Summary The Pipefitter, WG-4204-10, is located at the Plumbing and Machine Shop within the Engineering Service of the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. Repairs, modifies, maintains, installs and performs maintenance and preventive maintenance on medical gas, air and vacuum distributions systems and equipment as well as hot and cold water and steam distribution systems and equipment, including piping, lagging, hangers, expansion joints, various @types of valves and control devices. Responsibilities Duties may include, but are not limited to: Layout pipe, thread, rough-in and finish bathroom, rough-in and finish kitchen. Conducts minor welding repairs and fabrication requiring the use of oxygen, acetylene, arc welding, and pipe welding. Inspects, adjusts, cleans, and repairs plumbing fixtures and systems, steam operated equipment, heating and water systems, waste lines, kitchen and laundry equipment, air compressors, medical compressed air systems, vacuum systems, oxygen systems, and natural gas distribution systems. Reads and interprets blueprints and manufacturers' specifications for installing and repairing equipment. Conducts safety and preventive maintenance inspections of utility systems and equipment in accordance with VA regulations and National Codes. Interprets and applies building plans and blueprints to layout angles, arcs, and circles. Utilizes tools and equipment such as sliding squares, measuring tapes, dividers, and chalk lines. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Position Description Title/PD#: Pipefitter/PD06020A Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized 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/trial period 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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) Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/22/2025. 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. 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) Measurement and Layout Technical Practices Troubleshooting Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment Without more than normal supervision 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: Work requires good coordination and good physical condition. Pipefitter is required to make installations and repairs from ladders, scaffolding, and platforms and from other hard to reach places. This requires the incumbent to walk, stand, step, bend, kneel, climb, crawl and work in uncomfortable positions, and to pull, push, reach over the shoulder and lift heavy supplies and/or equipment weighing up to 100 pounds. Must have rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, good hearing, good depth perception and the ability to distinguish · basic colors and shades of colors. Glasses are permitted. Working Conditions: Work is both outside and inside in areas of medium to excessive heat, cold, humidity, dampness or chilling areas that have impenitent noise, dust , fumes, grease, dirt, oil, with exposure to electrical wires and energy. Areas may be slippery and/or uneven surfaces, in equipment rooms, tunnels, crawl spaces, pen1houses, overhead catwalks, and scaffolding and/or in tight areas such as manholes and electrical (equipment) closets. Some work is around equipment and machinery with moving parts and there are other hazards such as exposure to steam and hot water fines, pumps and other equipment, etc. Education Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or 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.
