Healthcare Engineer

Veterans Health Administration•Tomah, WI

About The Position

The Healthcare Engineer serves as a Project Engineer at the Tomah VA Healthcare System, performing project planning, design development and management, construction management, and construction administration for Minor Construction, Non-Recurring Maintenance (NRM), Station Level, and lease projects. The work may cover architectural, electrical, life-safety, mechanical, civil, structural, and other engineering disciplines. The engineer works independently on complex multidisciplinary systems, provides professional guidance to consulting engineering firms, makes systems decisions, and evaluates proposals through cost-benefit analysis. The position prepares preliminary concepts and layouts; designs or oversees designs for multidisciplinary projects; and writes specifications for mechanical and electronic/electrical equipment and system redesign. It investigates building capacity and infrastructure needs for new equipment, prepares cost estimates and project submissions, and supports project prioritization and facility-development planning. The engineer also supports contracting officers in evaluating proposals and negotiating costs, prepares scopes of work and general requirements for architect/engineer contracts, and develops design-submission schedules. As the Contracting Officer's Technical Representative for Station Level, NRM, and construction projects, the engineer inspects construction progress and verifies that appropriate methods and materials are used. The engineer resolves design errors and differing site conditions using sound engineering judgment. Additional duties may be assigned. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized for highly qualified applicants. The selectee may be promoted to GS-12 without further competition when regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met; selection at a lower grade does not guarantee promotion.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship is required, subject to the stated exception for non-citizen appointments when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
Proficiency in spoken and written English.
A bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering or Architecture from an appropriately accredited program; alternatively, 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.
Foreign engineering or architecture education must be evaluated by a specialized private organization and deemed equivalent to the required U.S. bachelor's degree.
For GS-09, one year of experience equivalent to GS-07, or qualifying graduate education as specified in the announcement; candidates must demonstrate knowledge of engineering principles and practices, ability to interpret applicable codes and standards, understanding of clinical engineering needs, and ability to prepare technical material and stay current with engineering technology.
For GS-11, one year of experience equivalent to GS-09, or qualifying graduate education as specified in the announcement; candidates must demonstrate healthcare engineering knowledge, project-management knowledge, ability to apply relevant standards and codes, effective oral and written communication, ability to develop technical material for staff, and ability to advise staff on emerging technology.
For GS-12, one year of experience equivalent to GS-11 and demonstrated knowledge of multidisciplinary engineering principles, healthcare standards and regulatory requirements, construction methods and materials; skill in research and analysis and sound recommendations; ability to plan and execute complex projects and inspections; and ability to organize and lead multidisciplinary task forces.
Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with Selective Service.
Selected applicants are subject to a background/security investigation and must complete online onboarding and pre-employment identification requirements.
Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel.
The selectee must serve a one- or two-year trial period, during which continued employment is subject to written certification that it advances the public interest.
Applicants must complete the application requirements stated in the announcement.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of mechanical, electrical, structural, civil, or other engineering/architectural principles and their application in healthcare environments.
Knowledge of project-management principles in healthcare settings.
Ability to apply healthcare engineering standards, codes, policies, and regulations, including state and local codes.
Effective oral and written communication with internal and external customers, using tact and diplomacy.
Ability to develop material for clinical or administrative staff about engineering technology or theory used in healthcare.
Ability to advise staff on emerging healthcare-facility engineering technology and use current information to address facility engineering challenges.
Highly qualified applicants may be eligible for recruitment or relocation incentives.

Responsibilities

Plan projects and produce, manage, and administer designs and construction for Minor Construction, NRM, Station Level, and lease projects.
Independently design complex multidisciplinary systems and subsystems and provide professional guidance to consulting engineering firms.
Make engineering systems decisions and perform cost-benefit analysis of engineering firms' proposals.
Prepare preliminary sketches, concepts, and layouts for complex projects.
Design or control the design of multidisciplinary projects involving electrical, mechanical, structural, and architectural disciplines.
Write and edit specifications for mechanical equipment, electronic/electrical equipment, and system redesign.
Investigate floor-loading capacities, electrical power, and cooling requirements for new equipment.
Prepare detailed cost estimates, project justifications, and other materials required for VISN and VACO review and approval.
Assist the section chief in developing weighting factors for project priorities and prepare input for prioritization and the Five-Year Facility Development Plan.
Assist contracting officers in evaluating design-firm cost proposals and, when requested, negotiate costs with contractors.
Write scopes of work and general requirements for architect/engineer contracts and develop submission schedules.
Serve as the Contracting Officer's Technical Representative for Station Level, NRM, and construction projects.
Inspect construction progress to ensure appropriate methods and materials are used.
Resolve design errors and differing site conditions by evaluating problems and applying engineering judgment.
Perform additional duties as assigned.