Hospital Housekeeping Program Specialist - Technical Career Field (TCF) Trainee

The Technical Career Field (TCF) is a national workforce development program within VHA that was designed to replenish technical staff in critically identified positions. This position is located within the Environmental Management Service (EMS) at the VA Medical Center in Cincinnati, OH. The incumbent serves as a participant in the Technical Career Fields Program under the direction of a qualified preceptor.

The TCF career fields represent those technical fields where VA-specific knowledge and experience is desirable for success in the field. Individuals selected follow a formal training plan for two years during which they are trained, coached, and supervised by a preceptor.

As part of the VA's succession planning, the Technical Career Field (TCF) training program was created to ensure individuals are trained in critical areas that have current or predicted shortages. The program is nationally funded to include salary, benefits and training/travel dollars. At the time of acceptance into the TCF program, trainees will be asked to sign mobility, training, and service agreements. Relocation expenses for acceptance into the training program or for placement are not funded by the TCF program. Please keep in consideration, the training program is meant for those individuals who plan on staying with the VA a minimum of 3 years after completion of their training program.

Selectees will be required to complete and sign the following paperwork; Mobility, Training, and Continued Service Agreements.

Although not guaranteed, with more than 150 freestanding facilities and hundreds of clinic locations, we will strive to place trainees in positions that will work for their needs and the needs of the VA.

This is a developmental position leading to a GS-9, performing assignments intended to broaden skills and provide practical experience leading to progressively more complex assignments performed under progressively less supervision. You will ultimately acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-11. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds.

The employee in this position assists the Environmental Management Service (EMS) with the following duties:

• Planning, directing and provisioning of housekeeping services for the hospital facility
• Determining short and long-range goals as well as intermediate program goals and policies
• Developing and implementing organizational structures and operating plans and procedures to achieve program goals, monitoring the effectiveness and efficiency of operations within the established framework
• Assigning work to subordinates based on priorities, selective consideration of the difficulty and requirements of assignments, and the capabilities of employee
• Developing performance standards, evaluating work performance, and identifying developmental and training needs of employees, providing for and arranging for needed development and training
• Monitoring and analyzing both production efficiency and organizational structure in order to implement and recommend process and organizational changes
• Participating in resolving a wide variety of environmental hospital problems in every part of the physical plant which includes being involved in short and long-range hospital planning, establishment of overall hospital policy, budgeting, and program balance
• Serving as the Facilities Management Service top advisor on problems connected with health care environmental
• Coordinating, controlling, and directing housekeeping program operations
• Providing advisory services to all levels of management and hospital departments regarding the requirements and resolution of substantive housekeeping problems and services
• Developing and implementing standards for cleanliness and sanitation
• Making continuous inspections of the medical center to monitor housekeeping techniques, procedures, products, and adherence to infection control standards
• Consulting with the pest controller to learn all aspects of the medical center integrated pest management plan
• Learning and implementing a full waste management plan to ensure compliance with hazardous/medical waste disposal and storage regulations
• Performing other related duties as assigned

Physical Requirements: Walks throughout the medical center, Will be trained in all aspects of EMS which requires stooping, bending, walking, lifting, twisting. Occasional travel will be required.
Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level, GS-11, without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: This position may be authorized for ad-hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Hospital Housekeeping Program Specialist - Technical Career Field (TCF) Trainee/PDS0009A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/19/2026.

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-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. 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:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: knowledge of advanced functions and a working knowledge of hospital sanitation programs within the hospital in the areas of environmental sanitation; ability to research, assemble, and compile information and data; ability to plan work to be accomplished by subordinates, set and adjust short term priorities, ability to evaluate work performance of subordinates, ability to advise, counsel, or instruct employees on both work and administrative matters, and ability to identify developmental and training needs of employees.

OR,

• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. Qualifying Education is a major study in public health or business administration with emphasis in hospital administration. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED).

OR,

• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and graduate-level education (in excess of one year) to meet total qualification requirements. To meet this requirement, education and experience must be related to the position, as described above. (TRANSCRIPT 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/.

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/.

• 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. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• DRIVER'S LICENSE REQUIREMENT: A driver's license in the State or Territory in which assigned is required. Candidates must pass a Federal service driving test and/or complete any related requirements.
• 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 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.