• Perform operational maintenance and repair of a hydroelectric power plant.
• Perform testing, adjustments, and preventive maintenance on mechanical equipment.
• Perform scheduled and emergency repairs on mechanical equipment such as pumps, compressors, fans, gear boxes, valves, hydraulic cylinders, heat exchangers, and hoisting equipment.
• Perform shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), and oxyacetylene welding on pipe, structural steel, sheet metal, and hydraulic turbine runners
• Operate power generating units from the control room at remotely controlled power plants during abnormal conditions under directions from the centralized control center controllers and other senior power plant personnel

Conditions of employment

• Incumbent is required to know, comply with, and promote prescribed safety rules and regulations.
• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• Pre-employment and random drug testing is required.
• Pre-employment and annual physical examinations are required.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens

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; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

There is no specific length of training or experience required. However, you must be able to demonstrate, through experience shown in your written application materials that you possess the sufficient knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the work of this position without more than normal supervision.

Minimum Qualifications (Screen Out Element): Ability to do the work of a POWER PLANT MECHANIC A without more than normal supervision. This includes performing preventive maintenance and repairs on mechanical equipment (generators, hydraulic/digital governors, turbines, pumps, air compressors, cranes, bearings, piping systems, HVAC equipment) at multi-purpose hydroelectric generating plants, steam plants, or nuclear plant - Failure to meet this Screen out Element will result in an ineligible rating.

• PHYSICAL EFFORT: Work tasks require that the incumbent be capable of rapid simultaneous mental and muscular coordination in conjunction with eye and hand coordination to operate switches and controls in accordance with meter indications. Machine work, welding, soldering and other specialized tasks require dexterity and the use of both hands. In order to perform the maintenance, inspection and operation of power station equipment, the incumbent must be able to lift and carry heavy objects of 45 pounds and over, climb ladders, reach above the shoulders, stand, sit, crawl and kneel for prolonged periods and perform repeated bending. To use power plant communications, normal speech and hearing are necessary. To recognize color codes, incumbent must have normal correctable vision and normal color vision. The incumbent must be able to operate cranes and motor vehicles.
• WORKING CONDITIONS: The incumbent will work primarily inside around machinery in operation; in close proximity to high and low voltage circuits and climbs stairs frequently. Sometimes work will be performed outside in weather of varying degree of temperature and humidity, in tight or cramped (confined) work spaces, below ground, above water, at heights, on ladders or scaffolds, and on slippery or uneven walking surfaces. Occasionally the incumbent will use solvents, de-greasing agents, or other chemical agents, and be assigned to protracted or irregular hours of work; use both hands in water and is exposed to silica, dust, asbestos, oil, grease, constant or excessive noise, vibration, and smoke and gas fumes. Working around machinery with moving parts, moving objects, and moving vehicles is to be expected. The incumbent will be working closely with others and/or alone depending on assigned daily activities. Personal protective safety devices will be supplied to the worker when in an area of hazardous exposure. Examples of devices are hard hats, safety shoes, safety goggles and glasses fresh air breathing masks, gloves, dust and smoke respirators, ear muffs, insulated gloves and safety grounds. When in an area of hazardous exposure, the incumbent will wear the appropriate personal safety device.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position.

The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public Announcements.

As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

1. Your resume:

• Your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.
• For each relevant work experience, make sure you include the employer's name, job title, start and end dates (include month and year), for qualifications purposes, the number of hours worked per week, and a brief description that show you can perform the tasks at the required level listed in the job announcement. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you may not receive consideration for this position.
• Use plain language. Avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood. The hiring agency will not make assumptions about what's in your resume.
• If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations, and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
• For additional information, to include formatting tips, see: What to include in your resume.

2. Other supporting documents:

• Cover Letter, optional
• Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable

NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.

Next steps