Healthcare Engineer

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Major duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Assists with the planning design and oversight of healthcare system projects; administering Professional Architecture/Engineering (A/E) and Construction contracts to ensure the contractor is in compliance with all contractual requirements healthcare regulations and codes specifications and schedules are met in accordance with the governments requirements for VA owned and leased facilities.
• Provides engineering support to the assigned healthcare system and is responsible for maintaining construction specifications and drawings maintaining technical reference library of codes standards and other regulations which are applicable to the engineering construction industries Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and others.
• Performs the duties of a Contracting Officer Representative (COR) on professional design and construction projects training service staff on technical issues and assisting the service staff on the completion of technical and administrative issues regarding infrastructure related operations of the medical facility.
• Serves as the Integrated Project Team (IPT) Chairperson comprised of diverse and multidiscipline professional team members consisting of internal and external stakeholders and is a recognized expert in project management. Participates in planning deliberations and contributes significantly to the management decision-making process through teamwork innovation coordination and collaboration with other senior members and stakeholders to ensure objectives are met toward meeting the healthcare systems overall strategic plan goals.
• Maintains COR certification to oversee the administration of Facility Engineering Services Architect/Engineer and Construction Contracts.
• Supports and advances patient care by applying engineering and managerial skills to healthcare engineering as demonstrated by the following major responsibilities:
  • Conducts capital asset and infrastructure planning and design for the medical facility spanning initial strategic planning concept development design construction and effective implementation of complex buildings utilities and medical support systems.
  • Manages healthcare engineering project design and administers construction in accordance with VA policies and procedures VA Design Guides VA Design Manuals VA Master Specifications and related industry codes and standards.
  • Performs healthcare engineering project construction management and post project activities while ensuring continuity of building and utility services for medical facility operations.
  • Assists in the provision of a continuing education program for clinical staff and maintenance personnel addressing the principles and application of building and utility systems in the delivery of health care.

• 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 possess a valid unrestricted State drivers license.
• Must pass pre-employment driving physical examination.
• 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.

• 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.

Healthcare Engineer
Basic Requirements:To qualify for appointment to this position all applicants must possess the following:

• Citizenship: You must be a citizen of the United States
• 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 (must meet one of the following):
  1. Bachelors 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
• 1. 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
• 1. 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.

• NOTE: Direct health care experience is not required to qualify for a GS-801 Healthcare Engineer. Candidates with Engineering experience in a hospital or healthcare system should be able to address the knowledge skills and abilities as it applies to the position. Engineers that may not have worked in a hospital or healthcare system should ensure it is clear in their application how their non-healthcare related knowledge skill or ability can be applied to the assignment and to the healthcare engineering occupation.

  Grandfather Provision. A Healthcare Engineer employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (3/18/2022) who did not meet all the basic requirements in this standard may not be promoted beyond the full performance level (GS) or be newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions until meeting the full qualification requirements.

• Experience/Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements to qualify for the GS-09 you must meet one of the following:
  1. You must have at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7) OR
  2. Master of Engineering degree or Master of Architecture degree or Master of Science degree in Engineering or a related field of study as outlined in basic requirements; OR
  3. Bachelors degree as outlined in paragraph basic requirements plus two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education in a related field of study provided the applicants 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:
  1. Knowledge of the principles theories concepts and practices of the engineering profession.
  2. Ability to interpret relevant codes regulations guidelines and standards to make recommendations to assure compliance with healthcare facility programs.
  3. Ability to understand the operational professional engineering needs of clinical services in the healthcare system.
  4. 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.

• Experience Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements to qualify for the GS-11 you must meet one of the following:
  1. You must have at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-9) OR
  2. Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in Engineering or a related field of engineering as outlined in basic requirements; OR
  3. Master of Engineering degree Master of Architecture degree Master of Science degree in Engineering or a related field of study as outlined in basic requirements plus 1 full year of progressively higher level graduate education in a related field of study provided the applicants total background demonstrates the knowledge skills and abilities for GS-11 level assignment; OR
  4. Bachelors degree as outlined in basic requirements plus 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education in a related field of study provided the applicants total background demonstrates the knowledge skills and abilities for GS-11 level assignment.
• Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience or education above the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  1. Knowledge of either mechanical electrical structural civil or other engineering/architectural principles practices and their applications in the healthcare environment.
  2. Knowledge of basic project management principles as applied to the healthcare setting.
  3. Ability to apply healthcare engineering related standards codes policies and regulations inclusive of state and local codes.
  4. Ability to communicate effective orally and in writing with internal and external customers with tact and diplomacy.
  5. Ability to develop material for clinical or administrative staff that addresses the principles and application of engineering technology and/or theory used in healthcare.
  6. 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.