Summary
The Senior Program Engineer ensures a safe, reliable, and precisely controlled operating environment for direct patient care by leading planning, design oversight, technical compliance, and program management across capital projects, life-safety systems, critical utilities, and energy programs.
Duties
The Senior Program Engineer collaborates with the Chief of Engineering Service, executive leadership, clinical staff, and external partners regarding station-level engineering determinations and compliance with codes, standards, and regulations including those from the Joint Commission, NFPA, OSHA, EPA, and VA Technical Information Library (TIL). Duties Include: Serves as the station technical authority for healthcare engineering, providing authoritative advice to leadership and clinical services on capital projects, codes, and standards. Leads technical oversight of construction and renovation projects at the medical center and CBOCs, ensuring compliance with accreditation and regulatory requirements. Functions as COR or technical expert for A/E and construction contracts, preparing scopes, IGEs, evaluations, and technical oversight while ensuring infection control and safety compliance. Supports facility resiliency and emergency preparedness by ensuring critical infrastructure systems are designed and maintained to withstand natural disasters and utility disruptions. Owns and manages critical station-level engineering programs such as medical gas, fire protection, water quality/Legionella, HVAC systems in surgical and isolation environments, and emergency power systems. Leads station-level asset management analytics, Facility Condition Index (FCI) assessments, backlog prioritization, and energy optimization initiatives. Utilizes advanced data analytics and performance metrics to evaluate system efficiency, identify deficiencies, and recommend improvements across engineering programs. Completes Annual National Handbook/Directive Compliance assessments. Recommends and initiates action plans to ensure full compliance to include developing policies and standards of practice, along with coordinating any training required. Collaborates with fiscal and leadership teams to develop and justify station capital investment priorities, integrating technical findings into executive decision-making. Serves as a subject matter expert in interpreting and applying national VA policies, codes, and directives; develops local policies and procedures to ensure compliance and operational excellence. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am to 4pm, Negotiable Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Available, Ad-hoc, Within policy allowances Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 82640F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Requirements
You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 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 trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
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/.
How you will be evaluated
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. 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. 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. 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.