Summary This position serves as a Boiler Plant Equipment Mechanic (Boiler Plant Equipment Mechanic/Operator) located at the Eastern Kansas VA both in the Dwight D. Eisenhower VA Medical Center, Leavenworth, Kansas, and the Colmery O'Neil VA Medical Center in Topeka, Kansas and assigned to the Boiler Plant of the Facilities Management Service (FMS). Responsibilities Duties may include, but are not limited to the following: Performs mandated checks of the power boilers, plant auxiliary equipment, and the system automation control to ensure proper operation, making adjustments as needed. Monitors Building Automation Systems (BAS), and initiates adjustments when systems become out of range or in alarm conditions in order to maintain patient care and a safe environment throughout the facility. Documents and notifies appropriate personnel within the facility of the alarm and makes appropriate adjustments/repairs either manually or via the boiler automation controls or the BAS to bring the utilities back within range. Operates, monitors, adjusts, calibrates, and repairs various electronic elements of the building environmental monitoring control system, automated electronic combustion systems on power boilers, and other electronic programmable controllers related to steam, feedwater control and pneumatic air systems, etc., to troubleshoot malfunctions of the complex systems under automated controls. Starts, stops, and operates power boilers and all auxiliary equipment. Records and documents boiler and condensate water tests, temperatures, pressures, water levels, and all other Boiler Plant operational readings as required. Performs annual teardowns and maintenance on power boilers and prepares the boiler for annual inspections. Performs preventative and scheduled maintenance on power boilers and all auxiliary plant equipment (water softeners, repairing and replacing valves, water piping, pumps, motors, gauges, steam lines, burner controls, fans, refractory, oxygen analyzing equipment, bearings, insulation, strainers, and air compressors, etc.). Calculates, tracks, documents, and creates reports for all energy consumptions and utilities for the entire campus and records the data. Maintains, troubleshoots, adjusts, tests, calibrates, and replaces critical safety devices, Boiler Plant auxiliary equipment, flow meters, burner controls, combustion analyzers, programmable logic controls (PLC) and automated boiler blow-down control systems. Installs, repairs, replaces, and troubleshoots a variety of complex equipment and systems involving power boilers with complicated components with critical requirements. Performs other directly related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Position is shift work in a 24/7 Boiler Plant. 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 PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK CONDITIONS: Subjected to sustained physical effort in the operation of steam boilers and steam distribution systems: physical requirements may include working from ladders, scaffolds, and platforms where parts of the system are in hard-to-reach places. Work is carried out in tiring positions such as standing, crouching, stooping, kneeling, and prone for long periods of time. Will be required to lift items up to 50 pounds alone and heavier items with assistance. Will be required to take a physical examination by VA hospital staff to qualify to maintain the position annually. Most of the work is performed indoors, but occasionally service is performed outdoors and subject to adverse weather conditions. Employees are subject to hazards of refrigerants, fumes, boiler bursts, steam blow back, flame blow backs, scalding water, burns and electrical shock. Exposed frequently to temperature extremes, high noise levels, drafts, dampness, water, and noise for work conditions. Tool Inspections and Cleaning. Frequently encounters ladders, catwalks, confined spaces, etc., and is subjected to hazards normally encountered in the trade. This also includes working weekends, holidays and shift work based on seniority and boiler plant needs. May be exposed to asbestos and lead. Performs other related duties as assigned. 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: Equipment Assembly, Installation, Repair Interpret Instructions, Specifications (includes blueprint reading) Materials Technical Practices Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment 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.
