in using effective communication in managing interpersonal relationships with internal and external customers, stakeholders, executive leadership, labor representatives and managers. Skill in balancing priorities, delegating tasks and meeting multiple competing deadlines. Skill in interpreting broad or general national policies and guidelines and adapting/applying them to specific compliant programs at the local healthcare system. Skill in recognizing and assessing evolving scenarios, utilizing initiative, self-direction and assigned resources to affect resolutions. Ability to analyze complex organizational problems and develop and implement effective solutions that result in efficient operations. 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 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. 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: Preferred candidates will have strong recent experience supervising a multi-trade facilities/engineering workforce in a healthcare or similarly complex setting; managing operations and maintenance programs compliant with Joint Commission, VA, OSHA, NFPA, and related standards; overseeing preventive maintenance, service contracts, and budgets; and performing duties as a Project Manager, COR, or acting Chief Engineer. Effective communication, collaboration with hospital leadership, and leadership during emergencies are highly desired. 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: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services. 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. Financial Disclosure Required. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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/.