Supervisory Healthcare Engineer - Capital Assets Manager

This position serves as the Engineering and Capital Program Manager at the regional/VISN level. The Supervisory Healthcare Engineer has the full programmatic responsibility (staffing management, budget, planning, policy, compliance, etc.) over all healthcare engineering, safety, capital assets, and environmental programs with their VISN.

Major duties

Duties include but not limited to: Engineering Program Management and Administration This position serves as VISN's key healthcare engineering representative, providing executive-level oversight of capital asset management, strategic capital investment planning, safety and fire/life safety programs, medical equipment management, and regulatory compliance (OSHA, EPA, FDA, Joint Commission) across multiple Medical Centers within a VISN, while supervising a multidisciplinary staff of engineers and program managers. The incumbent leads national committees, represents VHA on interagency and industry organizations, mentors other supervisory engineers, and exercises full supervisory authority over personnel management, budgeting, and workforce planning to ensure engineering programs support the network's healthcare mission. Budgeting/Financial Management Work This position manages budgeting and financial oversight for capital programs exceeding $1B, encompassing budget formulation, justification, execution, financial reporting, and life-cycle cost analysis for current and future program requirements. As top capital assets budget advisor to management, the incumbent monitors financial resources to enable timely recommendations, defends budget proposals before senior leadership, and negotiates funding adjustments or reprogramming to support major program changes. Research and Analysis Work This position conducts expert research and analysis on complex Capital Asset Management issues across the VISN, developing authoritative recommendations on national codes and standards (NFPA, OSHA, TJC, EPA, CDC, NIOSH) while serving as principal advisor to top management on all administrative matters affecting engineering infrastructure across medical center campuses. This position directs the full personnel management program for Capital Asset Management - including recruitment, classification, and appraisals - and develops long-range strategic and resource plans in collaboration with top management to ensure the efficient operation of Engineering Service. Special Projects This position plans and manages high-priority special projects with broad organizational impact, conceiving and implementing new initiatives that strengthen, facilitate, and integrate programs while producing complex analyses, organizing committees and workshops, and fostering cross-agency collaboration. This position also identifies training priorities and develops, administers, and delivers training programs to support workforce development needs. Professional Engineering/Architectural Analysis and Advice This position serves as the Supervisory Healthcare Engineer within a VISN hierarchy. In this capacity incumbent meets regularly with other Engineers from across the country and VA Leadership from the Office of Capital Asset Management and Engineering Support (OCAMES). This position interfaces between VAHQ and the other Supervisory Healthcare Engineers in the VISN. This position assists the VISN offices and other Supervisory Healthcare Engineers by providing technical advice and input on a wide range of engineering issues, including the Strategic Capital Investment Plan, Capital Asset Inventory, Capital Asset Resource Survey, Deferred Maintenance, management of an engineering department, and a myriad of engineering related topics. Performs Construction Administration Work This position directs development and implementation of the VISN's capital improvement program, working with medical activities to identify space and renovation needs, establish leases, and oversee construction and acquisition processes in compliance with standards such as VA CFM, AIA, FGI, ASHRAE, and USP 797/800. This position ensures technical and contractual accuracy by developing project specifications and cost estimates, conducting site visits, resolving complex construction issues, and reviewing contractor submissions, reports, and drawings for approval. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm Telework: This position may be authorized for ad-hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00001VF Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: No Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Qualifications

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. Education: You must meet one of the following requirements: 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. 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: In addition to the basic requirements outlined above, the following criteria must be met. Supervisory Healthcare Engineer, GS-15. Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade, GS-14. 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 related to the management of healthcare system resources, (i.e., finances, space, equipment, supplies, schedules and staffing) across a national portfolio of interrelated healthcare facilities that vary in size and complexity. Knowledge of mechanical, electrical, structural, civil and other engineering/architectural principles, practices and their applications as related to healthcare facilities. Knowledge of a range of specialized areas in general engineering sufficient to originate concepts and effect new developments applicable to emerging functions of a national magnitude and with long-term purposes. Skill in using effective communication in managing interpersonal relationships with internal and external customers, stakeholders, executive leadership, labor representatives and managers. Ability to effectively supervise a wide variety of subordinates to include interview candidates for positions; recommend appointments, advancements, or when appropriate, disciplinary actions; evaluate performance and identify continuing education and training needs. Ability to balance multiple responsibilities, set priorities, delegate tasks and projects, meet multiple deadlines, analyze complex organizational problems and develop and implement effective solutions that result in efficient operations across a national healthcare organization. Ability to anticipate, develop and implement strategies in meeting a national healthcare system's short term and long-term strategic goals in a highly fluid environment. Ability to develop national policy and adapt/apply across a national healthcare system. Ability to recognize and assess evolving scenarios, utilizing initiative, self-direction and assigned resources to affect resolutions. 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 position serves as a Program Director or Senior Program Manager within the VHA HEFP Office or as the Engineering and Capital Program Manager at the regional/ VISN level. These Supervisory Healthcare Engineers have full programmatic responsibility (staffingmanagement, budget, planning, policy, guidance, compliance, etc.) over all facility healthcare engineering programs nationally, regionally or within their VISN. Preferred Experience: Skilled in developing and defending a Strategic Capital Investment Plan (SCIP) before senior VISN or VA Central Office leadership; Knowledge of applicable regulatory/code frameworks such as NFPA, OSHA, EPA, FDA, CDC, and NIOSH as applied to heath care facilities; Knowledge of sustainability/environmental stewardship programs (e.g. GEMS) and their application to capital planning. 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-15. Physical Requirements: The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, training rooms, and libraries. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. The Supervisory Healthcare Engineer must also work outdoors in all types of weather. There may be occasional exposure to moderate risks or discomforts in storage areas or hazardous waste sites. The work is primarily sedentary, although some physical effort may be required, e.g., walking, standing, climbing ladders, stooping, kneeling, and carrying light items such as manuals or briefcases, or driving or traveling by motor vehicle. Travel to multiple facilities and active construction sites may be required up to 50% of the time.

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/.

Requirements

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 (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. 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 may 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.