Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/02/2026.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship
• Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• English Language Proficiency
• Healthcare Engineer candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• Education: (1) Bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering or Architecture
• To be acceptable, the curriculum must be from a school with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Engineering Accreditation Commission (excludes engineering technology) or National Council of Architectural Registration Boards curriculum
• Examples of acceptable engineering and architectural degrees include, but are not limited to: Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Architecture and Architectural Engineering
• OR (2) Evidence of passing the Fundamentals of Engineering Examination with a bachelor's degree
• Evidence can be in the form of an Engineering in Training certificate issued from any State, the District of Columbia, Guam or Puerto Rico, or test results from the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) identifying a passing score
• OR (3) Evidence of current professional registration or licensure as a Professional Engineer or Architect
• Evidence of current professional registration or licensure can be from any State, the District of Columbia, Guam or Puerto Rico
• (Must upload a copy) May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (referenced below)
• Foreign Education
• To be creditable, engineering, architecture or related education completed outside the U.S. must be submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to a Bachelor's degree as outlined in (1) above (DOCUMENTATION OF EQUIVALENCY REQUIRED)
• Grade Determinations:GS-12: (1) Experience
• One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade.(2) Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to meeting the experience requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to meeting the experience requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of mechanical, electrical, structural, civil and other engineering/architectural principles, practices and their applications in the healthcare environment
• Knowledge of healthcare industry standards and related regulatory agency and organization (including, but not limited to The Joint Commission (TJC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), etc.) regulations, requirements, guides, policies, procedures, directives, standards and general medical program requirements as they relate to healthcare engineering
• Knowledge of construction standards, methods, practices and techniques, materials and equipment to determine compliance with engineering regulations and standards
• Skill in researching and analyzing information, conditions, human factors and projections to make sound engineering and business recommendations and decisions to proactively identify problems and develop innovative solutions within the context of applicable rules, regulations and procedures
• Ability to plan and execute complex, multi-faceted projects and inspections while prioritizing resources against approved scopes of work, contract documents and budgets
• Ability to organize and lead multi-disciplinary task forces with members from different departments and divisions, as well as design and construction firms Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Preferred Experience: Experience as a Construction Safety Engineer in a hospital setting
• Experience with Green Environmental Management Systems (GEMS)
• Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional
• philanthropic
• religions
• spiritual
• community
• student
• social)
• Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment
• You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience
• Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week
• Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities
• Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment
• For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.