Environmental services technicians, also known as housekeeping aides, are essential to the patient care experience at VA, as they are the workers who maintain cleanliness standards at VA facilities. Although their work is often behind the scenes, these technicians are vital to maintaining our readiness to serve Veterans.
With their focus on health and safety, environmental service technicians are among the most critically needed positions at facilities across VA’s nationwide network. They ensure that thousands of medical facilities across the country are clean and safe for patients, staff, and visitors.
The work you’ll do
As an environmental services technician, you’ll perform a full range of light and heavy cleaning duties and routine housekeeping duties. We rely on your efforts to keep patient areas clean and safe by quickly addressing the needs of the facility and, in turn, the needs of our Veterans.
When working in this role, you may find yourself cleaning wards, patient rooms, storerooms, offices, corridors, restrooms, shower rooms, and other areas. That may include sweeping, mopping, scrubbing, vacuuming, or washing walls, windows, floors, and ceilings.
In addition, you may be asked to empty waste baskets, clean light globes, clean blinds, refill toilet tissue and towel dispensers, or move furniture.
When it comes to your facility, there’s no corner you don’t know, and no task you can’t tackle. In short, you’re the key to making sure Veterans see a safe, clean facility, and allow your teammates to focus on patient care.
The benefits you’ll earn
Environmental services technicians are needed at VA facilities in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the Philippines. In addition, when VA employees transfer to a new location, they take all of their employment benefits, which are many.
Up front, you may qualify for a critical skill incentive to your compensation, which facilities are authorized to provide employees with skills that are in high demand or in short supply at the department. Given the critical nature of environmental services, you may be eligible for this financial benefit.
All employees are also offered the choice of a variety of health plans which all cover preexisting conditions. Additionally, we pay up to 75% of health premiums, a benefit that can continue into retirement, making our insurance some of the best you’ll find.
Our employees receive 13 to 26 paid vacation/personal days, 13 sick days annually with no limit on accumulation, and 11 paid federal holidays each year, so your schedule can be balanced with your personal priorities.
And when you’re ready for a new challenge, we offer ongoing leadership development through every level of employment, whether it’s mandatory programs or competitive opportunities. We also have resources that make it easier for you to continue your education if you choose.
Our mission of service
We choose to work at VA because we believe it’s up to all of us to make sure Veterans enjoy the health and happiness they deserve. Whether working in a clinical field or taking on support services roles like environmental services technicians, we all have a part to play in providing Veterans care.
Beyond the benefits, working at VA shows you what it means to give back to the more than 9 million brave people who risked so much to protect our country.
“I would like applicants to know that working at VA is like working around family; people you have known your whole life,” said recruiter Darryl L. Washington. “VA is a community of Veterans and their dependents that share a common bond of serving our country. All employees, no matter what occupations, are appreciated for their service to Veterans.”
Work at VA
Explore the benefits you can earn working as an environmental services technician, and learn how you can join a team with great benefits in service of a mission that matters.
- READ more about support services positions.
- EXPLORE the benefits (PDF) of a VA career.
- LEARN what it means to be of service.
- SEARCH for an environmental services technician job near you.
