Housekeeping Aid - environmental Services Technician (EVS)

Housekeeping Aid-EVS Technician

Summary: Walla Walla VA Medical Center is filling a few Housekeeping Aid-EVS Technician vacancy. This position performs both janitorial and custodial services. Work is regularly performed by hand and with light and heavy-powered cleaning equipment. The list generated from this announcement can be used up to 90 days to fill any additional vacancies that may arise.

Responsibilities: The Housekeeping Aid executes a full range of housekeeping activities in patient and non-patient care areas. The position may be assigned to any tour and may be required to work in various designated areas during any tour of duty. Typically, the position works independently with general supervision, or works with a team and is responsible for the full-range of cleaning duties in an assigned area throughout the medical facility. These duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Performs floor maintenance, wall washing.
• Cleans doors, doorframes, baseboard corners and edges, and stairwells.
• Tasks are accomplished by sweeping, dust mopping, damp and wet mopping, scrubbing, stripping, refinishing, buffing, vacuuming and extracting carpets and runners, spot cleaning areas, and high and low dusting.
• Periodically utilizes pressure washers and heavy industrial powered and battery-operated equipment for the above task.
• Adjusts, cleans, and performs minor maintenance on this equipment and changes attachments for their proper use in achieving the best results.
• Empties trash and wastebaskets, replaces liners.
• Transports general refuse, regulated medical waste and recycling to central collection areas.
• Cleans rest rooms, bathrooms, and shower rooms, ensuring that they are cleaned and meet acceptable standards (cleans, disinfects, and deodorizes lavatories, showers, bathtubs, urinals, and toilet bowls; cleans mirrors, sinks, and water fountains; washes and polishes light and toilet fixtures).
• Replenishes supplies of paper towels, toilet paper, hand sanitizers, and soap in all areas where dispensers are located.
• Moves and arranges furniture, patient wardrobes, beds, etc. in the assigned area to accomplish cleaning tasks.
• Provides bed-making services in patient care areas and OD rooms; cleans mattresses, springs, and bed frames; and cleans bedside stands, over bed lights, blood pressure cuffs, bed tables, etc. in patient rooms.
• Removes bags of soiled textiles from patient rooms and transports to the designated soiled room in each ward area; Loads and unloads clean textiles from bulk carts.
• Restocks clean textile closets, cabinets, shelves, carts, and participates in inventory management activities.
• Defrosts and cleans patient care refrigerators and ice machines in nourishment kitchen areas; cleans stainless steel on storage instrument cabinets and counters, elevators in lobbies, wards, diet-kitchens and nurse utility rooms; and cleans ashtrays, smoke stands, sand urns in designated smoke areas and water fountains; Provides interim cleaning of windows and window ledges from the inside, cleans glass door and other glass surfaces; and replaces curtains and cleans blinds.
• Cleans and/or replaces needle boxes.
• Periodically cleans specific non-critical Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) in inpatient and clinical areas of the medical center.

Work Schedule: Tour of Duty may vary. Tours will be discussed during the interview.

Position Description Title/PD#: Housekeeping Aid-Environmental Services Technician (EVS)/PD99909-S

Physical Requirements: Duties require constant physical demands such as bending, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, carrying, and reaching. Incumbent must climb ladders to clean overhead equipment and operate heavy duty commercial cleaning equipment that requires eye, hand and body coordination. Incumbent must be able to work with arms extended over head for extended periods of time. Incumbent must be able to travel from building to building in extreme weather conditions ranging from a high of 109 degrees Fahrenheit to a low of -25 degrees Fahrenheit. Incumbent must be able to continually stand, bend, stoop and reach while performing regular duties. Must be able to lift or carry objects weighing 50+lbs. Occasionally pushes loads weighing up to 700lbs. Mostly works indoors in adequately heated, lighted and ventilated areas. May be exposed to hazardous waste, medical waste and infectious materials and diseases.

Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.

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).

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).

Requirements Conditions of Employment: You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job. Subject to a background/suitability investigation. May serve a probationary period. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.

A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc. 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.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether 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.

Experience: A specific length of training and experience is not required, but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume.

Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards.

Screen-Out Element: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated.

The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements:

• Reliability and Dependability
• Dexterity and Safety
• Follow Directions
• Handle Weights and Loads
• Work Practices
• Special Aptitude-Housekeeping

Work 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.

Additional Information: 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 (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more