"Alerted.org

Summary The VA New York Harbor Health Care System (NYHHCS) is seeking a Hospital Housekeeping Officer (Chief of Environmental Management Service). The Hospital Housekeeping Officer is responsible for planning, organization, staffing, controlling, evaluation, and directing of the environmental management functions of 3 facilities located in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Community Based Outpatient Clinics. Responsibilities Duties: Seek solutions to existing and possible future challenges, identifies long and short-range goals, and formulates policies independently, and/or jointly with other NYHHCS management staff. Plans and initiates improvement actions on a progressive basis. Serves as the advisor and consultant to NYHHCS management and is responsible for implementing and maintaining a sound environmental sanitation program, an effective infection prevention program, a cost efficient on-site laundry, linen, uniform operation, integrated pest management, and wide-ranging recycling programs; including a waste management program, consisting of solid waste, regulated medical waste, RCRA and non-RCRA waste, and medical sharps. Fully coordinate activities with every organizational element in the many varied Health Care System facilities. Use judgment to influence decisions and actions beyond the scope of his/her normal program areas, which involve various Health Care System current and future plans and policies. Supports NYHHCS management in the broad areas of Environmental Management Serves on various VISN 2, as well as National VA Environmental Programs Services (EPS) Committees Formulates program policy, plans, organizes, directs, staffs, budgets, and coordinates a comprehensive Environmental Management Service (EMS) program for this tertiary care, affiliated, research, and active Health Care System. Responsibile for making decisions and taking actions that have substantial impact on facility program objectives, goals, funding, scheduling, organizational structure and allocation of resources. Responsible for the comprehensive planning, direction, and coordination of the entire EMS operation, as well as the evaluation of the Health Care System Environmental Management Service programs and functions. The scope, variety and quality of assigned functions minimally encompass all activities listed in VA Manual M-1, Part VII Work Schedule: 8am-4:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Hospital Housekeeping Officer/PD21U17-O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Drivers Licensure: A current, valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you will be required to provide a copy of your current, valid state-issued Driver's License. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/03/2025. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Individual Occupational Requirements:Education: Undergraduate Education: Major study -- chemistry or biological sciences, sanitary science or administration, institutional sanitation or administration, hospital administration, hotel administration, public administration, business administration, or other fields related to the position. Graduate Education: Major study -- public health or business administration with emphasis in hospital administration. or Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): Experience in two or more of the following areas, or other work related to the position to be filled: Experience that demonstrated a practical working knowledge of the basic principles of chemistry, biology, and bacteriology as applied to environmental sanitation, infection control, and to the choice and use of antimicrobial agents in the disinfection, sanitization, and/or sterilization of surfaces and equipment. Experience in laundry and linen management. Experience in interior design management. Experience that demonstrated a knowledge of waste management, including the requirements relating to hazardous, toxic, and infectious wastes and provisions for their final disposition. Experience that demonstrated a knowledge of pest management, including alternative methods of control and the selection and application of chemicals. Other: One year of formalized hospital administrative residency or internship in hospital administration or hospital housekeeping management is equivalent to 1 year of GS-5 level specialized experience. To qualify for this position, you must also meet the specialized experience as outline below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-12 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Develops, oversee and manage programs including housekeeping, laundry operations, pest control, sanitation, waste management and interior in a healthcare facility; manage the cleanliness of a healthcare facility using infection control standards; Assess, Plan, and organize and evaluate effectiveness of Environmental management programs for compliance; Develops standards in accordance with regulations and manage budgets and staff; oversee collection, removal, and control of all recyclables and wastes generated in a health care facility; oversight of a healthcare laundry plant which cleans, launders, repairs and replaces hospital linens and uniforms; manages pest concerns or pest management program; You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Decision Support Financial Management Leadership Planning and Evaluating Planning and Evaluating Quality Management Teaches Others Technical Competence 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. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required. Drivers Licensure: A current, valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you will be required to provide a copy of your current, valid state-issued Driver's License. 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/. Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.