Utilities Systems Repairer-Operator

This USRO position is in Facility Management at the VA Maine Healthcare System located at the Togus location. This position is full time at 40 hours per week.

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
• Interpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading)
• Materials
• Measuring Instruments
• Technical Practices
• Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment
• 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.

Physical Requirements: Frequently work in confined areas in and around boilers. Requires moderate to strenuous effort and long periods of walking, standing, climbing, bending, and crouching. Frequently lift and carry boiler parts and chemical supplies weighing up to 50 pounds unassisted. Occasionally, and with assistance, carries items weighing over 50 pounds.

Working Conditions: Mainly works indoors, but occasionally works outdoors for short periods of time. Exposed frequently to temperature extremes, drafts, dampness, water, and noise for work conditions. The majority of work takes place in an industrial environment. The position will frequently encounter ladders, catwalks, confined spaces, etc. The position could be subjected to hazards normally encountered in the trade. The position requires working rotating shifts and overtime. The position requires the donning and wearing of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) suitable to mitigate the appropriate hazards.

Responsibilities:

This Utilities Systems Repairer-Operator works in both the Boiler and the Chiller Plants performing operation, maintenance, and repair of four high pressure boilers, three centrifugal chillers, three cooling towers, one steam absorption chiller, and all associated equipment, piping, and controls. Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Check operating equipment in Boiler plant regularly; monitors the building automation system; medical gas alarm panels; elevator emergency call systems; and temperature monitors for temperature and humidity.
• During normal working hours, the incumbent fields, and routes hot and cold calls as well as other Engineering service calls.
• Check the operational safety of equipment to ensure optimal operation such as flame extension, low water cutout, low and high-water alarms, and high-pressure cutouts.
• Repack and replaces pumps, valves, greasing oil pumps, valves, and control linkages.
• Operate the equipment, initiates the regeneration of water softeners when tests indicate hardness in the water. Operates, repairs, and maintains support equipment such as deaerator tank, condensate storage tanks, associated pumps, chemical injection systems, and air-control systems.
• Chiller Plant operations, repair and maintenance duties include hourly checks of all operating equipment in the chiller plant; each shift making inspections of the cooling towers and utility tunnels, and daily checking the bulk oxygen storage facility.
• Maintain the chiller plant and all peripheral equipment including pumps, piping, etc.; heating and ventilation units, exhaust fans, and all other similar equipment involved in the chiller plant.
• Perform operator-level preventative and corrective maintenance on boilers, chillers, cooling towers, exhaust equipment, pumps, steam traps, compressors, and other associated equipment.
• Inspect, adjusts, and repairs all boiler control safety devices, instrumentation, flow meters, etc. and must inspect repairs and adjustments made by contractors.
• Use tools such as manometers, multi-meters, combustion analyzers, test gauges, infrared thermometers, and dead weight testers.
• Perform major and minor repairs to equipment in accordance with VA regulations and directives, ASME boiler and pressure vessel codes, ASHRAE standards, facility policies, and good engineering practice.
• Check the operation of Honeywell and Centrak systems.
• Maintain daily log sheets of boiler operations and checks all readings for indications of
  inefficient or dangerous operating conditions of chillers and auxiliary equipment.
• In the case of power failure, the incumbent is responsible for operating boilers and chillers under the emergency power generators provided at each building, which are used for the continuous operation of all electrical equipment in the power plant.
• After normal business hours, the operator receives calls directed to Facilities Management and performs first response actions to trouble calls, including elevator entrapments, throughout the campus and corrects problems within training and capabilities that can be done in a short time.
• Responsible for maintaining an accurate and complete log of conditions and events during his/her tour, and the turnover of items requiring further attention to the appropriate shop.

Work Schedule: Full Time Sunday-Saturday - All hours
Position Description Title/PD#: USRO/PD035490
Compressed/Flexible Work Schedule: Not Authorized
Telework/Virtual/Remote Work: Not authorized
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives: May be authorized
Financial Disclosure: Not required

Notifications:

• This position is in an AFGE Bargaining Unit position.
• This position is in the Competitive Service.
• Veterans' preference does not apply
• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.