Housekeeping Aid - Environmental Services Technician

Veterans Health Administration•Minneapolis, MN

About The Position

This position is located within Environmental Management Services at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System. The Housekeeping Aid performs janitorial and custodial services in patient and non-patient care areas, including cleaning and disinfecting, waste removal, textile distribution and inventory activities, floor polishing, window washing, and related housekeeping tasks. The role may involve working with and providing guidance to a Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) worker and performing other duties as assigned. Work schedules are full-time, Monday through Friday, with available shifts of 7:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. or 4:00 p.m.–12:30 a.m. Work is normally indoors in areas with adequate heat, light, and ventilation; some duties may take place outdoors in varying weather. Personal protective equipment may be required because exposure to contagious diseases, blood, and bloody secretions is inherent to the position. The job requires continuous walking, standing, stooping, kneeling, pulling, and pushing. It occasionally involves using heavy powered cleaning equipment weighing over 50 pounds, and requires dexterity, coordination, concentration, and visual acuity. Care is necessary when working on ladders, using 30–100 pound power equipment, or handling hazardous materials. A specific length of training or experience is not required, but applicants must provide evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality to demonstrate the ability to perform the work. The job has no education qualification requirement. Conditions include U.S. citizenship subject to the stated exception, suitability for federal employment, and a one-year probationary period. Annual seasonal influenza vaccination or an approved exemption is required for covered health care personnel.

Requirements

Demonstrate training or experience of sufficient scope and quality to perform the duties; no specific length of training or experience is required.
Provide detailed descriptions of relevant duties and responsibilities on the resume.
Meet the applicable OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards and the position’s screen-out requirement.
Meet federal employment conditions, including U.S. citizenship subject to the stated exception, suitability determination, and Selective Service registration for males born after December 31, 1959.
Complete the online onboarding process and provide acceptable identification for pre-employment requirements.
Serve a one-year probationary period.
Meet the physical demands of continuous walking, standing, stooping, kneeling, pulling, and pushing; occasional use of heavy powered equipment; and the required dexterity, coordination, concentration, and visual acuity.
Receive the annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons; wear a face mask when an exemption is granted.

Responsibilities

Perform housekeeping activities in patient and non-patient care areas.
Perform floor maintenance and wall washing; clean doors, doorframes, baseboard corners and edges, and stairwells.
Use pressure washers and heavy industrial powered and battery-operated equipment; adjust, clean, perform minor maintenance on equipment, and change attachments as needed.
Empty trash and wastebaskets, replace liners, and transport general refuse, regulated medical waste, and recycling to central collection areas.
Clean, disinfect, and deodorize rest rooms, bathrooms, and shower rooms, including fixtures, mirrors, sinks, and water fountains.
Replenish paper towels, toilet paper, hand sanitizers, and soap in dispensers.
Move and arrange furniture, patient wardrobes, beds, and other items to complete cleaning tasks.
Make beds and clean mattresses, springs, bed frames, bedside stands, over-bed lights, blood pressure cuffs, and bed tables in patient care areas and OD rooms.
Remove bags of soiled textiles from patient rooms and transport them to designated soiled rooms; load and unload clean textiles from bulk carts.
Restock clean textile closets, cabinets, shelves, and carts, and participate in inventory management.
Defrost and clean patient-care refrigerators and ice machines in nourishment kitchens.
Clean stainless steel storage instrument cabinets and counters, elevators, nurse utility rooms, diet kitchens, and designated smoking-area items.
Clean windows and window ledges from the inside, clean glass doors and other glass surfaces, and replace curtains and clean blinds.
Clean and/or replace needle boxes.
Periodically clean designated non-critical reusable medical equipment in inpatient and clinical areas.
May work with and provide guidance to a Compensated Work Therapy worker.
Perform other duties as assigned.