Housekeeping Aid (Environmental Services Technician)

About the role

This position is located within the Environmental Management Services of the Fargo VA Medical Center. It performs janitorial and custodial services including textile distribution and inventory, sanitizing and disinfecting, waste removal, cleaning of blinds, washing windows, polishing floors, and related duties.

Opening Date: August 5th - 2026 • Closing Date: November 4th - 2026 • First Cut-Off Date: September 4th - 2026 • This is an Open Continuous Announcement; qualified candidates will be referred as vacancies occur. Applications received after the first cut‑off date will be considered at regular intervals or as additional vacancies arise until positions are filled.

Responsibilities

• Maintain VA facilities for Veterans and their families, essential to the patient care experience.
• Work alongside Veterans (who comprise about 85% of the housekeeping staff).
• Perform a full range of light and heavy cleaning duties and routine housekeeping tasks.
• Keep patient areas clean and safe by addressing spills quickly, discarding trash, installing light bulbs in halls and rooms, vacuuming and polishing floors.
• Clean wards, patient rooms, storerooms, offices, corridors, restrooms, shower rooms, and other areas.
• Sweep, mop, scrub (machine) floors; vacuum carpets and upholstered furniture; empty waste baskets; clean light globes and Venetian blinds; wash walls, windows, and ceilings by climbing small ladders; refill toilet tissue and towel dispensers; move furniture.
• Carry out assignments with minimal supervision.

Qualifications

• Applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
• No specific length of training or experience is required, but evidence of sufficient scope and quality of training or experience must be shown.
• Evidence of knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties must be supported by detailed descriptions on the resume.
• Applicants will be rated according to the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards.
• Screen‑out element (usually question 1 in the online questionnaire) determines initial eligibility; those meeting the minimum acceptable qualification proceed to further rating.
• Further rating is based on the Job Elements: Reliability & Dependability, Work Practices, Special Aptitude for Housekeeping Work, Handle Weights & Loads.
• Experience includes paid and unpaid work, including volunteer service through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work is credited and can translate directly to paid employment.
• A full year of work is considered 35‑40 hours per week; part‑time experience is credited proportionally to the actual hours spent in appropriate activities.
• Applicants must clearly indicate the nature of duties and responsibilities and the number of hours per week for each position to receive credit.
• Physical Requirements: continuous walking, standing, stooping, kneeling, pulling, and pushing; occasional use of heavy powered cleaning equipment (e.g., wall washers, industrial buffers) weighing over 50 pounds; considerable dexterity, hand‑foot‑eye coordination, concentration, and visual acuity to see dirt, dust, and debris.
• Working Conditions: normally performed indoors with adequate heat, light, and ventilation; some work may be performed outdoors where exposure to varying degrees of heat, cold, and inclement weather may occur; PPE may be required due to possible exposure to contagious diseases, blood, and bloody secretions.
• Care is required to avoid serious injuries (e.g., broken bones) when working on ladders, using 30‑100‑pound power equipment, or handling hazardous materials.

Schedule

Work Schedule: Full-Time – 7:00 am to 3:30 pm OR 3:30 pm to 12:00 am (midnight)