Summary This position is located at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System within the Facilities Management service line. The employee of this position performs a variety of work requiring application of extensive technical knowledge involving various established engineering methods, procedures, techniques, and practices. Responsibilities Major duties listed but not limited to: Plan, develop and supervise complex projects involving highly sophisticated medical equipment installation requiring methods and procedures not usually found in written procedures Develop and draw preliminary sketches, plot utility plans, maps, architectural plans, electrical schematics, electrical circuit plans, plumbing schematics, plumbing plans (piping layout), heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system layouts, etc. with an optimal level of drafting techniques and use of the Computer-Aided Design (CAD) system Reviews designs for technical soundness and inspects all work completed by contractors and VAMC staff to ensure compliance Serves as the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) for all construction projects and leases as assigned Prepares and oversees the production of plans, specifications, estimates, and schedules for complex projects Administers architectural/engineering (A/E) design contracts to ensure A/E conformance to project scope and design criteria, while ensuring accuracy, completeness, and quality of the design work Inspects construction progress on a regular basis to ensure compliance with drawings, specifications, schedule, and all applicable codes Identifies deviations from contract documents and ensures proper corrective action is taken by the contractor in a timely manner Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (work hours may be further discussed during the interview) Telework, Ad Hoc: Ad Hoc telework occurs on an occasional, non-routine basis- for example, inclement weather or telework that occurs to complete short-term special assignments or to accommodate special circumstances even though the telework arrangement may occur continuously for a limited and specific period of time. 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. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Engineering Technician/PD23505A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. 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 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/16/2024. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-10. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-10 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Qualifying specialized experience includes but is not limited to: 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 Additional examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: providing engineering services associated with contracting and construction; establishing scope of work and design criteria; completing estimates of design time and costs, plans, and/or specifications; and reviewing and checking technical aspects such as drawings, specifications, quantities, costs, accuracy, completeness, and conformity with requirements for planned projects. Certification: Engineering technicians may be certified by the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies, an organization sponsored by the National Society of Professional Engineers. Certification by the Institute will be helpful as a measure of the technician's quality of experience. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Architecture Attention to Detail Building and Construction Contracting/Procurement 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: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. Most of the work is performed indoors in a well-lit, temperature and sound controlled office setting. However, incumbent may be exposed to the hazards of weather, dirt, dust, etc. associated with construction settings while making "on-site" inspections of assigned projects. Incumbent must be physically able to climb, crawl, walk, stoop, sit and stand to perform assigned duties. Incumbent is also expected to comply with all safety codes and other practices described in the Engineering and Medical Center Safety Manuals. Work Environment: Most of the work is indoors in a well-lighted, temperature and sound controlled office setting. However, incumbent may be exposed to the hazards of tripping, falling, shock, burns, dust, fluids, chemicals and/or a variety of diseases when making "on-site" inspections. Incumbent must comply with all safety codes and other practices described in the Engineering Service and Medical Center Safety Manuals. 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/. Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or 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. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. 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.