UTILITY SYSTEMS REPAIRER-OPERATOR

Summary

This position is in the Washington Headquarters Services (WHS), Facilities Operations and Services Division (FOSD), Facilities Services Division (FSD), Pentagon Heating and Refrigeration Plant (PH&RP). Operating 24/7, the plant provides essential steam, chilled water, natural gas, and sewage services. The incumbent is responsible for the continuous operation, maintenance, and repair of all associated utility systems, including high-capacity boilers and industrial refrigeration units.

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Duties

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This is a Direct Hire Public Notice , under this recruitment, applications will be accepted for each location and/or installation identified in this Public Notice and selections are made for vacancies as they occur. There may or may not be actual/projected vacancies at the time you submit your application.

This position is being filled under Direct Hire Authority (DHA) in accordance with Section 5 U.S.C. 9905, as amended by P.L. 116-92, SEC 1109, further amended by P.L. 116-283, SEC 1117 and further amended by P.L.118-31, SEC 1104 and SEC 1250B

Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration.

Incumbents typical work assignments may include the following:

• Operates, starts, and shuts down equipment for proper operation and mission accomplishment, using computer controls in the control room, local digital controls, or fully manual controls on or near the equipment. Recognizes abnormal conditions and situations from computer screens, alarms, and printouts and knows procedures to follow to restore the systems to a safe condition.
• Maintains, repairs, and tests a variety of complex equipment and systems such as power boilers and associated auxiliary and pollution control equipment. Performs preventative and scheduled maintenance on plant systems and equipment, including pumps, turbines, generators, and controls.
• Plans and lays out installation, repair, and/or modification of a variety of complex equipment and systems. Applies and interprets information in detailed blueprints, charts, and sketches to adjust, replace, and repair equipment.
• Determines causes of unusual or improper operation and operating conditions. Evaluates the situation and initiates corrective actions to prevent recurrence of improper operation or equipment failure.
• Troubleshoot single and multiple fuel power boilers and associate auxiliary and pollution control equipment, including electrical and pneumatic controls. Uses test equipment such as pyrometers, ohmmeters, and flow meters to identify defects, repairs needed, or preventative maintenance required.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see
• Total salary varies depending on location of position
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period
• Must be determined suitable for federal employment
• Required to participate in the direct deposit program
• This position is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing
• This position requires you to obtain and maintain a SECRET security clearance
• The incumbent is required to pass a pre-employment and yearly physical examination for this posit
• May require you to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays and/or overtime, and may be subject to call 24 hours a day.
• The employee assigned to this position is designated as a MISSION CRITICAL EMPLOYEE.
• This position requires wearing a uniform in the performance of duties.

Qualifications

For qualifications determinations, it is recommended that applicants include their months and hours worked per week for each employment listed on their resume. All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume.

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR: This position requires a Uniform Licensing of Power Engineers, (NIULPE), First Class Power Steam Engineer License or equivalent license.

Your background must demonstrate a full range of Utility Systems Repairer Operator experience for each grade level:

To qualify at the WG-08 level, your background must demonstrate knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of a WG-08 Utility Systems Repairer-Operator with minimal supervision 1) operating and monitoring complex utility systems (such as boilers, chillers, or pollution control systems); diagnosing abnormal conditions and determining the causes of equipment shutdowns; and performing complex maintenance, testing, 2) repair on mechanical and electrical controls, pumps, and bearings with minimal supervision.

To qualify at the WG-10 level, your background must demonstrate knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of a WG-10 Utility Systems Repairer-Operator under normal supervision independently 1) operating and repairing complex utility systems (such as industrial boilers, chillers, and pollution control equipment); 2) making complex technical judgments with limited guidance; 3) evaluating equipment failures to initiate corrective actions; and planning the installation and modification of major systems and controls.

To qualify at the WG-11 level, your background must demonstrate knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of a WG-11 Utility Systems Repairer-Operator to successfully perform the duties 1) planning and executing the modification, installation, and repair of highly complex utility systems; 2) working directly with engineers to alter systems to meet critical requirements; 3) making frequent and complex technical decisions and judgments on boiler, refrigeration, and distribution systems with only minimal adherence to a supervisor for the most difficult assignments; and independently evaluating and initiating corrective actions to prevent system failures.

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.

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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

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. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the questions. The screen-out element for this position is Ability to do the work of this position without more than normal supervision.

PHYSICAL EFFORT: Frequently works in confined areas in and around boilers and support equipment; e.g , auxiliary and pollution control equipment. Work requires moderate to strenuous physical effort and long periods of walking, kneeling, standing, climbing, bending, and crouching. Frequently lifts and carries boiler parts, equipment, and chemical supplies weighing up to 50 pounds unassisted and occasionally items weighing over 50 pounds with assistance of other workers or weight handling equipment.

WORKING CONDITIONS: Employee normally works indoors on concrete surfaces. Occasionally works outside for short periods. When working outside is subject to prevailing weather conditions. Works on catwalks and ladders. Employee is subject to high temperatures, high noise, rotating machinery, soot, dirt, grease, chemicals, oil, and fumes in the work area. Exposed to toxic effects of refrigerants and steam temperatures up to 115 degrees. Subject to cuts and abrasions from use of tools and equipment and burns from acids, caustics, and contact with pipes and boilers.

DOD appeal decision dated 2 March 1995 notes that the WG-10 skill requires operating equipment which burns fuels that produce relatively heavy concentrations of pollutants that exceed EPA and respective State pollution standards/thresholds. The operator must operate and maintain specific additional pollution control equipment to bring the power plant into compliance with stringent pollution emission standards.

ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: Federal agencies treat active duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligible, when they submit, as part of their application package, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD-214, indicating the service member is otherwise eligible and will be discharged or released within 120 days from the date of submission. A "certification" letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. This "certification" must include your rank, dates of active duty service, type of discharge and character of service (i.e. honorable), and date any terminal leave will begin. It must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters. Active duty members that fail to provide a valid "certification" of service with their initial application will be found "not eligible". Members may be appointed before the effective date of their military retirement/separation if they are on terminal leave.

Education

Education cannot be substituted for experience.

Additional information

Probationary Periods: 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.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): This program applies to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit:

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing an online application, you may request an alternative application. Please send an email to the following address for information on how to obtain an alternative application: View email address on click.appcast.io

Reemployed Annuitants: Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. /

Current or Former Political Appointees: Agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level. If you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office.

Nepotism: Under the provisions of 5 USC 3110, an individual may not be appointed into a position if the position is under the supervisory chain of command of a relative.

Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement .

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.