Massachusetts Green Jobs

Summary This position is at the VA Medical Center in Brockton, MA. You will be responsible for the safe and continuous operation of the steam generation plant, with a capacity of up to 100,000 pounds of steam per hour. The boiler plant may contain water tube, fire tube, or both kinds of high-pressure boilers. Boiler plants are operated 24 hours per day, 7 days per week and a boiler plant operator must always be present while the plant is in operation. Responsibilities Duties may include, but may not be limited to the following: The Boiler Plant Equipment Mechanic installs, maintains, and repairs a variety of complex equipment and systems involving power boilers with complicated components, critical requirements, and rigid tolerances. Repair, troubleshoot, and maintain single-and-multiple fuel power boilers and associated auxiliary and pollution control equipment such as water treatment systems and chemical dispensers. Power boilers use oil, gas, coal, wood, or combination fuels in steam or hot water production and distribution plants. Power boilers serviced at this level typically include a variety of auxiliary components such as fuel delivery systems, induced draft fans, preheaters, de­aerating equipment, water treatment equipment, economizers, and air compressors that often require regular adjustment and maintenance to meet rigid tolerances. Monitors and tests the operation of power boiler systems to identify malfunctions and potential problems with equipment such as automatic controls, valves, piping, pumps, and related components. Examine, adjust, and as necessary, replace and repair equipment such as pneumatic and electrical thermostats, governors, regulators, switches, fuel cutoff devices, burners, fuel feed and flame safeguard controls, steam gland seals, bearings, and drive gears. Maintain burners, burner nozzles, and orifice assemblies, and dismantle and locate defects and reassemble and reinstall components. Service units by cleaning or replacing filters, strainers, orifices, ignition devices, and other items on power boilers. They maintain, repair, and troubleshoot power boilers and their components using specialized test equipment. Work Schedule: Full Time, Monday-Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized 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 Pre-employment physical required 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, you MUST meet the below requirements. (SCREEN-OUT): You MUST have the ability to do the work of a Boiler Plant Equipment Mechanic without more than normal supervision. This experience includes working at the Journeyman level installing, maintaining, and repairing a variety of complex equipment and systems involving power boilers, performing preventative and scheduled maintenance on plant systems and equipment. (Resume must support responses provided to the online questionnaire to receive credit.) AND PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK CONDITIONS: PHYSICAL EFFORT: Frequently carries and sets up parts and equipment that weighs up to 50 pounds. Hoists, holders, and pulleys are operated when removing units such as large compressors, pumps and valves. The Boiler Plant Equipment Mechanic makes repairs and installations from ladders, scaffolding and platforms, where the parts of systems worked on are frequently in hard-to-reach places; and stooping, stretching, bending, and kneeling are frequent. The incumbent works in tiring or uncomfortable positions for long periods. WORKING CONDITIONS: Most of the work is performed indoors on concrete surfaces where there is exposure to dust, dirt, chemicals, heat, steam, noise, and unpleasant odors. Repairers occasionally service equipment outdoors under adverse weather conditions. They are continually exposed to the potential for burns, electrical shocks, cuts, strains, bruises, and chemical irritations from cleaners or solvents. The incumbent is occasionally required to work outside on top of tall buildings, and in cramped areas with low overheads. Uncomfortable facemasks and personal protective clothing may be occasionally worn where there is possibility of exposure to toxic chemicals and fluids. 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 Troubleshooting 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 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. Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities (i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities), and/or disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. For more information on how to apply using this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator within the office, contact the facility Human Resources Department at (774) 826-1269. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. 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.