Job Description

Summary

These positions are located within the Utility Operations Section of Facilities Management Service at the VA Maine Healthcare System in Togus, ME. The Utilities Systems Repairer-Operator - Boiler/Chiller Plants performs operation, maintenance and repair of four high pressure boilers, three centrifugal chillers, three cooling towers, one steam absorption chiller and all associated equipment, piping and controls.

Overview

• Accepting applications

Open & closing dates

09/19/2023 to 10/03/2023

Salary

$26.63 - $31.07 per hour

Pay scale & grade

WG 10

Location

3 vacancies in the following location:

Remote job

No

Telework eligible

No

Travel Required

Not required

Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

Appointment type

Permanent -

Work schedule

Full-time -

Service

Competitive

Promotion potential

10

Job family (Series)

Supervisory status

No

Security clearance

Drug test

No

Position sensitivity and risk

Trust determination process

Announcement number

CARZ-12132057-23-TJE

Control number

749684500

This job is open to

Videos

Duties

THE CLOSING DATE FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WAS EXTENDED UNTIL 10/03/2023. IF YOU PREVIOUSLY APPLIED, YOU DO NOT NEED TO REAPPLY; HOWEVER, YOU MAY UPDATE YOUR APPLICATION PACKET DURING THIS TIME.

The major duties include but are not limited to:

• Checks the control panels for the Boiler systems which controls fuel oil pressure, incoming domestic water pressure and steam pressure;
• Ensures temperature and humidity are controlled within tolerances through the building automation system by making computer adjustments;
• Checks the operational safety of equipment to ensure optimal operation such as flame extension, low water cutout, low and high-water alarms and high-pressure cutouts;
• Repacks and replaces pumps, valves, greasing oil pumps, valves and control linkages;
• Operates, repairs and maintains support equipment such as deaerator tank, condensate storage tanks, associated pumps, chemical injection systems and air-control systems;
• Maintains proper chemistry control of boiler feed water and condensate return;
• Performs hourly checks of all operating equipment in the chiller plant;
• Makes inspections of the cooling towers and utility tunnels and daily checking the bulk oxygen storage facility;
• Maintains the chiller plant and all peripheral equipment including pumps, piping, etc.; heating and ventilation units, exhaust fans and all other similar equipment involved in the chiller plant;
• Adjusts and repairs or replaces components of the chiller plant and chillers, all heating and ventilation units, and exhaust fans;
• Performs operator-level preventative and corrective maintenance on boilers, chillers, cooling towers, exhaust equipment, pumps, steam traps, compressors and other associated equipment;
• Uses tools such as manometers, multi-meters, combustion analyzers, test gauges, infrared thermometers and dead weight testers;
• Checks the operation of Honeywell and Centrak systems;
• Maintains daily log sheets of boiler operations and checks all readings for indications of inefficient or dangerous operating conditions of chillers and auxiliary equipment;
• Maintains an accurate and complete log of conditions and events during tour and the turnover of items requiring further attention to the appropriate shop; and,
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Sunday to Saturday all hours.

Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Pre-employment physical required
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

Physical Effort and Work Conditions: Frequently works in confined areas in and around boilers. Requires moderate to strenuous effort and long periods of walking, standing, climbing, bending and crouching. Frequently lifts and carries boiler parts and chemical supplies weighing up to 50 pounds unassisted. Occasionally, and with assistance, carries items weighing over 50 pounds.
Mainly works indoors, but occasionally works outdoors for short periods of time. Exposed frequently to temperature extremes, drafts, dampness, water and noise for work conditions. The majority of work takes place in an industrial environment. The position will frequently encounter ladders, catwalks, confined spaces, etc. Subjected to hazards normally encountered in the trade. Requires working rotating shifts and overtime. The position requires the donning and wearing of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) suitable to mitigate the appropriate hazards.

Applicants will be rated in accordance with the . 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:

• ABILITY TO DO THE WORK OF A UTILITIES SYSTEMS REPAIRER-OPERATOR - BOILER/CHILLER PLANTS WITHOUT MORE THAN NORMAL SUPERVISION (SCREEN OUT)
• EQUIPMENT ASSEMBLY, INSTALLATION, REPAIR
• TECHNICAL PRACTICES
• MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
• INTERPRET INSTRUCTIONS, SPECIFICATIONS (INCLUDES BLUEPRINTING READING)
• USE AND MAINTAIN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
• MATERIALS

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

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

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.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities (i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities), and/or disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. For more information on how to apply using this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator within the office, contact the facility Human Resources Department at (207) 623-8411.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM\'s Career Transition Resources website at .

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

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.

• Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. .

Federal government of the United States