Healthcare Engineer

Veterans Health Administration • Leeds, MA

11d • Onsite

About The Position

The Healthcare Engineer serves as a Project Engineer in Facilities Management at the Edward P. Boland VA Medical Center in Leeds, Massachusetts, and its associated Community Based Outpatient Clinic. The position plans projects, produces and manages designs, manages construction, and provides construction administration for Minor Construction, Non-Recurring Maintenance (NRM), Station Level, and leased projects across architectural, electrical, life safety, mechanical, civil, and structural disciplines. The role supports VA-owned and leased facilities and coordinates work in an active healthcare setting while maintaining patient safety and continuity of building and utility services.

The engineer provides technical and project leadership through planning, design review, contract administration, construction coordination, inspections, quality assurance, and post-project activities. The position oversees Architecture/Engineering and construction contracts, performs Contracting Officer Representative (COR) duties, and chairs multidisciplinary Integrated Project Teams. It interprets and applies healthcare codes, regulations, and standards; reviews technical documentation and contractor submittals; develops estimates, reports, schedules, drawings, and specifications; and resolves design and construction issues while considering project goals, budgets, and operational constraints.

The role also advises VA administrators and managers, communicates technical information to clinical and technical staff, and directs contractor work within the medical facility. It applies infection-control and containment requirements and addresses fire safety, dust, noise, vibration, and hazardous-material work, including lead and asbestos abatement.

This is a full-time position scheduled Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Ad-hoc telework is available. The vacancy is at the GS-07 through GS-12 grade range, with GS-12 as the full performance level. The position requires a bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering or Architecture from an appropriately accredited program, or an accepted alternative such as passing the Fundamentals of Engineering examination with a bachelor's degree, current professional registration or licensure, or qualifying grandfathered status. Higher grades require additional relevant experience or graduate education and demonstration of specified knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for appointment when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering or Architecture from an appropriately accredited program; acceptable disciplines include electrical, mechanical, biomedical, and civil engineering, architecture, and architectural engineering.
• As an alternative education/qualification route, a bachelor's degree plus evidence of passing the Fundamentals of Engineering examination, or current professional registration or licensure as a Professional Engineer or Architect; qualifying grandfathered status may also apply to eligible current VHA employees.
• Meet the experience or education requirements for the applicable grade: GS-07 requires no experience beyond the basic requirements; GS-09 requires one year at the next lower grade or specified graduate education; GS-11 requires one year at the next lower grade or specified doctoral/graduate education; GS-12 requires one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
• For GS-09, demonstrate knowledge of engineering principles and practices; ability to interpret codes, regulations, guidelines, and standards for healthcare facility compliance; understanding of clinical services' engineering needs; and ability to prepare technical presentations and keep current with relevant technology.
• For GS-11, demonstrate engineering or architectural knowledge applicable to healthcare, project-management knowledge, ability to apply healthcare engineering standards and codes, effective oral and written communication, ability to develop technical material for clinical or administrative staff, and ability to advise staff on emerging technology and solve facility engineering challenges.
• For GS-12, demonstrate broad engineering and architectural knowledge in the healthcare environment; knowledge of healthcare standards and regulatory requirements, construction practices and materials; skill in analyzing information and making sound recommendations; ability to plan and execute complex projects and inspections; and ability to organize and lead multidisciplinary teams.
• Register for Selective Service if male and born after December 31, 1959.
• Pass a background/security investigation and pre-employment physical examination; participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program; complete onboarding and application requirements.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.
• Education used to qualify must be recognized by the U.S. Department of Education; foreign education requires a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with transcripts.

Nice To Haves

• Mechanical or Electrical engineering degree or experience.

Responsibilities

• Plan, design, and oversee healthcare system projects for VA-owned and leased facilities.
• Oversee Architecture/Engineering and construction contracts to ensure compliance with contract requirements, codes, regulations, specifications, and schedules.
• Provide engineering support, including maintaining construction specifications, drawings, and a technical reference library of codes and standards.
• Serve as healthcare engineering advisor, consultant, designer, contract administrator, project manager, construction coordinator, and instructor throughout design and construction.
• Perform Contracting Officer Representative (COR) duties for professional design and construction projects and maintain the required COR certification.
• Chair the Integrated Project Team and lead multidisciplinary teams in strategic planning and decision-making.
• Manage construction and post-project activities while maintaining continuity of building and utility services for medical operations.
• Communicate technical information effectively to technical and clinical personnel and develop reports for supervisory review.
• Interpret and apply The Joint Commission requirements, NFPA 101, NFPA 99, and VA standards; direct A/E firms on complex healthcare designs.
• Review A/E documentation for technical quality, healthcare code compliance, and consistency with VA standards; recommend alternatives that meet project goals, engineering standards, and budget constraints.
• Resolve design conflicts, construction challenges, complex construction problems, and latent defects; develop and issue revised drawings and specifications.
• Review contractor submittals, manage change-order requests, ensure compliance with drawings and specifications, and enforce safety practices.
• Coordinate construction in an active healthcare environment to protect patients and maintain uninterrupted operations.
• Direct contractor activities within the medical facility and approve means and methods that protect patients and staff.
• Train and guide contractors on safe work in medical environments, including infection control, fire safety, and dust, noise, and vibration mitigation.
• Apply infection-control risk assessment and containment requirements and ensure safe practices during lead/asbestos abatement and hazardous-material operations.
• Manage construction schedules, layouts, inspections, and quality-assurance activities.
• Prepare cost estimates, reports, schedules, and technical documents for construction projects.
• Provide expert engineering advice to administrators and managers on complex construction challenges.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment in connection with birth, adoption, or foster care placement.
• Child care subsidy may be available to eligible full-time employees after 60 days of employment, subject to income and other eligibility limits.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting.
• Federal 401(k) with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level