Summary Employee will serve as a Pipefitter assigned to the Engineering Service, Facility Management, Maintenance and Repair Section at the Veterans Administration Northeast Ohio Healthcare System in Cleveland, OH. Responsibilities The primary purpose of the position will be responsible for a full range of jobs to repair and install new pneumatic systems, domestic water supply and water return, heating hot water supply and return, natural gas, medical gas, steam, fuel oil, condensate return, wastewater piping, disposal systems, floor drains, roof drains, and fire alarm system related to sprinkler piping. Duties will include but may not be limited to the following: Installs, modifies, and repairs new and existing high-pressure piping systems and equipment such as steam heating, steam generation, and hydraulic systems, flash and expansion tanks, condensate, vacuum, and circulating pumps plus radiators, sterilizers, cookers, etc. Works from building plans, blueprints, and sketches to plan and lay-out the routing, placement, slant, slope, pitch elevation, fall, pressure reduction, expansion, and proper operation of systems and equipment. Installs, modifies, and repairs systems like those described above by locating and tapping main lines, setting up system routes, placing and cutting route openings, placing hangers for proper level and slope, and determining and installing valves, traps, and unions needed for proper operation of systems. Installs equipment by completing the routing and placement of systems leading to the equipment, and seating, hooking up, joining, sealing and testing the equipment and systems for proper pressures, leak-free joints and operation. Installs risers, flexible branches, expansion joints, pumps, gauges, and pressure regulators in the combination needed to support the pressures of the systems and that ensure the proper operation of the systems. Plans and lays out the installation and modification of various systems and equipment; and interprets and applies building plans and blueprints; utilizes shop mathematics; and lays out such things as angles, arcs, and circles. Utilizes tools and equipment such as plumb bobs, mercury gauges, dividers, closet augers, hydrostatic pump, lead pots, sliding squares, measuring tapes, chalk lines, templates start drills, grinders, flanges, hand and power pipe threaders and cutters, and pipe wrenches. Perform other duties as necessary. Work Schedule: Applicants will be assigned a Tour of Duty, to be discussed during interview. Full-time, Monday-Friday, Second Shift 3:00pm - 11:30PM Full-Time, Monday-Friday, Third Shift 11:00pm - 7:30pm 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 SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR (SCREEN-OUT) - A Selective Placement Factor (SPF) has been identified for this position. Selective Placement Factors (SPF) are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for the position. Applicants who do not meet the SPF are ineligible for further consideration. The SPF for this position is: Requires a Journeyman Pipefitter (or Plumber) Certification or License. (A copy of your certification/license is required at the time to application to receive credit.) SCREEN-OUT: Requires the ability to do the work of a Pipefitter without more than normal supervision. My experience includes working as a Journeyman in a Hospital/Commercial/Industrial setting performing new installations, repairs, modifications on pneumatic systems, domestic water supply and water return, natural gas, medical gas, steam, fuel oil, floor and roof drains, including high-pressure piping systems and equipment (e.g., heating, steam generation, vacuum systems, radiators, etc.). I have experience interpreting blueprints, building plans, and sketches to properly plan and lay-out the routing, placement, slant slope, pitch elevation, fall, pressure reduction, etc. to complete the project/job in a cost efficient and safe manner. I am able to skillfully operate a wide variety of tools and equipment common to pipefitting (e.g., inspection camera, ultra-sonic testers, pipe freeze equipment, squares, grinders, flangers, hand and power pipe threaders and cutters, wrenches, etc.). (Note: Resume(s) must clearly detail qualifying experience and responses provided to the online questionnaire to receive consideration). PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORKING CONDITIONS: Makes repairs and installations from ladders, scaffolding, powered man-lifts, and platforms, and where the parts of systems worked on are in hard-to-reach places. Stands, stoops, bends, kneels, climbs, and works in tiring and uncomfortable positions. Frequently handles, lifts, carries, and sets up parts and equipment that weigh up to 50 pounds; occasionally items that are over 50 pounds. The work is done inside and outside, and is usually dirty, dusty, and greasy. May frequently encounter areas where bad smelling fumes are present and also outside in inclement weather. May be exposed to uncomfortable heat or cold conditions; exposes to the possibility of strains, cuts, scrapes, bruises, burns, broken bones, infections. May be exposed to potentially hazardous materials and chemicals, not limited to asbestos, exposed to prolong noises. Required to select and use personal protection equipment (PPE), as well as other PPE gear for the task being performed (e.g., fall protection, safety shoes, hearing protection, eye and yead protection, respiratory protection to include powered air-purifying respirators), gloves, gowns, hair nets, shoe coverings, gas detection monitors, particulate related monitors, and hearing monitors, etc.) 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) Measurement and Layout Technical Practices Troubleshooting Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment 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.
