Environmental Management Service

Housekeeping staff:

1st Shift maintains the facility during the day by keeping it clean and in working order. They attend to routine cleaning and are prepared to respond immediately to any emergent situations that would threaten routine operations during working hours.

2nd Shift is dedicated to working after hours conducting terminal cleaning of exam and procedure rooms – and other spaces in the facility. They ensure the clinical areas are ready to receive patients the following day.

Both shifts are instrumental as a “first line of defense” in the never-ending task of maintaining a clean, safe, healthy environment for patients and staff.

Specialty team:

Pest Controller is constantly on the lookout for anything that creeps and crawls. Vermin are no match for the facility’s “Orkin Man” as he fights a never-ending battle against critters that could threaten the health of patients and staff.

Supply Operations manage linen services which includes the facility stock of scrubs, lab coats, sheets, pillowcases, blankets, bath towels, and wash cloths by keeping them all clean and available for staff and patient use. In an average month, this team manages a supply of more than 12,000 linen items mentioned above – cleaned, pressed and ready for use. 

Furniture Move Services, working hand-in-hand with interior design, they do setups and takedowns for events. Whether it is setting up for small meetings, larger events, or reconfiguring or setting up office spaces, the EMS team supports the facility and makes sure things are all in place.

Team EMS is also responsible for responding to inclement weather – rain and snow - by placing mats at entranceways and around the facility to ensure floors are clean and to keep folks safe by mitigating the potential of falls because of wet floors.

Positions available:

EMS is currently hiring housekeeping aids to work first or second shift at the Chalmers P. Wylie VA Ambulatory Care Center in Columbus. Weekend and holiday hours are available. 

• First shift for EMS is 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Second shift for EMS is 3:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

Description:

Housekeeping Aids maintains a safe and sanitary environment for VA facilities for Veterans, their families, and staff which is essential to the patient care experience at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Veterans rely on the skills of the Housekeeping Aid professionals to keep patient clinics areas clean and safe by addressing spills, discarding trash, cleaning the rooms, and vacuuming and polishing floors. A VA healthcare career as a housekeeping aid means working alongside other Veterans, who make up 85 percent of the housekeeping staff.

Duties:

Duties include a full range of light and heavy cleaning tasks, keeping patient areas clean and safe, addressing spills quickly, discarding trash, installing light bulbs, vacuuming and polishing floors, washing walls and windows, refilling toilet tissue and towel dispensers and moving furniture. 

Housekeeping Aids carry out assignments with minimal supervision.

Requirements:

All interested applicants must:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Be able to lift 50 pounds
• Be willing to follow strict cleanliness and sanitization guidelines 

Interested applications can apply through USAjobs.gov or contact Novella Fulmore, Chief of EMS at or Novella.Fulmore@VA.gov

Benefits:

As federal employees EMS team members are able to enjoy numerous benefits including:

• Paid sick and annual leave 
• Weekend and holiday pay
• Free flu and covid-19 vaccines

There is a $3,000 recruitment incentive available for EMS staff. The employee will receive a first installment of $1500.00 after the completion of three months, and, then, second installment of $1500.00 after the completion of nine months in a one year of service.