Boiler Plant Operator Job in Iron Mountain, MI

Vacancy No. IM-12778635-25-JTN Department Veterans Health Administration
Salary $28.76 to $33.56 Grade 9 to 9
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 8/7/2025 Close Date 8/18/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Iron Mountain, MI


Summary

This position is located at the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain, Michigan in the Operations Section of Engineering Service. The Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center is a complexity level 3 facility. Incumbent is a Boiler Plant Operator having responsibility for the continuous operations and maintenance of a Class II H.P. steam generating plant, with 125 p.s.i. pressure and approximately 45,000 lb. per hour output.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.

Duties

Major duties and responsibilities include:

  • Boiler Operation and Maintenance
    • Incumbent is responsible for operation and maintenance of gas-fired boilers using No. 2 oil as a standby energy source and all associated equipment such as Weishaupt burners with a forced draft blowers and variable frequency drives, electric exhaust and fresh air intake blowers/dampers with variable frequency drives, air handling unit with variable frequency drive for combustion air, electronic combustion control systems, centrifugal feed water pumps with variable frequency drives, two-element drum level regulators, a de-aerating/condensate storage tank, reverse osmosis system with a 500 gallon storage tank, Ecolab direct chemical feed system, regulatory valves, governors, low water cut-outs, flow meters, gas analyzers, two 10,000 gal. per hour capacity sodium zeolite systems and an air compressor with dryer.
  • Preventive Maintenance & Repairs on Boilers and Auxiliary Equipment
    • Incumbent is responsible for preventative maintenance and repairs on all boilers to include cleaning and touch up painting, making regular tests of boiler water samples, adding chemicals and blowing down boilers as necessary to maintain recommended boiler water chemical composition.
  • Safety Device Testing
    • Perform safety device testing as indicated in directives, manuals, standard operating procedures, ect. and maintain records of production and other data pertinent to reports as required.
  • Monitor Enunciator & Alarm Panels
  • Preventive Maintenance on VA Vehicles & Equipment
  • Preventive Maintenance/Customer Service for DAV Vans & GSA Vehicles
  • Other duties as assigned

Work Schedule: Various shifts: including days, nights, weekends, and holidays
Position Description Title/PD#: Boiler Plant Operator/PD20163O
Physical Requirements: Incumbent is required to lift up to 100 pounds and sometimes more. He/she occasionally works overhead. He/she must lift, bend and stoop, working in cramped positions.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
  • Subject to a background/suitability investigation
  • May serve a probationary period
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc.
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents).
  • Effective May 7, 2025, driver’s licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

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. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards.

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 Job Elements:
  • Chemistry
  • Operation of Equipment/Machinery
  • Safety Engineering
  • Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment


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.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

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 (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more 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. 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.

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.

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

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.

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 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 WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.

Required Documents

Documents Accepted:

  • Cover Letter
  • Other (1)
  • Resume


Documents Required:
  • Resume


Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application. Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.

Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply.

Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.

How to Apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online.

To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 08/18/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12778635.

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. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.

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

John Newingham
Address
Oscar G Johnson Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility
325 East H Street
Iron Mountain, MI 49801
US

Next steps

After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.