Assistant Hospital Housekeeping Officer

About the role

The position is located in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), New England Health Care Network (VISN 1), Medical Center, under the Environmental Management Services. The incumbent exercises complete management and program responsibility for all hospital housekeeping operations and ancillary functions.

What you will do

• Plans, organizes, directs, manages, reviews and evaluates an augmented program, which includes responsibility for Uniform Appropriation, Environmental Health and Sanitation, Pest Control, and Bio­hazardous Waste, management programs.
• This also includes the more traditional functions of waste management and maintenance of sanitary and visual cleanliness for hospital floors, ceilings, windows and walls, as well as, overseeing the management of the Medical Center's unique programs such as Fitness Centers, Fisher House, etc. Develops personnel management policies and effects all related personnel actions for the service staff.
• Ensures the establishment of adequate training program and compliance with Veterans Health Administration and/or local policies.
• Incumbent sets objectives, and coordinates program reviews and evaluations, resulting in a clean and aesthetically pleasing hospital environment.
• Serves as a member of the Director's top advisory or executive board and is thoroughly involved with the total medical center's mission.
• Serves on standing committees of the facility, such as the Administrative Executive Board and the Strategic Planning Board in addition to its subordinate entities and is extensively involved as a full member of multiple interdisciplinary committees.
• Participates in resolving a wide variety of hospital problems throughout the physical plant and outpatient clinics.
• Provides input to determine long- and short-range planning, for establishing overall policy, and budgeting for the medical center as well as for the Environmental Management Program and assists in formulating the overall hospital mission.
• As a member of the Strategic Planning Committee for the facility, acts as a primary focal point and advocate for management improvement within the facility and its dependent facilities.
• Serves as the primary coordinator and liaison between Administrative Services and Clinical Services for epidemiology and infection control.
• In conjunction with these duties, serves on the Infection Prevention and Surgical Services Committee.
• Consistently provides input to such areas as Clostridium difficile control, disinfection, handling, and disposal of biohazardous waste, bloodborne pathogen precautions and disposal of anti-neoplastic materials.
• Interprets local and agency policies and drafts policies for local facility approval.
• Administers labor management agreements and confers with Union Officials to resolve problems arising from interpretation or application of contract agreements.
• Delegates to subordinate supervisors and holds them accountable for the performance of their assigned duties.
• Ensures environmental regulatory compliance in the service by the effective implementation of applicable environmental programs and Standard Operating Procedures.
• Exercises independent judgment and initiative in directing the accomplishment of assigned work operations and program management responsibilities within the limits established by Facility Support Directorate.
• Ensures that all employees are knowledgeable of and comply with safety rules, that all employees receive pertinent and required safety training, and that safety programs are met.
• Reviews and evaluates activities within the Sanitation Section to measure the extent of achievement of objectives and to evaluate the effectiveness of cleaning methods, techniques, and procedures.
• Trains, counsels, disciplines, evaluates, and promotes the growth of employees within the department.
• Develops and implements organization structures and operating plans and procedures to achieve program goals and determines needs for resources and their appropriate allocation and effectiveness.
• Prepares, maintains, and monitors work plans for staff utilization.
• Identifies training and competency needs and ensures on the job training is conducted to develop technical competence.
• Oversees various program areas/contracts (environmental sanitation, linen management, waste management and recycling, pest control).
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 6:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Telework: This position may be authorized for telework.
• Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
• Position Description/PD#: Assistant Hospital Housekeeping Officer/PD523-04108-O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.
• Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized.
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.
• Notifications: This is not a Bargaining Unit position.
• Position is in the Competitive Service.
• This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay.
• The incumbent may be required to travel to other Boston VA campuses and CBOC's.
• Selectee may be required to serve one year supervisory/managerial probationary period.

Requirements

• Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.
• Current federal employees must submit copies of their most recent non-award SF50 (notice of personnel action).
• The SF50 must identify the position, title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (competitive or excepted).
• In some cases, more than one SF50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.
• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.
• This position requires the application, assessment, and questionnaire to be fully completed.
• The assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• 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 (***).
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification 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) 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.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Physical Requirements: Responsibility spans throughout the medical center situated on 100 acres consisting of 56 patient care and administrative buildings encompassing over 2M million square feet which makes supervision very challenging.

Due to this large area covered, the employee will do a lot of moving across the areas supervised. The work will require some physical exertion such as long periods of standing, or recurring and considerable crouching, bending, standing, stooping, stretching, or walking such as in performing cleaning activities if needed and possible inspections of employees/contractors' work.

Work could also include frequent lifting of moderately heavy items weighing less than 23 kilograms (i.e., under 50 pounds) such as boxes and equipment. The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment.

A pre-placement physical examination is not required. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at ***

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: ***

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: ***

How you will be evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC.

WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified.

Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment. Resume Reminder: Your resume must include the following information for each job listed: 1.

Job title; 2. Duties (be as detailed as possible); 3. Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008); 4.

Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week); 5. Employer name and complete address; 6. Series and grade, if applicable, for all federal positions you have held.

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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document. Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion.

The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Documents you must provide

• Resume SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position.
• Please use this checklist to make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).
• You will not be contacted for additional information.
• Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (Schedule A) Disability Letter (VA) License Other (1) PCS Orders Performance Appraisal Professional Certification Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility): Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee An SF-50 showing 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 Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50's include: Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.
• Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire.
• You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.).
• If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation.
• Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form.
• Documentation is required to award preference.
• For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

What to expect next

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met.

If initial application submission is updated and resubmitted with a new resume, only the most current resume will be reviewed for consideration. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview.

All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications.

Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service.

HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities.

HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities.

HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

Additional information

Notifications (continued): Interchange Agreements with Other Merit System: Employees who occupy medical or medical-related positions and were appointed under 38 U.S.C. 4701(1) or (3) [formerly 38 U.S.C.

4104 (1) and (3)] must be serving in a full-time position without time limit and have served continuously for at least one year in this other merit system to be eligible to convert to the Title 5 System. Some exceptions to this rule may apply if you have previously acquired tenure under a Title 5 appointment.

Receiving Service Credit for 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.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more.

Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator. The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies.

To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy.

To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job.

Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at *** During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions.

Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. 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.