Supervisory Healthcare Engineer

Veterans Health Administration • White City, OR

21h • Onsite

About The Position

The Supervisory Healthcare Engineer ensures a safe, reliable, and precisely controlled environment for direct patient care by managing the design and construction program for hospital and support environments. The position is a key engineering advisor, reports directly to the Chief of Facilities Management Service, and serves as a member of the Engineering management team. The incumbent provides authoritative advice on design and construction matters and is accountable for the Medical Center Design and Construction program and oversight. Recruitment and relocation incentives may be authorized for a highly qualified candidate.

The role leads the Engineering Service Project Section, setting qualitative and quantitative standards and overseeing planning, organizing, directing, evaluating, and management processes. It provides professional and technical direction across engineering and architectural disciplines, coordinates complex equipment with biomedical engineering and the National Acquisition Center, and manages the section’s staffing, performance, training, and employee relations responsibilities.

The position advises on engineering issues and capital planning, supports the Strategic Capital Investment Plan process, and participates in discussions and preliminary designs for major alterations, improvements, and additions. It ensures design and construction projects meet legislative and accrediting requirements; reviews plans, specifications, and design analyses; directs changes and provides technical assistance; and oversees subordinate professionals. It also serves as a technical authority for facility and structure design and construction matters.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• A bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering or Architecture from an appropriately accredited curriculum; alternatively, a bachelor's degree and passing Fundamentals of Engineering Examination, current Professional Engineer or Architect registration/licensure, or qualification under the stated grandfathering provision for eligible current VHA employees.
• One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade for the GS-13 grade determination.
• Knowledge of data analysis techniques for managing workload, quality, performance, and productivity.
• Knowledge of managing department resources, including finances, space, equipment, supplies, schedules, and staffing.
• Knowledge of the full range of supervisory duties, including work assignments, performance evaluations, staff selection, training and development, awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.
• Skill in effective communication and management of interpersonal relationships with employees, team leaders, labor representatives, and managers.
• Ability to balance responsibilities, set priorities, delegate tasks, meet deadlines, analyze organizational problems, and develop and implement effective solutions.
• Ability to draft or recommend local healthcare engineering management policies or directives.
• Ability to recognize and assess evolving scenarios and use initiative, self-direction, and assigned resources to resolve them.
• For the supervisory assignment, higher-level duties must be a significant major duty performed at least 25% of the time, and the incumbent must supervise staff at least 25% of the time.
• Written and spoken English proficiency and compliance with applicable onboarding, background/security, identification, application-document, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.

Nice To Haves

• At least three years of healthcare engineering experience.
• Highly qualified candidates may be considered for a recruitment or relocation incentive.

Responsibilities

• Make recommendations to the Chief of Facilities Management for final approval and oversee all aspects of the Medical Center Design and Construction program.
• Collaborate with operations and program managers to integrate project goals and priorities, and work with other service lines to meet internal and external customer needs.
• Plan, organize, direct, evaluate, and manage the Engineering Service Project Section, including setting qualitative and quantitative standards.
• Provide professional and technical guidance and direction for engineering work across architecture, civil, energy, electrical, mechanical, structural, environmental, fire safety, and safety engineering.
• Coordinate complex equipment with biomedical engineering and the National Acquisition Center.
• Manage human resource functions for the projects section, including hiring, performance management, training, and development.
• Communicate agency and local policies and priorities, delegate authority and responsibilities, monitor progress, recommend improvements, and maintain labor-management relations in accordance with Medical Center policies and procedures.
• Provide technical advice on the Strategic Capital Investment Plan, Capital Asset Inventory, Capital Asset Resource Survey, Deferred Maintenance, and other engineering matters.
• Support the Strategic Capital Investment Plan process, participate in discussions of proposed capital projects, and prepare preliminary designs for major alterations, improvements, and additions.
• Ensure design and construction projects comply with legislative and accrediting requirements.
• Provide professional advice to peers, subordinates, and non-professional administrators or managers.
• Review or direct review of plans, specifications, and design analyses submitted by subordinate engineers and engineering technicians; recommend improvements, direct necessary changes, and provide assistance.
• Advise subordinate personnel on methods and procedures for highly complex projects and oversee subordinate professionals’ work.
• Serve as technical authority and provide expert advice on facility and structure design and construction.
• Review subordinate activity plans, specifications, and cost estimates for technical adequacy and feasibility; oversee maintenance standards for advanced equipment or systems technology.
• Provide budgeting and financial management for engineering and supervise staff responsible for construction work and maintenance.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered for higher or unique qualifications or special VA needs.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, comprising 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid Federal holidays.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment in connection with birth, adoption, or foster care placement.
• Eligible full-time employees may receive a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to income and other eligibility limits.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior federal employment or military service, subject to prior request and approval.

What This Job Offers

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