SummaryThis position is located in the Facility Management Service (FMS) Capital Improvement Section of the El Paso VA Healthcare System. The incumbent serves as a consultant to the Healthcare Engineers, Interior Designers, Space Planners, and Capital Improvement Supervisor. The incumbent provides direction and review of professional and technical programs; professional engineering work in several disciplines, such as civil, electrical, mechanical, biomedical, environmental, and safety engineering.
Learn more about this agencyDutiesHelp
Assists and provides analysis, designs, modifications, plans, installations, administers, and the construction of a multitude of assignments and projects. Specifically, the incumbent assists the general engineers who perform maintenance of facilities, structures, and all electrical systems, which operate within the facility.
Prepares plans, specifications, and estimates for complex projects, which include multidisciplinary architectural, fire and safety, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, telecommunication, analog and digital electronics, and hazardous material abatement design. Works with Chief Engineer and Engineering Staff for the efficient and effective implementation of the Major Construction projects; keeps Chief Engineer abreast of plans for continuous and ongoing major projects in concert with contractors and FSS. Ensures the Facility Support Services (FSS) staff and contractors are aware of the expectations of Engineering management. Prepares project documents for inclusion in the multi-year facility plan and for submission to the Network, VHACO, and VACO, requesting authorization and funding; prepares magnitude estimates for projects ranging from minor maintenance to large NRM for advanced budget planning. Prepares detailed cost estimates and justification of need for new construction, renovation, maintenance/repair and equipment installation projects. Performs technical calculations/measurements to verify most cost-effective methods for building/space design. Evaluates survey/measured data obtained, incorporating salient features into design considerations and solutions; reviews construction contract specifications for compliance with NFPA Life Safety Codes and co-ordinates actions with Regional Safety and Fire Prevention Engineering Staff. Ensures required Interim Life Safety Measures are established and implemented during all phases of construction. Administers contracts for compliance, evaluates submissions, and processes payment applications and invoices within required time frames.
Prepares contract drawings and specifications for competitively bid construction and maintenance repair work at this VA Medical Center. Also prepares drawings for outpatient clinic (OPC) level projects. Duties include architectural design, mechanical and electrical design, fire sprinkler design, lighting design, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, ventilation design and asbestos abatement design. Performs assessments in areas of maintenance and repair or remodeling to help determine the presence of asbestos. Assists consulting architects and engineers with design of competitively bid construction and maintenance and repair work. Provides existing as built drawings, field measurements, VA construction standards and VA construction specifications. Reviews preliminary design drawings and specifications for errors and omissions and technical soundness. Performs field measurements and gathers engineering data necessary for preparing construction drawings and specifications. Reviews shop drawings and submittals from contractors during construction of new structures or renovation of existing structures for compliance with specifications. Prepares construction progress reports and payment requests for contract construction projects. As required, assists in orientation of any temporary technician or draftsman when assigned to the project section.
Prepares detailed cost estimates for competitively bid construction projects and maintenance and repair work. Serves as Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) on projects and inspects competitively bid construction and maintenance and repair projects to insure compliance with drawings and specifications. Works with General Contractor to resolve problems that arise due to error or differing site conditions. Coordinates all projects with using service, from conception to completion. Reviews change order requests from contractors for accuracy and cost control and negotiates, when necessary. Maintains record drawings of all Station and Domiciliary structures and grounds utilizing AutoCad programs. Makes necessary changes to keep drawings current as remodeling occurs. Record drawings are low priority and accomplished only as time allows. Performs energy audits of buildings and building service equipment and systems. Performs calculations on energy consumption and prepares proposals for reducing energy consumption.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm. (Work schedule subject to change based on agency needs) - The tour of duty may include holidays, weekends, and rotating shifts.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Engineering Technician/PD01283A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
RequirementsHelp
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: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
- 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)
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial 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.
QualificationsTo qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/06/2026.
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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-08. 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.
INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENTS- BASIC REQUIREMENT: 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 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.
In addition to the individual occupational requirements, you may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:- Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-8 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: knowledge of building codes and standards; knowledge of construction practices; requirements for asbestos management; drafting; use of personal computers and AutoCad program. MUST BE ABLE TO DO THE FOLLOWING: prepare, read and interpret engineering and structural drawings and specification; knowledge of building materials; prepare detailed cost estimates utilizing cost estimating software and Excel; inspects building materials and workmanship; uses construction engineering equipment (calculators, transits, levels and squares, measuring instruments, etc); communicates with contractors, contracting officers and management officials; monitors complete construction projects; prepares reports; and knowledge of safety procedures and fire protection. OR,
- Education: Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above ONLY in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. I have two full years of graduate education or a master's degree to meet the requirement at the GS-9 grade level in an appropriate field of engineering, construction, or industrial technology (Transcripts Required). OR,
- Combination: Equivalent combination of experience and education beyond a Bachelor's degree is qualifying. Education must be in an appropriate field of engineering, construction, or industrial technology (Transcripts Required).
For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at ;br>
EducationA 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>
NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.
Additional informationUnder 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.
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. 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.
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 qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at ;br>
Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.
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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.
BenefitsHelp
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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.
