Motor Vehicle Operator - Patient Transport

Job Opportunity At Va Black Hills Health Care System

This position is located in the VA Black Hills Health Care System (VA BHHCS) Transportation Network in Fort Meade, SD. Responsibilities duties may include, but are not limited to the following :

• Transports patients, visitors, and consultants to and from airports, bus depot, alternate care sites, and other designated destinations.
• Assists in the loading and unloading of patients and is responsive to all non-medical needs of the patients occurring during transport.
• Transports medical records, sensitive materials, and lab specimens in compliance with applicable patient privacy and hazardous material transport rules and regulations.
• Picks up and / or delivers supplies / equipment per request and other logistical support needed to support the VA BHHCS Transportation Network.
• Assists in operating snow removal and lawn care equipment, completing grounds maintenance tasks, various vehicle and equipment PMs and repairs, and shop area clean-up as assigned by his / her supervisor.
• Operates transport vehicles including passenger vans with vehicle lifts, vans, pick-up trucks, sedans, and an emergency transport vehicle equipped to accommodate a stretcher and oxygen.
• Operates and be competent on all snow removal equipment and all grounds equipment.
• Performs regular preventive maintenance on vehicles, lubricates all equipment and attachments making minor and emergency repairs.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Designated Drug Testing Position : Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received.

Work Schedule : Monday-Friday, 8 : 00am-4 : 30pm

Recruitment & Relocation Incentives : Not authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI) : Not Approved

Requirements Conditions of Employment :

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.

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 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.

Qualifications :

Physical Effort and Work Conditions : The work requires a strong physique and good stamina with normal visual acuity, including normal field of vision, depth perception, reaction time, night vision and good hearing. The MVO will be required to lift, pull, and carry heavy weights and objects (up to 150 pounds) in the loading and unloading of cargos and perform duties requiring heavy muscular effort such as changing truck tires, etc. Physical effort is also required to assist patients transfers from vehicles to and from the curb and also occasionally litter transfers. In addition to reaching, bending, turning, or moving hands, arms, feet and legs, the position requires extended periods of sitting. The MVO is required to work outside both in the summer and winter and is occasionally exposed to bad weather conditions while loading and unloading vehicles. The MVO will drive in all types of traffic and weather and is exposed to the possibility of serious accidents. He / she is subject to cuts, bruises, and broken bones as a result of accidents while driving or when loading and unloading vehicles. There is potential exposure to extreme noise, contaminated waste, acid base materials, asbestos and known carcinogens and other chemicals. The MVO is subject to call back for emergency trips and snow removal. The MVO is subject to mental fatigue due to stress.

Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualifications. For this position, the job element method is used to match what you, the applicant, can do against what the work calls for. Your knowledge, skills and abilities will be compared to the knowledge, skills and abilities (called job elements) needed for success. Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element (WG-2 and higher only; screen-outs are not applicable to WG-1). Applicants who appear to meet the screen out element are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated from consideration. The potential eligibles are rated against the remainder of the job elements.

While a specific length of training and experience is not required, your responses to the questionnaire must be supported by detailed descriptions of your experience on your resume. You will be rated on the following Job Elements as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position :

Important : A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start / end dates. 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. 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; religious; 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.

Education Additional Information :

Note : Per "Executive Order 14251 : Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs", this position is no longer eligible for bargaining unit participation.

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.