Healthcare Engineer

• 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.
• 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 ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers 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 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.

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: You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d).
• Education: Bachelors degree or higher in Engineering or Architecture. To be acceptable the curriculum must be from a school with at least one 3 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 bachelors 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.

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). All individuals employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all the qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education that is part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements of this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to the position the following provisions apply:
(1) Employees may be reassigned promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
(2) Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels.
(3) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
(4) Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
(5) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

Grade Determinations: 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:

• Knowledge of mechanical electrical structural civil and other engineering/architectural principles practices and their applications in the healthcare environment.
• 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.
• Knowledge of construction standards methods practices and techniques materials and equipment to determine compliance with engineering regulations and standards.
• 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.
• Ability to plan and execute complex multi-faceted projects and inspections while prioritizing resources against approved scopes of work contract documents and budgets.
• Ability to organize and lead multi-disciplinary task forces with members from different departments and divisions as well as design and construction firms.

Assignment. Employees at this level serve as Healthcare Engineers at the full performance level. They work independently under general supervision with wide latitude to exercise independent judgment. Healthcare Engineers demonstrate intimate grasp of high order healthcare engineering and capital subject matter. They serve as institutional resources for healthcare delivery processes and systems working extensively with clinical stakeholders acquisition staff contractors and executive leadership by leading healthcare engineering programs technology assessments integration planning and implementation of both current and emerging technologies. Healthcare Engineers support the delivery of healthcare to Veterans by contributing to the education of clinical staff planners and leadership to ensure safe and efficient healthcare delivery. Healthcare Engineers plan execute and document highly complex multi-faceted healthcare facility construction projects and inspections while prioritizing resources against approved scopes of work contract documents and budgets. They identify problems and develop innovative solutions within the context of applicable rules regulations and procedures as it relates to the healthcare environment.


Reference: FORMER VA HANDBOOK REFERENCE: Part II Appendix G72. For more information on this qualification standard please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements: Work is performed under a variety of conditions at construction sites (indoor outdoor dirty dusty greasy hot damp etc.) and in an office or shop setting. Normal safety precautions apply with use of safety shoes and hard hats regularly and special equipment occasionally. Incumbent will be required to visit a variety of hospital environments including general medical and surgical neuropsychiatry nursing home care and research. There is occasional exposure to high voltage high noise levels and the possibility of electrical shock bums cuts and bruises. The work is primarily sedentary although some physical effort may be required e.g. walking standing climbing ladders stooping kneeling and carrying light items or driving or traveling by motor vehicles.