Engineering Technician

Summary

The Engineering technician is responsible to act as a technical resource for the staff and a project engineer for complex projects at the Veterans Affairs Sierra Nevada Health Care System (VASNHCS) in Reno, NV.

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Duties

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***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

The primary purpose of the position is to plan, design, analyze, and layout of new construction as well as the conversion, remodeling, or modernization of existing VA buildings and facilities.

• Works with Chief Engineers and Engineering Staff for the efficient and effective implementation of major construction projects;
• Performs project management duties to lead multidiscipline design team, or contracted design services in the preparation of complete design package;
• Prepares plans, specifications, and estimates for complex projects;
• Informs Chief Engineer of plans for continuous and ongoing major projects in concert with contractors and construction and facility management staff;
• Assists in providing oversight of the facility design, construction, repair, renovation and modernization of buildings and facilities;
• Performs a variety of construction management tasks during the construction phase of a project;
• Performs review, assessment, and guidance by analyzing design development documents, resolving more novel and complex design problems with original approaches and preparing appropriate documents for VA project development approvals;
• Prepares documentation for approval of outside agencies such as State Office of Historic Preservation (SHPO), local fire departments, Department of Defense (DoD) and environmental agencies;
• Prepares estimates for projects ranging from minor maintenance to large non-recurring management for advanced budget planning;
• Prepares Scope of Work (SOW) for Engineer service contracts or services provided by other government agencies;
• Uses extensive experience to formulate and recommend strategies on how to deal with workload, setting goals and priorities;
• Serves as expert technical advisor to peers and senior managers;
• Serves as the technical expert on highly technical equipment, network systems and computer software programs;
• Possesses a strong proficiency using the following software applications to include, but not limited to, Access, Excel, Power Point, MS Project, and Word, Building Information Modeling (BIM), and AutoCAD; And,
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday from 7:30am - 4:00pm

Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Physical Requirements: The work requires frequent walking, bending, lifting, and carrying light equipment. Occasional climbing and crawling are required.
• Subject to background/security investigation
• 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 identification 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) - See "Required Documents" below for details.

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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this position, you must meet one of the following:

Specialized Experience: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-10) in the Federal Service. Technician experience includes supervising, leading, or performing work involving applying a practical knowledge of the (1) methods and techniques of engineering or architecture and (2) construction, application, properties, operations, and limitations of engineering systems, processes, structures, machinery, devices and materials. Qualifying specialized experience includes technical work in drafting, surveying construction estimating, construction management, physical science, mathematics, aerospace, architecture, chemicals, electrical or mechanical systems, mining, petroleum, or construction trades such as electrician, low voltage technician, HVAC technician, nuclear systems. Experience in a trade or craft may be credited as specialized experience when the work provided intensive knowledge of engineering principles, techniques, methods, and precedents. Examples are trade positions with substantial developmental, test, or design responsibilities such as: Planner and estimator who analyzed designs for production purposes; Instrument maker or model maker who performed design or development work on devices fabricated. At this level applicants should possess experience utilizing computer-aided drafting and design software. NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. ~OR~

Education: Successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education that is directly related to the work of the Engineering Technician position, such as engineering, construction, or industrial technology. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~

Combination: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond master's degree) and specialized experience, as described above. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

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.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

NOTE: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit:

Additional information

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 the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

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.

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.

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 80 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

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.