This position is responsible for preparing contract specifications and progressive working drawings to initiate approval of facility projects. This position reviews VA construction standards to meet code requirements during design, and gathers and assembles mechanical, electrical, and architectural engineering data on the various systems at the VA HCS.

Duties

Duties include, but are not limited to: Prepares contract specifications and progressive working drawings to initiate approval of facility projects. Reviews VA construction standards to meet code requirements during design. Gathers and assembles mechanical, electrical, and architectural engineering data on the various systems at the VA HCS. Accumulates accurate project material and labor for cost estimates. Visits work sites to make surveys of existing structures to determine proper dimensions, utilities, etc., needed to prepare design, drawings, and cost estimates for new construction of proposed modifications. Takes measurements and checks sizes of utilities such as water, gas, steam, and electricity to insure they are of sufficient size to carry additional loads. Studies sizes, locations, and details of installation of or changes in existing partitions, doors, and windows. Runs surveys for location of buildings, roads, parking areas, walks, and boundaries for new construction. Maintains a continuous updating of building and utility plans of all changes and modifications. Occasionally do preliminary drawings and write specifications for projects involving architectural/engineer-and-private contractor. Inputs data into the Space Management Program of the Engineering AEMS/MERS Computer System and periodically update the space management data when changes occur. In the absence of the Maintenance Controller, serves in that capacity using MAXIMO or the current Facility program, related to the maintenance and repair coordination activities. Uses AutoCAD to update facility plot plans and to design station-level projects when required. Interprets, and applies technical guidelines in situations where precedents are not fully applicable. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., subject to change based on the needs of the facility. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Engineering Technician/PD06185A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required This position is covered by AFGE bargaining unit. Per the AFGE Master Agreement, the Area of Consideration will be: 1st Area of Consideration - current permanent Alexandria VA Medical Center employees including satellites; 2nd Area of Consideration - current permanent Veterans Healthcare Administration employees; 3rd Area of Consideration - current permanent VA Nationwide employees; 4th Area of Consideration - All Other Status Applicants.

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/04/2023. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS07. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Individual Occupational Requirement: Applicants who meet the Individual Occupational Requirements described below are fully qualified for the specified entry grade and must also meet the specialized experience and/or education requirements. Specialized Experience: Examples of qualifying specialized experience include technical work in drafting, surveying construction estimating, physical science, mathematics, aerospace, architecture, chemicals, electrical or mechanical systems, mining, petroleum, or 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. OR Certification: Engineering technicians may be certified by the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies, an organization sponsored by the National Society of Professional Engineers. Certification by the Institute will be helpful as a measure of the technician's quality of experience. (Upload Copy of Certification) In addition to meeting the above Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR), applicants must also meet the experience and/or directly related education relevant to this position. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Experience in preparing sets of drawings of new or changed facilities, equipment, and systems from engineer's sketches, marked up prints, and verbal instructions; Experience conducting the station space survey which includes type and function of every room in all buildings, proving information such as number of lights and receptacles as recorded and used for projecting future construction project; Skilled in selecting, interpreting, and applying technical guidelines in situations where precedents are not fully applicable; Skilled in the use of Computer Aided Design technology (i.e., AutoCAD 2D/3D or higher or other standard CAD software packages), using AutoCAD to update facility plot plans and to design station-level projects when required; or Skilled in the use of computer hardware to include plotters, scanners, and other CAD equipment to execute detailed high level CAD designs. . OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have two full years of graduate education or a master's degree. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended (transcripts required). OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described above which totals in excess of the first year. [To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education beyond one year by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.]. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Building and ConstructionDecision MakingPlanning and Evaluating 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: Incumbent will be working primarily at a drafting board, desk, or computer terminal, which will entail periods of tedious work. The incumbent will be required to enter attics, sub-basements, and other areas which require kneeling, crawling, and climbing. The incumbent will be expected to be thorough in investigations or field surveys. The incumbent must have adequate vision which will be satisfactory for the performance of close, detailed drawing preparation. Work is sedentary; however, walking, standing, bending, and stooping are also associated factors. Carrying of lightweight items, i.e. papers, books, etc. is also a physical demand. Moderate walking and lifting are required when attending meetings. Duties require mental alertness, concentration, and attention to detail. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Alexandria VA Medical Center 2495 Shreveport Highway Pineville, LA 71360 US
• Name: Cynthia Rowe
• Phone: 717-205-7996
• Email: [email protected]