Electronics Technician Job in Charleston, SC

Vacancy No. CBTB-12774730-25-MG Department Veterans Health Administration
Salary $73,939.00 to $96,116.00 Grade 11 to 11
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 8/5/2025 Close Date 8/15/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Charleston, SC


Summary

This position serves as the Electronics Technician Manager under the authority of the Chief of Safety, in the Safety Service, Ralph H. Johnson Veteran Affairs Medical Center (RHJ VAMC) Charleston, SC; Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) in North Charleston, Goose Greek, Myrtle Beach, Beaufort, Savannah GA, Hinesville GA and the Vet Centers.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

This position is open to current federal employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Duties

Major duties include but are not limited to:

FIRE SAFETY PROGRAM

  • Develops and devises improvements and alterations to the most complex technical equipment, instruments or software; modifies and conducts complex tests, and analyzes results.
  • Plans, organizes and executes limited projects which require the solution of both design and operational problems; and advise engineering and technical support staff on design and operational problems relating to equipment and processes.
  • Performs preventive maintenance, testing and servicing for a broad range of other electronic equipment and devices related to fire detection, fire suppression, and fire damper systems. Inspects and corrects deficiencies in a variety of fire dampers, fire detection, and fire suppression systems.
  • Provides technical guidance to other HY AC mechanics to resolve issues related to fire detection systems. Analyzes readings/data obtained during operation, relates them to the technical data available.
FIRE ALARM SURVEILLANCE
  • Plans, organizes, implements, oversees and provides technical assistance for fire alarm system and associated issues.
  • Inspects and evaluates services periodically, as required, or in response to requests to identify and resolve problems or determine need for modernization, alteration, and repair.
  • Initiates action to resolve problems, including the initiation of end response to impact statements concerning the installation's activities on public safety, ecology, and environment.
  • Assignments include, but are not limited to: fire alarm and sprinkler installation, maintenance and the overall system management.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm EST
Telework: This position is not authorized for telework.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Electronics Technician/PD079680
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring field visits, investigations. The work requires some physical exertion, such as extended periods of standing, recurring bending, crouching, stooping or the lifting of moderately heavy objects. The incumbent may be required to lift equipment or supplies weighing up to 50 lbs.

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/trial period
  • 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 (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.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/15/2025.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current or former Federal employees, applying for reinstatement, and or for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment 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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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.

Basic Requirements: You must have the following:
  • knowledge of the techniques and theories characteristic of electronics, such as a knowledge of basic electricity and electronic theory, algebra, and elementary physics.
  • knowledge of electronic equipment design, development, evaluation, testing, installation, and maintenance.
  • knowledge of the capabilities, limitations, operations, design, characteristics, and functional use of a variety of types and models of electronic equipment and systems related to a full professional knowledge of electronic engineering.
Individual Occupational Requirements: In addition to meeting basic and specialized experience requirements listed above, applicants for this Electronics Technician position must meet the below Individual Occupational Requirements (IORs).

Trade, Craft or Labor Work Experience: Repairing systems and equipment to include detecting and diagnosing malfunctions, tearing down equipment, repairing or replacing parts or components, or aligning, calibrating and testing the modified or repaired equipment; Performing preventive and corrective maintenance to keep equipment and systems in reliable condition; installing equipment in accordance with plans, specifications, and detailed instructions, or reinstalling repaired or modified systems; Fabricating electronic equipment in accordance with plans, specifications, and instructions including constructing, assembling, arranging, mounting, or wiring electronic parts and components; and making measurements to diagnose malfunctions to ensure equipment operates within prescribed standards.
AND
Technical Work Experience Developing and designing test and repair equipment, analyzing repair practices, or developing procedural instructions on methods and steps of equipment repairs; Developing maintenance standards and procedures, testing and evaluating new or modified systems, or analyzing the compatibility of interlocking components and systems; Planning and directing the installation of complex systems and associated facilities, particularly where there are problems of site selection and construction; Designing and analyzing circuits, determining feasibility of these designs, evaluating equipment performance under varying environmental conditions, collecting data, or designing or modifying designs to achieve performance and cost objectives; and Developing or evaluating new or modified systems or monitoring frequency emissions by licensed stations.

Electronics technicians may have gained experience assisting in work situations including:
Maintenance - Developing maintenance standards and procedures for use by others. Analyzing repair practices and developing procedural instructions for use by others on methods and steps to repair equipment.
Installation - Planning and directing the installation of complex systems and associated facilities, particularly where there are site selection and construction problems, dealings with contractors and public utilities, and the possible need to modify equipment for novel site characteristics.
Fabrication - Designing and analyzing circuits, determining design feasibility, evaluating equipment performance under varying environmental conditions, and collecting performance data. Designing or modifying designs to achieve performance and cost objectives. Evaluating the adequacy of equipment for such purposes as repair, calibration, and testing.
Testing and Evaluation/Research and Development - Developing or evaluating new or modified electronic systems.
Sustainment - Developing, performing, evaluating, or modifying calibration and test equipment, systems, and procedures.
Troubleshooting - Analyzing and diagnosing faults in the operational configuration of electronic systems and equipment.


You may qualify for the GS-11 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-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: work as a technician, instructor, inspector, or mechanic that showed progression in theoretical and practical knowledge of electronic theory, and of the characteristics, function, operation, and capabilities of a variety of types of electronic equipment; use of schematic diagrams, a variety of test equipment, and the application of appropriate electronic formulas involved in such duties as testing, troubleshooting, modifying, designing, calibrating, installing, maintaining, repairing, constructing, developing, and instructing on electronic equipment, or similar functions; developing policies, standards, and procedures for maintenance, installation, or similar functions, provided the work clearly shows that the applicant applied a specialized knowledge of the theories and principles of a variety of electronic systems or equipment

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  • Communications
  • Creative Thinking
  • Electrical
  • Electronics Engineering


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.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

There is no education requirement.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or 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.

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.

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.

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.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

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.

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

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

  • Resume
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action


The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.
  • Cover Letter
  • License
  • Other (1)
  • Professional Certification
  • Resume
  • Separation Notice (RIF)
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
  • Transcript


SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):
  • Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
  • An SF-50 showing 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
  • Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
  • Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
    • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
    • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
    • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

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.

How to Apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 08/15/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12774730.

  1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS 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.

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 for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/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 http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Agency contact information

M. Nicole Goodbee
Address
Ralph H Johnson Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center
109 Bee Street
Charleston, SC 29401
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications 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. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

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.

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). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP 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 medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.


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