Engineering Technician

Summary

These positions are located within the Engineering Service, Project Design and Development Section at the Tennessee Valley Health Care System in Nashville, TN. The Engineering Technician duties include development, control, supervision and administration for alteration and improvement and new construction projects of multiple disciplines.

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Duties

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***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

Duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Developing a project from minimal information such as a scope of work or preliminary sketches.
• Meeting with program officials, researching components available, incorporating agency standards, studying site conditions, making engineering computations involving basic engineering principles, preparing estimates, etc.
• Preparing plans and specifications of sufficient detail to permit work to be accomplished by contractors without having to make foreseeable changes.
• Overseeing A/E contract work and directing the construction, work per contract.
• Coordinating, inspecting, supervising and administering construction activities.
• Using engineering principles to interpret technical drawings and specifications.
• Preparing reports and other project related correspondence as required by standard operating procedures or directives.
• Maintaining and updating the space allocations of the services in the medical centers, outpatient clinics, etc. in the computerized space management program and the CAD files.
• Performing computer aided drafting to develop and maintain all architectural and engineering drawings.
• Updating project reports, updating computer databases, review of contractor payments, effectively negotiating contracts, space planning/ programming/ layout, developing and review schedules, etc.
• Performing other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:00am to 3:30pm

Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not Authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Physical Requirements: Inspection of project work requires some physical exertion such as walking, standing, bending, lifting, climbing, and driving.
• 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 ( 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.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Required Documents" below for details.

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, 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 one of the following:

Experience: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-10) in the Federal Service. Technician experience includes supervising, leading or performing work involving applying a practical knowledge of the (1) methods and techniques of engineering or architecture and (2) construction, application, properties, operations, and limitations of engineering systems, processes, structures, machinery, devices and materials. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include 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 (i.e., planner/estimator who analyzed designs for production purposes; instrument maker/model maker who performed design or development work on devices fabricated). OR

Education: Successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education that is directly related to the work of the Engineering Technician position, such as engineering, construction, or industrial technology. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR

Combination: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond master's degree) and specialized experience, as described above. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at ;br>
Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

NOTE: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: ;br>
Additional information

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

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.

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.

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 80 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 ;br>
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.