Summary This position is located in the Grounds & Equipment Section of the Facilities Management Service at the VA Central Western Massachusetts (VACWM) in Leeds MA. The primary purpose of this position is to maintain the roads and grounds of the Medical Center consisting of approx. 25 buildings and 110 acres. This position is under the direct supervision of the Grounds & Equipment Supervisor. The operations and equipment are similar to what is found at a municipal Department of Public Works (DPW). Responsibilities Duties are but limited to the following: Accomplish the seasonal tasks of gardening, lawn mowing, snow removal and related daily tasks of a general laborer similar to a municipal DPW. Prepares ground, lays seed or sod, planting flowers or shrubs, using simple drawings to establish a planting pattern and/or design in accordance with project requirements. Knowledge and ability to use a variety of power tools, small tractors, snow blowers and mowers in order to accomplish all related duties. Ability to exert very heavy physical effort to frequently lift, move and carry items weighing up to 50 pounds unassisted and occasionally items weighing 100 pounds or more, with assistance or mechanized equipment. At entry, the incumbent must possess and maintain a valid driver's license, in any state, to operate Government vehicles. Understand the importance of the new Safety Data Sheet (SDS) under the new Global Harmonization System (GHS) and how it pertains to worker safety and chemical storage & use for such chemicals as: gasoline, diesel fuel, oils, grease, lubricants, de-greasers, etc Responsible for all equipment assigned, including but not limited to: equipment pre-checks for proper engine oil, coolant, hydraulic oil levels, tire pressures, cleans radiators and air filters of debris, lubricates zerk fittings at pivot points and rotating assemblies, sharpens blades and adjusts deck heights and castor wheel clearance both manually and hydraulically, before and during equipment operation and on steep terrain. Support for pot hole & concrete sidewalk repairs as well as paint striping of cross walks, parking lots and fire lanes. Seasonal leaf removal using hand rakes, push & backpack blowers and a gas powered leaf vacuum system Knowledge of proper Lock Out Tag Out (LOTO) practices to ensure personal safety during equipment adjustment, maintenance, cleaning or repair. Use all the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to ensure work is completed safely and in compliance with all OSHA and VA laws, regulations and requirements. All VA employees are required to be literate in both the English language and computer usage in order to: communicate effectively with staff and patients, complete mandatory training, email communications, to view and manage their own pay/allotments/personnel file, as well as submit their own leave requests electronically. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 06:00 am - 2:30 pm Position Description Title/PD#: Laborer/PD00410A Physical Requirements: The work requires long periods of sitting, walking, standing, stooping, bending, carrying, pushing, pulling, lifting and shoveling. Must be physically able to frequently lift, move and carry items weighing up to 50 pounds unassisted and occasionally items weighing 100 pounds or more, with assistance or mechanized equipment. Incumbent must have the physical ability to exert very heavy physical effort in order to operate large riding mowers on grades, shovel, rake, lift, grade, tamp, screed and bull float: asphalt, concrete, stone, earth spoils, snow & ice, loam and mulch. S/he must be able to load and unload materials & supplies, cut & trim grass, trim bushes & trees, clean ditches and rain gutters up to 3-stories high. Working Conditions: All employees are required to use all the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to ensure work is completed safely and in compliance with all OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and VA laws, regulations and requirements. PPE includes but is not limited to: Tyvek coveralls, hard hats, gloves, safety glasses, hearing protection, safety rated footwear, dust masks or respirators, fall restraints, etc. The incumbent is required to work outside in all @types of weather and is exposed to extreme conditions including, but not limited to: hot, cold, snow, sleet, freezing rain, rain, dusty conditions, steep muddy, loose terrain, loud noise and vibrations while performing all required work and equipment operations. Works at times is under disagreeable conditions while cutting weeds, grass and/or trees in hot weather and is subject to slips and falls during snow & ice conditions. S/he may be exposed to bees, wasps, hornets and other @types of insects and animals while working on or near un-improved grounds. Must operate equipment in all @types of weather and is frequently exposed to the possibility of cuts, bruises and strains. Occasionally exposed to the possibility of serious accidents, roll-overs, broken bones, electrical shock and burns. Requirements Conditions of Employment U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation Selective Services Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 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. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. 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 To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. 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: Dexterity and Safety Interpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading) Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment Without more than normal supervision Work Practices 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. Education Additional Information 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. Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/. 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. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. 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.
