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.

As the Maintenance Mechanic, the incumbent's duties include, but are not limited to:
Electrical

• Understand the provisions of the National Electrical Code and be knowledgeable of the code to satisfactorily research special requirements or applications pertaining to low voltage systems.
• Identify electrical problems and define the repairs/upgrades required to ensure safe working and living environments throughout the medical center.
• Plan material and equipment requirements, and ancillary support operations supporting identified work.
• Possess skill to select proper wire gauges, insulation, protective devices and switching for a variety of equipment, lighting and miscellaneous electrical loads.
• Use common electrical hand and power tools and testing equipment as required.
• Circuit breaker resetting and troubleshooting; specifying replacement as required.

Carpentry

• Measure, cut, and construct using standard building materials.
• Measure, cut, construct, install, repair, and modify routine mill work, framing, benches, partitions, tables, furniture, etc.
• Operate and use a wide variety of specialty woodworking machines and tools.
• Operate and use a variety of tools by setting up, adjusting, and maintaining tools to meet required specifications.
• Plan and lay out carpentry projects.
• Plan, measure, and lay out carpentry materials using broad knowledge of wood materials and substitutes, with general and precision woodworking techniques.
• Plan, measure, and lay out carpentry materials using typical shop mathematics for complex and exact projects.
• Plan, measure, and lay out carpentry materials by interpreting complex or incomplete instructions, sketches, blueprints, and building codes.

Plumbing

• Repair plumbing systems.
• Install, modifying, and repairing new and existing utility, supply, and disposal systems.
• Repair equipment such as sewage, water, oil, and gas distribution systems and water closets, tubs, fire sprinkler systems, and showers.
• Work from building plans, blueprints, and sketches, to plan and lay out the routing, placement, slant, slope, fall, and proper operation, of systems and equipment.
• Use tools and equipment such as plumb bobs, mercury gauges, dividers, closet augers, hydrostatic pumps, lead pots.
• Steam system troubleshooting and repair including backflow prevention valves, steam control valves, radiators, and coils.

General Maintenance

• Lay floor tile. Install ceiling tile, lights and fixtures, receptacles, and switches.
• Plaster, paint, and carpentry work.
• Plumbing, such as minor repair of water and heating systems.
• Repair chairs. Install door closures and door stops.
• Hang bulletin boards, pictures, mirrors, fans, clocks, etc.
• Install casters on desks, chairs, food carts, etc.
• Mount paper towel holders, signs, and corner guards.
• Install safety treads on steps.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7am to 3:30pm or 7:30 to 4pm
Position Description Title/PD#: Maintenance Mechanic/PD50389A
Physical Requirements: he incumbent works from ladders, scaffolding and hydraulic platforms. He/She often works in portions of the utility systems requiring attention that are cramped, dirty and hard-to-reach locations. The work may involve prolonged crouching and standing and frequent stooping, bending, kneeling, climbing, and working in exhausting and uncomfortable positions. The incumbent frequently lifts or carries tools, equipment, ladders, scaffolding, parts and supplies up to 50 pounds. Occasionally, the incumbent will be required to lift and carry items over 50 pounds.

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
• A complete application package; including Resume, Transcripts, etc. is required
• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update the resumes in your profile before applying for a job. Resumes should include information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying. VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed.

Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement.

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 period, 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 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:

• Equipment Assembly, Installation, Repair
• Interpret Instructions, Specifications (includes blueprint reading)
• Materials
• Measuring Instruments
• Technical Practices

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.

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.

Documents Accepted:

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

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.

Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. We recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.

Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.

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

Next steps