Locksmith

Summary

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans.

How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan.

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Duties

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This Locksmith position is aligned under the Architectural Shop/Section in the Facilities Management Division at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee, WI. The work involves repairing, overhauling, modifying, testing, and installing a variety of locking devices typically found on doors, desks, compartments, mobile equipment, safes, vaults, and other secured locations. The work extends beyond the duplication requests of keys and the keying/combinating of locking mechanisms. Additionally, the work involves construction, altering, maintaining, and repairing buildings, structures, partitions, panels, and other items using wood, wood substitutes, and composite building materials.

Major Duties:

• Performs the full range of work in the installation, repair, maintenance and modification of a wide variety of commercial locking devices with varying makes and models found in doors, desks, safes, vaults, compartments, mobile equipment, and secured areas.
• Provides expertise and advice and recommendations to management on the most appropriate locking device capabilities/systems for specific security requirements and application.
• Attends seminars and carefully reviews trade journals, catalogs, regulations and manuals to maintain expert knowledge.
• Responsible for the development and maintaining records, including data entry and updating key information in the space files, files, lists of requirements and installations, etc.
• Coordinates work with personnel in other shops or trades.
• Develops and maintains a special key hardware system for use in special areas such as mental health, HOPTEL, meeting all special requirements for these areas.
• Carpentry tasks such as alterations and/or remodeling which include removing and installing partitions, additions to buildings, opening of walls for installation of doors and windows, cut and sets concrete forms, lay out and cut roof rafters and joist's, lay out fabricate and install stairs.
• Reads, interprets, and works from construction drawings and blueprints, both common and complex, and/or oral instructions from the Unit Supervisor to cut lumber to size for ceiling and floor plates, studs, braces headers, framework for doors and windows, including headers and anchors.
• Performs inspection and repair of fire and smoke barriers on the campus.

Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday-Friday, 7 AM-3:30 PM, may be required to be present to provide off-hours emergency support.

*The position is AWS eligible for 8 - 9 hr days, 1 - 8 hr day and one day off a pay period, the day off being a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.

Requirements

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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
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Pre-employment physical required
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial 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 or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/03/2026.

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.

Your resume background must demonstrate knowledge of the full range and functional characteristics of locking devices and their component parts to include the installation, internal structure, and operating characteristics of a wide variety of locking systems from various manufacturers. Broad knowledge of the functions and capabilities of commercially manufactured locking devices, as well as their working interrelationships with a variety of equipment such as monitors, alarms, timing mechanisms, sensors, and other related items which make up a complete security or surveillance system in order to provide management with recommendations regarding the most suitable locks to be used in solving specific security problems and/or requirements that require the significant modification and adaptation of locking mechanisms for uses to which they were not specifically designed, or to hamper or prevent the use of standard neutralization techniques. Skill in fabricating parts from a variety of materials, using welding equipment, hand tools and power tools such as grinders, lathes, milling machines, and drill presses, devising or changing combinations, establishing master keying systems, neutralizing lockouts, and a variety of installation and repair processes such as filing, drilling, chiseling, and grinding. Read, interpret, apply technical manuals, manufacturer's diagrams/specifications, and be able to prepare diagrams to identify dimensions or special parts requirements. Must know shop math to include fractions. Ability to serve as a consultant to management by providing technical expertise and advisory services pertaining to locksmithing.

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 Job Elements:

• Equipment Assembly, Installation, Repair
• Interpret Instructions, Specifications (includes blueprint reading)
• Measuring Instruments
• Technical Practices
• Troubleshooting
• Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment

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.

Physical Requirements/Working Conditions: Work assignments require standing, stooping, bending, kneeling for prolonged periods as well as working in cramped and awkward positions. Incumbent is required to lift items weighing up to approximately 50 pounds. Work is normally performed in a well-lighted, heated and ventilated area. Occasionally work is done outside in inclement weather or in areas that are drafty and poorly lighted. Incumbent is exposed to the possibility of cuts, bruises, scrapes, and serious burns.

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.

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.

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. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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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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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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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.