Utility Systems Repairer-Operator - Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration

Summary You will serve as the Utility Systems Repairer-Operator, WG-4742-10 located at Johnathan M Wainwright VA Medical Center in Walla Walla, WA. You will fill in on various shifts and perform duties within the Boiler Plant Section, Facilities Management Service. Responsibilities Duties include but not limited to: Utility System Repair: You will install, recognize the problem or cause of faulty equipment, and making repairs on a variety of electric and gas hot water boilers and their compressors, condensers, coils, fans, electrical/air operated control systems. You will install, modify, and repair by setting up piping routes and equipment locations, placing and cutting openings in floors, walls, and ceilings that may be constructed of concrete, wood, plaster, metal, etc. Shall perform work typical of a journeyman plumber; shall install, modify, and repair utility systems and equipment such as water, gas, and supply, drain, condensate return and vent lines. You will be responsible for developing a good working knowledge of the Department of Veterans Affairs boiler safety directive 1810 and other applicable VA policies and procedures. You will perform major and minor repairs to equipment and operate in accordance with VA regulations and directives, facility policies, local standard operating procedures and good engineering practice. You use equipment instruction sheets, blueprints, drawings, and oral or written instructions. Performs work using tools of the general mechanic trade, pipe wrenches, gas welding torches, grinders, drill presses, small hand tools, and electrical diagnostic meters. Boiler Operator: You will make periodic visual checks of equipment to ensure proper operation; operates manual and automatic control instruments and high pressure gas/oil fired boilers required for continuous Boiler Plant Operation. You will checks and make adjustments to feed water regulators and pumps. Checks steam, airflow, gas, and/or oil meters and fuel gas-temperature records. Fires on oil eight hours or more each month. Fires up or takes boilers offline. Frequently checks water levels and steam pressure gauges; opens intake valves to add water or to blow off steam. Ensures proper operation of heat recovery system to maximize heat recovery and minimize thermal pollution. You will calculate treatment requirements, making determination of required chemicals to be added to boilers and de-aerating tank to treat water or control corrosion/scale formation. You will accomplish system/equipment repairs or adjustments noting technical difficulties in system/equipment operations (e.g., rerolls tubes; repairs refractories and pumps; replaces fan motors; dismantles/cleans/repacks valves, pistons, and/or seals; mounts, connects, and adjusts transformers, motors, electrodes, relays; solenoids, rheostats, aqua-stats, stack switches, and/or ducts. You will operate and test fire/disaster alarm equipment and emergency communications. Services key role in sounding station fire/disaster alarms and maintaining emergency communications with local public safety offices/officials. Performs other related duties as assigned Work Schedule: Sunday- Saturday 8:00am-4:00pm or 4:00pm-12:00am; or 12:00am-8:00am. Position Description Title/PD#: Utility Systems Repairer-Operator/PD80444A Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: Yes, Authorized. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within the 30 days of 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. Screen Out Element Question 1: Ability to perform common areas of installation, modifications and repairs of high temperature-high pressure piping systems and equipment. I am skilled in various proper checks, tests, adjustments, and troubleshooting tasks to determine the need for and the performance of repair and operation work. I am skilled in the operations, operational maintenance, and repair program of a high-pressure steam-generating plant on a continual basis (multi-fuel fired power boilers, all boiler safety devices, all associated auxiliary equipment, piping systems, control systems, burner management systems with interlocks, water treatment, and fuel systems). I work under close supervision of a work leader or journey-level employee who observes tasks in progress and upon completion to make sure they are properly performed. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements: Equipment Assembly, Installation, Repair Interpret Instructions, Specifications (includes blueprint reading) Materials Operation of Equipment/Machinery Technical Practices Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment Without more than normal supervision 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. Physical Requirements: Work requires moderate to heavy physical exertion (40 pounds) while lifting, transporting, carrying, pulling, moving, handling, or setting up Ladders, scaffolds, materials, tools, equipment, etc. Repairs, maintenance, and/or observation work requires kneeling, stretching, pushing, pulling, crouching, stooping, bending, climbing, and walking/standing for long periods of time and negotiating confined spaces. Works from ladder, scaffold, platform, ground level, or hard to reach places requiring climbing ladders, reaching over and under while in cramped, awkward, tiring, and/or uncomfortable positions. Uses hand, eye, leg, and body coordination while performing assigned work. Working Conditions: Rotates shifts on a recurring basis providing 24 hour-per- day coverage seven days a week. Works without oversight during evening, night, weekend, and holiday tours of duty and is completely in charge of boiler plant operations during these hours and is responsible for ensuring safe and efficient plant operations adequate to meet station needs. Responsible for conducting tests of boiler safety devices (e.g., flame detection scanner, low water cutoffs, high pressure steam alarm, etc.); compiling daily and monthly efficiency reports; and performing all preventive maintenance on boilers and equipment. Responsible for prioritizing assignments to accomplish work efficiently and effectively. Responsible for independent accomplishment of work assignments by interpreting/reading results and determining nature/extent of maintenance or repair required. Responsible for planning and proper layout of work; planning work sequences, selecting tools/materials or equipment, determining work methods/techniques, and accomplishing in accordance with trade practices. Responsible for use/safekeeping of tools, materials, and equipment. Responsible for exercising sound judgment and initiative in coping with unusual, extraordinary work circumstances/situations. The incumbent works indoors in adequately lighted and ventilated conditions. The BPO is exposed to high ambient temperatures from boilers and equipment noise. Danger of boiler bursts; gas line ruptures; carbon monoxide poisoning; scalds/burns; gas, oil, or sulfur fumes; water treatment/test chemicals; and/or hazards of working with large scale combustion processes, steam under high pressure vessels, or moving machinery. Works recurring rotational shift assignments including nights, weekends, and holidays proving continuous 7 day 24-hours coverage. Education 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 information. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/. 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. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. 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. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.