Summary The Boiler Plant Operator Supervisor acts as the Unit Foreman within the Operations Section of Facilities Management Service (FMS) at the East Orange Campus with responsibility for the daily operation of the Boiler Plant and Grounds Unit in East Orange, New Jersey. Responsibilities Major duties and responsibilities include: Performs all duties required to maintain the safe and efficient operation of a 2400 horsepower high pressure steam boiler plant, operating steam pressure of boilers up to 110 psi, consisting of four (4) 600-HP fire tube boilers automatic and manually fired combination oil and natural gas burning. Operates the feed water system, the steam system, domestic water, natural gas, fuel oil, and local control panels at each individual boiler and the main control panel with plant and boiler master controls along with all associated transmitters and recorders. Operates the feedwater system consists of backflow preventers, water softeners, make-up tank, transfer pumps, an 80,000 lbs/hr De-aerating Feedwater Heater and feed water pumps. Checks all equipment to determine that no hazards exist that will endanger equipment or personnel. Starts, operates and stops manually controlled equipment, to include boiler feed water pumps, chemical pumps, condensate return unit, transfer pumps, water softener unit, and oil pumps. Periodically checks equipment to evaluate and determine proper operation and makes adjustment and takes corrective action as required. Periodically checks boilers, tanks and piping for leaks, vibration, soundness and unusual conditions. Performs operator level routine maintenance and repairs to include minor leak repairs, component replacement and safety testing. Responsible for maintaining the oil system free from leaks, identifying leaks and taking appropriate action. Maintains hourly and daily logs, charts and other records as required. Calculates steam production, steam usage, water usage, fuel usage, boiler hours and efficiency for each 8 hour shift and 24 hour day calendar. Performs boiler feed water tests and treats boilers with chemicals as determined by tests. Adjusts continuous blowdowns as required by tests. Regenerates water softening system manually when required. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: This position is considered a "Working Supervisor" which requires the supervisor to be fully capable of working any shift, subject to overtime and emergency callbacks to meet the needs of the facility. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved 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 Pre-employment physical 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 (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) 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. Qualifications This position includes Selective Placement Factors (skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. The Selective Placement Factors for this position are: 1. This position requires a current/valid Blue Seal (3rd Grade Class) Steam Engineer's License-issued by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Pressure Vessel Compliance. Please indicate either Yes or No to the following question. NOTE: A copy of your certification MUST be submitted with your application to receive credit. ~AND~ 2. A current and valid state-issued driver's license is required for this position. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore please do not submit a copy of your driver's license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your current and valid state-issued driver's license. PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK CONDITIONS: The position requires a considerable amount of standing, stooping, bending, kneeling, climbing, lifting and working in tiring and/or uncomfortable positions. The person in this position may work from ladders and scaffolding. When operating equipment, the worker may be under a great deal of strain from constant reaching, bending, turning, and moving of hands, arms, feet, legs, and by the vibration and jerking of the equipment. The worker carries, lifts, and handles parts and equipment weighing up to 90 pounds. The work is performed inside and outside with exposure to all kinds of weather. The work area may be dirty, wet, dusty, and greasy, with inadequate lighting, heat, or ventilation. The worker is subject to cuts, abrasions, irritation of eyes, skin and respiratory tract, and the hazards of operating power tools and equipment. Discomfort may be encountered with wearing protective clothing, gloves, or eye goggles or while working in confined areas such as crawl spaces and attics. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualifications. For this position, the job element method is used to match what you, the applicant, can do against what the work calls for. Your knowledge, skills and abilities will be compared to the knowledge, skills and abilities (called job elements) needed for success. Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element (WG-2 and higher only; screen-outs are not applicable to WG-1). Applicants who appear to meet the screen out element are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated from consideration. The potential eligibles are rated against the remainder of the job elements. While a specific length of training and experience is not required, your responses to the questionnaire must be supported by detailed descriptions of your experience on your resume. You will be rated on the following Job Elements as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Dexterity and Safety Mechanical Technical Competence Technical Competence Without more than normal supervision IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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. 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). 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 Additional Information Note: Per "Executive Order 14251: Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs", this position is no longer eligible for bargaining unit participation. 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.
