Housekeeping Aid - Environmental Services Technician

Veterans Health Administration•Memphis, TN

13h

About The Position

This position is within the Environmental Management Services Division of a VA Medical Center and performs janitorial and custodial services in patient and non-patient care areas. Work includes sanitizing and disinfecting, distributing and inventorying textiles, removing waste, cleaning blinds, replacing curtains, washing windows and walls, dusting and polishing furniture and fixtures, performing discharge cleaning, and sweeping, scrubbing, extracting, polishing, and finishing floors. The technician uses powered cleaning equipment and cleaning chemicals according to product-label directions and safety requirements. Duties also include making beds, changing and collecting linens, transporting and disposing of general, regulated medical, chemotherapeutic, and radioactive waste, and potentially delivering clean linens and supplies. The employee checks and replenishes consumable supplies and handles sharps, including replacing filled sharps containers when needed. The position involves continuous walking, standing, stooping, kneeling, pulling, and pushing, and occasional use of powered cleaning equipment weighing more than 50 pounds. Work is normally indoors in adequately heated, lit, and ventilated areas, but may sometimes be outdoors in varying temperatures and inclement weather. Personal protective equipment may be required because of potential exposure to contagious diseases, blood, and bloody secretions. Care is needed when working on ladders, using heavy equipment, and handling hazardous materials. The schedule may include days, evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays, and may change according to service needs; the schedule is assigned upon selection.

Requirements

Evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality to demonstrate the ability to perform the work; no specific length of training or experience is required.
Demonstrated ability in housekeeping work, assessed against job elements including dexterity and safety, following directions, handling weights and loads, reliability and dependability, and work practices.
U.S. citizenship, except that non-citizens may be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
Suitability for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation.
Applicants tentatively selected for a testing-designated position must undergo urinalysis for illegal drug use before appointment; refusal results in denial of employment.
Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
Selected applicants must complete online onboarding and provide acceptable identification for pre-employment requirements.
Successful completion of a one-year probationary period, including written certification for continued employment.
Detailed resume documentation of relevant experience, including job title, duties, dates, and hours worked per week.
Annual seasonal influenza vaccination or an approved medical or religious exemption; a face mask is required when an exemption is granted.

Responsibilities

Perform housekeeping and custodial work in patient and non-patient care areas.
Use powered cleaning equipment to clean rooms, furnishings, equipment, floors, walls, windows, ceilings, and other architectural features.
Use sanitizers, disinfectants, deodorizers, cleaners, floor strippers, floor finishes, and metal polishes according to label directions.
Make beds, change linens, and collect soiled linens.
Remove, transport, repackage, dispose of, and store general, regulated medical, chemotherapeutic, and radioactive waste.
Deliver clean linen and supplies as needed.
Check and replenish consumable supplies such as soap, hand towels, toilet tissue, bottled water, and gloves.
Remove, transport, repackage, dispose of, and store sharps, and replace filled sharps containers with empty ones when needed.
Perform textile distribution and inventory activities, discharge cleaning, window and wall washing, dusting, polishing, and floor care.