Summary The Assistant Hospital Housekeeping Officer is responsible for the hospital housekeeping program, assuming shared responsibility and accountability for the planning, directing, and monitoring of all aspects of the hospital housekeeping program. Responsibilities Executes the planning, organizing, budgeting, staffing, and management of a diversified program designed to provide a clean and attractive environment appropriate to the medical, surgical, and mental health setting. Ensures that policies and programs are coordinated with and supportive of other clinical and administrative services. Initiates and coordinates policies, procedures, standards, and goals of the overall Health Care System. Participates in the development and application of internal programs of management review, appraisal, and quality standards of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (TJC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Fire Protection Associations (NFPA), Green Environmental Management Systems (GEMS), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Plans, organizes, directs, manages, reviews, and evaluates an augmented program to include responsibility for Biohazard, Chemotherapy, Sharps Waste Management and Laundry/Linen/Employee Uniform operations. Manage contracts such as: Pest Control, Laundry & Linen, Waste Management, Recycling, Restroom Restoration, routine Housekeeping Services, and other various contracts. Responsible for planning, directing, and maintaining a total program to provide a sanitary Environmental Sanitation Program for floors, walls, and ceilings; stripping of floors to include cleaning of other floor coverings and refinishing floors, cleaning all of the service areas that encompass the Birmingham VA Health Care System, and cleaning patients' beds and patients' equipment. Responsible for the management and environmental response to the management and control of infectious diseases to include HIV, AIDS, Coronavirus, Influenza, COVID-19 and other highly contagious diseases found within a high complexity level 1B Health Care System . Responsible for the management and operation of the Laundry and Linen Service. Operates a certified interior Pest Control Program. Provides oversight for the Waste Management Program. All others duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:00am - 3:30pm. Schedule subject to change based on agency needs. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Asst Hospital Hskpg Offcr/PD11464O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: No Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): No Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this 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 (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) 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, 04/17/2026. 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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Individual Occupational Requirement: This occupational series has experience and education which must be met in addition to the specialized experience requirements for this position. Experience: You must have 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. OR, 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. OR, Graduate Education: Major study - public health or business administration with emphasis in hospital administration. Specialized Experience: In addition to the IOR you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Experience and knowledge of Environmental Management Services responsibilities and regulations, medical center regulations, policies and mission and medical center management principles. Experience in utilizing techniques of analysis and evaluation to identify and recommend solutions to problems in Environmental Management Services. Experience in staffing procedures, work processes and workload distribution. Experience in bacteriology and infection control, and environmental sanitation technology. Experience in personnel and manpower administration. Experience in laundry and linen procedures, pest control internal/external, and chemical and mechanical cleaning processes. Experience in interior design; budget preparation, and control supply and storage systems. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in public health or business administration with emphasis in hospital administration. or LL.M., if related. Note: transcripts must be included in application. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and beyond 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in public health or business administration with emphasis in hospital administration or LL.B. or J.D., if related. Note: transcripts must be included in application. 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 will be mostly sedentary in nature. It will involve physical activity in order to properly train subordinates and to supervise all areas of the Birmingham VA Healthcare System (BVAHCS). The ability to work occasional weekend and after hours is required, as EMS must operate 24hrs a day, 365 days a year to keep the BVAHCS at the highest level of biological and visible sanitation. Travel may also be required. 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 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 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. 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.
