Summary This position is located within the Facility Support Services (FSS) Engineering Department at the El Paso VA Clinic, El Paso, TX. You will provide direction and review of professional and technical programs; professional engineering work in several disciplines, such as civil, electrical, mechanical, biomedical, environmental, and safety engineering. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION Duties can include but are not limited to the following: Provide analysis, designs, modifications, plans, installations, administers, and the construction of a multitude of assignments and projects. Perform maintenance of facilities, structures, and all electrical systems, which operate within the facility. Prepares plans, specifications, and estimates for complex projects, which include multidisciplinary architectural, fire and safety, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, telecommunication, analog and digital electronics, and hazardous material abatement design. Prepares detailed cost estimates and justification of need for new construction, renovation, maintenance/repair and equipment installation projects. Performs technical calculations/measurements to verify most cost-effective methods for building/space design. Prepares contract drawings and specifications for competitively bid construction and maintenance repair. Assists consulting architects and engineers with design of competitively bid construction and maintenance and repair work. Evaluates survey/measured data obtained, incorporating salient features into design considerations and solutions. Reviews construction contract specifications for compliance with NFPA Life Safety Codes and co-ordinates actions with Regional Safety and Fire Prevention Engineering Staff. Reviews change order requests from contractors for accuracy and cost control and negotiates, when necessary. Maintains record drawings of all Station and Domiciliary structures and grounds utilizing AutoCad programs. Performs calculations on energy consumption and prepares proposals for reducing energy consumption. Assists with accident investigation, review of safety suggestions, preparation of reports and statistical data pertaining to safety and fire protection. Administers contracts for compliance, evaluates submissions, and processes payment applications and invoices within required time frames. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Typical tour of duty is Monday-Friday 8:00 am-4:30 pm but may be adjusted due to needs of the facility. This is an essential position. The incumbent is required to report to work during emergencies and inclement weather. The tour of duty may include holidays, weekends, and rotating shifts. 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 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 required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not 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) - 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 Basic Requirement (Individual Occupational Requirements) - This series covers technical positions supervising, leading, or performing work involving applying a practical knowledge of the: methods and techniques of engineering or architecture; and construction, application, properties, operations, and limitations of engineering systems, processes, structures, machinery, devices, and materials. You must possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience, equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-8) in the Federal Service, that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of an Engineering Technician and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. 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. AND Additional Specialized Experience: MUST possess one (1) year of additional specialized experience equipped with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of Engineering Technician position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-08 grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience as described above in the Basic Requirement (Individual Occupational Requirements) and experience preparing contract drawings, specifications for competitively bid construction and maintenance repair work for a medical center or outpatient clinic. OR Substitution of Education for Experience: MUST have successfully completed two (2) full years of graduate education or a master's degree directly related to the work of this position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) OR Combination of Experience and Education: MUST have the equivalent combinations of specialized experience and successfully completed graduate education as described above to meet the total experience requirements to qualify at the GS-9 level. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) 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/. Physical Requirements: The work requires long periods of sitting in one position, climbing up ladders and crawling under buildings and sometimes being exposed to the elements. The work is mostly performed in an office setting. However, at times the work is performed in a construction site area with inherent dangers. Work is also performed in an asbestos contaminated area on a limited basis. 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: 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. 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 http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. Note: Per "Executive Order 14251: Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs", this position is no longer eligible for bargaining unit participation.
