Pipefitter

Pipefitter

Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration

Department of Veterans Affairs

Multiple Locations

Starting at $31.24 (WG 10)

Permanent • Monday to Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm

Open 03/20/2019 to 09/30/2019

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Overview

Open & closing dates

 03/20/2019 to 09/30/2019

Service

Competitive

Pay scale & grade

WG 10

Salary

$31.24 to $36.40 per hour

Appointment type

Permanent

Work schedule

Full-Time - Monday to Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm

Locations

2 vacancies in the following locations:

Menlo Park, CA

1 vacancy

Palo Alto, CA

1 vacancy

Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

Telework eligible

No

This job is open to

Federal employees - Competitive service

Current or former competitive service federal employees.

Individuals with disabilities

Veterans

Announcement number

CBCF-10440523-19-KRK-BU-OCA

Control number

527937700

Duties

Summary

The Pipefitter, WG-4204-10, is located at the Plumbing and Machine Shop any site within the Engineering Service of the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. Repairs, modifies, maintains, installs and performs maintenance and preventive maintenance on medical gas, air and vacuum distributions systems and equipment as well as hot and cold water and steam distribution systems and equipment, including piping, lagging, hangers, expansion joints, various types of valves and control devices.

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Responsibilities

Position Description Title/PD#: Pipfitter/ 6020-A

***RELOCATION INCENTIVE/RECRUITMENT INCENTIVE IS NOT AUTHORIZED.***

The major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Repairs, modifies, maintains, installs and performs maintenance and preventive maintenance on medical gas, air and vacuum distributions systems and equipment as well as hot and cold water and steam distribution systems and equipment, including piping, lagging, hangers, expansion joints, various types of valves and control devices.

Maintains, installs, fabricates and repairs all types of steam and air tarps unit heaters, radiators, convectors, flash tanks, condensate pumps, hydraulic systems, hot water generators air compressors and sprinkler systems.

Repairs, installs, maintains and performs preventive maintenance. on all types of plumbing fixtures and equipment, including commodes, sinks, whirlpool baths, basins, lavatories, drinking fountains, etc.

Maintains repairs and installs other equipment, systems and appearances such as heating and ventilating systems and ductwork, irrigation systems, fire sprinkler systems, etc.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status

No

Promotion Potential

None

Job family (Series)

4204 Pipefitting

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job.

Subject to a background/suitability investigation.

Designated and/or random drug testing may be required.

Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.

PHYSICAL EFFORT/REQUIREMENTS: Work requires good coordination and good physical condition. Pipefitter is required to make installations and repairs from ladders, scaffolding, and platforms and from other hard to reach places. This requires the incumbent to walk, stand, step, bend, kneel, climb, crawl and work in uncomfortable positions, and to pull, push, reach over the shoulder and lift heavy supplies and/or equipment weighing up to 100 pounds. Must have rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, good hearing, good depth perception and the ability to distinguish · basic colors and shades of colors. Glasses are permitted.

WORKING CONDITIONS: Work is both outside and inside in areas of medium to excessive heat, cold, humidity, dampness or chilling areas that have intennittent noise, dust , fumes, grease, dirt, oil, with exposure to electrical wires and energy. Areas may be sfippery and/or uneven surfaces, in equipment rooms, tunnels, crawl spaces, pen1houses, overhead catwalks, and scaffolding and/or in tight areas such as manholes and electrical (equipment) closets.Some work is around equipment and machinery with moving parts and there are other hazards such as exposure to steam and hot water fines, pumps and other equipment, etc.

Qualifications

Your background must demonstrate experience in installing, modifying, and repairing new and existing high-pressure piping systems and equipment such as steamheating, steam generation, and hydraulic systems, steam generators, flash and expansion tanks, condensate, vacuum, and circulating pumps, and radiators. The pipefitters work from building plans, blueprints, and sketches to plan and lay out the routing, placement, pitch, elevation, pressure reduction, expansion, and operation of various piping systems and equipment. They install, modify, and repair systems like those described above by setting up system routes, placing and cutting route openings, placing hangers for proper pitch and elevation, and determining and installing such things as risers, flexible branches, expansion joints, pumps, gauges, and pressure regulators in the combination needed to support the pressures of the systems and that ensure the proper operation of the systems. 

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 or OF-612. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Qualification Standard Handbook X-118C ( www.opm.gov/qualifications/x-118c ).

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.

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR: This position includes a Selective Placement Factor (skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration.

Selective Placement Factor for this position is: possess and maintain an appropriate valid state driver's license.

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 questions. The screen-out element(s) for this position is:

Ability to do the work of a Pipefitter without more than normal supervision.

JOB ELEMENTS: Those who meet the minimum level of experience and training for the screen-out element will then be evaluated in each of the following job elements:

PLUMBING AND PIPEFITTING

USE AND MAINTAIN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

INTERPRET INSTRUCTIONS, SPECIFICATIONS (INCLUDES BLUEPRINT READING)

TECHNICAL COMPETENCE

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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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.

Additional information

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. Contact the Agency Contact on the last page of the JOA for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

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.

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 employees 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.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations where patients receive care or who come into contact with VA patients as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, paid and unpaid, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, students, researchers, volunteers, and trainees who work at these facilities. HCP that are unable to receive or otherwise decline a flu shot will be expected to wear a face mask throughout the influenza season.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

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How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE CANNOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Your résumé and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance

Other

Drug test required

No

Required Documents

All applicants are requires to submit the following supporting documents based on applicability:

Resume (Required for ALL applicants)

DD-214 (if applying as a Veteran)

Other Veterans Documents (if applicable - e.g. VBA Letter)

SF-15 (if Veteran claiming 10 point preference)

Non-Award SF-50 (VA, other Federal Employees, and Reinstatement eligible)

In addition to the above documents, applicants may also submit the following:

Cover Letter

OF-306 Declaration for Federal Employment https://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/of0306.pdf(Required if selected)

Please use this checklist to ensure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

Need help building your resume? Please visit USAJOBS - Support https://my.usajobs.gov/support#Account-Resumes for assistance.

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference on the Occupational Questionnaire in the section provided and provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) and/or documentation related to your active duty service which shows dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), or dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veterans Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. For more information, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx.

Faxing Applications or Supporting Documents: You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. If you are unable to apply online or unable to upload your supporting documents to your online application, follow the directions located at the following site: Fax Options. The Vacancy ID of the job opportunity announcement is 10440523.

NOTE: If you applied online and your application is complete, do not fax the paper application (1203-FX) as this will overwrite your prior online responses and may result in you being found ineligible.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Benefits

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. Learn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

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.

How to Apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online.

To apply for this position, you must complete the TAG:Link to Full Questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on TAG:Closing Date to receive consideration.

1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.

2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. 

NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. 

To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Agency contact information

 Katherine Kierulf

Phone

(650)694-6000 X15162

Email

[email protected]

Address

Palo Alto VA Medical Center

3801 Miranda Avenue

Palo Alto, CA 94304

US

Next steps

After we receive your complete application package (including all required documents), your qualifications will be reviewed and assigned an initial rating. We will also review your application to make sure that your résumé supports the answers given in the questionnaire. If your résumé does not support your questionnaire answers, we will adjust your rating accordingly. Based on your ranking or numerical score, you may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. You will be notified when your rating is determined.

After the vacancy announcement closes and a referral certificate is issued, applicants will be notified of their status by email (if provided); otherwise, applicants will receive a notification letter via the U.S. Postal Service. Referred applicants will receive a final notification once a decision has been made.

You may also check the status of your application at any time by logging onto your USAJobs account and clicking on "Application Status." For a more detailed update of your status, click on "more information." Information regarding applicant notification points can be found in the USAJobs Resource Center.

Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is setup to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) for federal employees & job applicants

Reasonable Accommodation Policy

Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should follow the instructions in the job opportunity announcement. For any part of the remaining hiring process, applicants should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

A reasonable accommodation is any change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that enables an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform job duties or receive equal access to job benefits.

Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodations when:

An applicant with a disability needs an accommodation to have an equal opportunity to apply for a job.

An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to perform the essential job duties or to gain access to the workplace.

An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to receive equal access to benefits, such as details, training, and office-sponsored events.

You can request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application or hiring process or while on the job. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Learn more about disability employment and reasonable accommodations or how to contact an agency.