Healthcare Engineer in New Orleans, Louisiana

Summary The position serves as a Special Projects Engineer at an assigned Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System. This position performs project planning, produces designs, manages designs, manages construction, and provides construction administration for Minor Construction Projects, Non-Recurring Maintenance (NRM) Projects, Station Level Projects, and Leases, including all areas and aspects at an assigned medical center and associated Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC)’s. Responsibilities If you ARE NOT a current, permanent VA employee or Federal employee from another agency, you should applyCBST-12652366-25-AJO. Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-General-Engineer-Career-Flyer.pdf Major duties include (but are not limited to): Assist in the determination of requirements for healthcare projects in relation to the needs of the Healthcare System, inclusive of the parent site, as well as off-site locations under the auspice of the Healthcare System, whether VA owned or leased Performs project planning, produces designs, manages designs, manages construction, and provides construction administration for Minor Construction Projects, Non-Recurring Maintenance (NRM) Projects, Station Level Projects, and Leases, including all areas and aspects (architectural, electrical, life safety, mechanical, civil, structural, etc.) Provides a broad review of all disciplines of Engineering when applied to a healthcare environment to support construction document reviews and preparation Provide direction to Architectural/Engineering firms on complex healthcare designs to ensure compliance and regulatory requirements are met for the medical facility Assists in evaluations of medical care programs and services to ensure assigned projects are aligned and support the healthcare organization’s needs and requirements for expansion of service and/or efficient flow of operation Developing Scopes of Work, conceptual project designs, and government cost estimates, and ensures project documents are produced in accordance with VA Contracting and Information Security requirements Assists in the development of specifications and plans for alterations, additions to existing buildings, grounds, utility plants and systems, as well as for preparing the site for the installation of highly complex medical equipment Reviews A/E documentations as the technical authority and quality assurance for the medical center Recommends sound advice and presents alternatives that will enable management to accomplish the desired results or objectives within the framework of sound engineering practices and standards of project execution Review contractor submittals, contractor change order requests, assuring project compliance with drawings and specifications, administering A/E and VA Headquarters review processes, assuring safety practices Review and evaluate shop drawings, samples and material certifications submitted by contractor for contract and performance requirements, recommending approval, rejection prioritizing frequent requests and demands while still maintaining continuity of operations of the medical facility Provides approvals on means and methods performance of work and how it is conducted within a medical environment to ensure impacts of the construction does not impact patient care operation or provides a risk to patients or staff Assists with medical center construction projects, space functional changes, and associated planning with respect to medical technologies and medical ­related technologies Advises and works with clinical staff and the Biomedical Engineering staff on design and planning of construction of clinical spaces, specification development, and design reviews Assists in monitoring and reporting on construction and utilities management program that allows the VHA to meet the requirements set by accrediting organizations Shares responsibility in ensuring that information security issues are managed effectively for engineering databases and building automation systems Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, 7:30 am – 4:00 pm and/or8:00-4:30pm, subject to change based on the needs of the facility.: Relocation Incentive: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance):Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases 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) 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) Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00555F,00556F,00557F,00558F Permanent Change of Station (PCS):Not 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. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. 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. Must provide clean driving record report from the DMV during the pre-employment process. Must be able to independently operate Government Vehicle. Qualifications 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. Education: 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. 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. English Language Proficiency. Healthcare Engineer candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English 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). Grade Determinations. Healthcare Engineer, GS-7 (Entry level) Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. Healthcare Engineer, GS-09 Experience or Education. Candidates at this level must meet one of the following: (a) One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade; OR (b) Master of Engineering degree or Master of Architecture degree or Master of Science degree in Engineering or a related field of study; OR (c) Bachelor’s degree plus two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education in a related field of study, provided the applicant’s total background demonstrates the core competencies for GS-09 level assignment. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:(a) Knowledge of the principles, theories, concepts and practices of the engineering profession.(b) Ability to interpret relevant codes, regulations, guidelines and standards to make recommendations to assure compliance with healthcare facility programs.(c) Ability to understand the operational professional engineering needs of clinical services in the healthcare system.(d) Ability to prepare material on current technical topics and trends for presentation to other technical staff and mid-level hospital management and to keep abreast of changes in engineering technology related to a healthcare facility. Healthcare Engineer, GS-11. Experience or Education. Candidates at this level must meet one of the following:(a) One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade; OR (b) Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in Engineering or a related field of engineering; OR (c) Master of Engineering degree, Master of Architecture degree, Master of Science degree in Engineering or a related field of study, plus 1 full year of progressively higher-level graduate education in a related field of study, provided the applicant’s total background demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities for GS-11 level assignment; OR (d) Bachelor’s degree plus 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education in a related field of study, provided the applicant’s total background demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities for GS-11 level assignment. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA). In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:(a) Knowledge of either mechanical, electrical, structural, civil or other engineering/architectural principles, practices and their applications in the healthcare environment.(b) Knowledge of basic project management principles as applied to the healthcare setting.(c) Ability to apply healthcare engineering related standards, codes, policies and regulations, inclusive of, state and local codes.(d) Ability to communicate effective orally and in writing with internal and external customers with tact and diplomacy.(e) Ability to develop material for clinical or administrative staff that addresses the principles and application of engineering technology and/or theory used in healthcare.(f) Ability to advise staff on emerging engineering technology related to a healthcare facility, while keeping abreast of changes in such technology and utilizing the information to solve healthcare facility engineering challenges. Healthcare Engineer, GS-12 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. 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 mechanical, electrical, structural, civil and other engineering/architectural principles, practices and their applications in the healthcare environment.(b) Knowledge of healthcare industry standards and related regulatory agency and organization (including, but not limited to The Joint Commission (TJC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), etc.) regulations, requirements, guides, policies, procedures, directives, standards and general medical program requirements as they relate to healthcare engineering.(c) Knowledge of construction standards, methods, practices and techniques, materials and equipment to determine compliance with engineering regulations and standards.(d) Skill in researching and analyzing information, conditions, human factors and projections to make sound engineering and business recommendations and decisions to proactively identify problems and develop innovative solutions within the context of applicable rules, regulations and procedures.(e) Ability to plan and execute complex, multi-faceted projects and inspections while prioritizing resources against approved scopes of work, contract documents and budgets.(f) Ability to organize and lead multi-disciplinary task forces with members from different departments and divisions, as well as design and construction firms. Preferred Experience: *Please see list under Education Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is 12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 7 to 12. Physical Requirements: This position requires moderate lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers and hands, walking (1 hour), standing (2 hours), climbing (use of legs and arms), both legs required, operation of truck/motor vehicle, near vision correctable at 13″ to 16″ to Jaeger 1 to 4 Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, depth perception, ability to distinguish basic colors. Education *(Continuation from Qualifications) Preferred Experience: 3 years or more of construction experience 3 years or more of VA construction experience 3 years or more of healthcare construction experience 3 years or more of construction package development 3 years or more of cost estimate development 3 years or more of facility site activations 3 years or more of design experience 3 years or more of project/program management Proficient in CAD/REVIT drafting experience COR Level II certification higher or equivalent FE/C Level I certification or higher or equivalent 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 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.