Summary This position serves as a Utility Systems Repairer Operator within the Engineering Service at the Kansas City VA Medical Center in Kansas City, Mo. This position operates and maintains high-pressure boilers, chillers, HVAC/R systems, and electronic controls to ensure safe, efficient utility service across the medical center. Performs troubleshooting, repairs, preventive maintenance, emergency response, and system monitoring to support critical clinical, laboratory, and life-safety environments. Responsibilities The duties of the Utility Systems Repairing-Operating includes but is not limited to: Plant Operations - Boiler & Chiller Plants Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot centralized chilled water systems, including multiple 1000-ton chillers, pumps, cooling towers, and chemical treatment systems. Monitor and control steam and chilled water systems using Schneider Electric Facilities Energy Management System and BAS/SCADA platforms. Regulate temperature and humidity for critical spaces (ORs, labs, ICUs, IT, research areas) requiring precise environmental control. Perform field repairs, isolate defective equipment, and take corrective action during abnormal or alarm conditions to ensure uninterrupted hospital operations. Conduct daily water and condenser water analyses and adjust chemical concentrations for optimal system performance and corrosion control. Inspect, lubricate, adjust, and repair air handlers, fans, motors, valves, strainers, belts, coils, ductwork, dampers, and HVAC/R components. High-Pressure Boiler Operations Operate high-pressure steam boilers producing up to 76,225 lbs/hr, including associated fuel systems, feedwater equipment, condensate systems, and auxiliary components. Perform combustion analysis, adjust fuel-air ratios, regulate pressure systems, and ensure compliance with safety, environmental, NFPA, and ASHRAE standards. Troubleshoot malfunctions in burners, safety devices, regulators, flue gas recirculation systems, steam traps, expansion joints, and condensate return systems. Execute emergency shutdowns/startups, respond to fuel supply interruptions, power outages, and equipment failures, ensuring continuous operation. Electronic Industrial Controls Maintain, repair, and calibrate electronic control systems for boilers, chillers, feedwater systems, fuel delivery systems, and auxiliary equipment. Diagnose complex faults in analog/digital circuits using oscilloscopes, multimeters, signal generators, and software diagnostic tools. Interpret and update P&IDs, wiring diagrams, schematics, and technical manuals to support troubleshooting and repairs. Develop and implement custom control logic for PLC/DDC systems and integrate legacy equipment with modern BAS platforms. Preventive Maintenance & System Testing Perform scheduled preventive maintenance on boilers, chillers, pumps, motors, refrigeration units, air handlers, water treatment systems, VFDs, exhaust systems, and distribution loops. Collect and analyze water samples from boilers, condensate tanks, deaerators, and softeners; adjust chemical feed rates and perform blow-down procedures. Complete repair and replacement of piping, steam traps, valves, gauges, pump motors, and related components. [ Maintain accurate operating logs detailing steam generation, boiler pressures, temperatures, fuel consumption, and system performance. Emergency Response & Independent Shift Leadership Work unsupervised on night, weekend, and holiday shifts; act as lead operator ensuring safe operation of all plant systems. Respond to emergency trouble calls for all Medical Center utilities and coordinate corrective actions, including calling in off-duty personnel when necessary. Make critical decisions such as boiler shutdown/startup, load transfers, and system bypassing to maintain medical center operations. Compliance, Documentation & Collaboration Ensure work complies with VA standards, NFPA codes, ASHRAE guidelines, environmental regulations, and Joint Commission requirements. Maintain records in CMMS (e.g., Maximo/TMA) and prepare documentation for internal audits and external inspections (EPA, Joint Commission). Collaborate with engineers, contractors, and maintenance personnel on upgrades, retrofits, commissioning, and SOP revisions. Work Schedule: Position requires shift work to support 24/7 boiler plant operations. Tours of duty may include days, evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays. Position Description Title/PD#: Utility Systems Repairer - Operator/PD00618A Physical Requirements: Subjected to sustained physical effort in the operation of power boilers, chillers, HVAC/R equipment, steam distribution systems, chilled water 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. Occasionally, the incumbent will be required to lift items in excess of 50 pounds and 100 pounds with assistance. The incumbent frequently lifts, carries, and sets up parts and equipment that weighs up to 50 pounds. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job Subject to a background/suitability investigation Designated and/or random drug testing may be required Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 A complete application package; including Resume, Transcripts, etc. is required 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. 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: Equipment Assembly, Installation, Repair Inspect Interpret Instructions, Specifications (includes blueprint reading) Technical Practices Without more than normal supervision 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 (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information. VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. 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.
