Clarification from the agency

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

The purpose of the Pipefitter position performs a variety of tasks involved in the maintenance of buildings, equipment and utilities systems. Primary responsibility will be in the plumbing and pipefitting trade. Duties includes, but are not limited to:

• Measure, cut, bend, and thread pipe and tile, and how to caulk and seal such things as elbows, union joints, tile pipe, faucets, and shower drains.
• Remove, clean, reinstall, or replace joints and fixtures, for example, traps, faucets, and unions.
• Have the skill needed to hook up equipment (for example, water heaters and
  disposal units) to installed systems, and replace sections of pipe and tile by following previously-used routes, hangers, and levels.
• Knowledge of how various supply, disposal, and utility systems and equipment, such as water and gas systems, fire sprinkler equipment, and water closets, are installed and operate.
• Ability to plan and lay out the installation and modification of various systems and equipment, for example, the routing, openings, slant, and level of gas and water lines, and the location and arrangement of water closets, sinks, and fire sprinkler equipment.
• Knowledge of how various high-pressure piping systems and equipment, such as steam heating, steam generation, and vacuum systems, radiators, and circulating pumps, are installed and operate.
• Know how relief valves, check valves, pressure regulators, expansion joints, and other pressure supporting and controlling devices are installed and how they operate to control
  increases and decreases in pressure, flow, circulation, and expansion in the systems.
• Able to lay out and install various kinds of piping, risers, and flexible branches at the proper level.
• Capable of reading blueprints, work orders, factory manual, operating instructions, etc.

Work Schedule: Full time, Monday-Friday 7:00am-3:30pm
Compressed/Flexible: Not authorized
Telework: Not authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Position Description Title/PD#: Pipefitter/00290A
Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Notifications:

• This position is in the Competitive Service.
• The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's.
• Current and former Federal employees may submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held. Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation.
• Selective Services Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical.
• 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.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this 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)
• Measurement and Layout
• Technical Practices
• Troubleshooting
• Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment
• Without more than normal supervision

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.

Physical Effort: Required to make repairs and installations from ladders, scaffolding, platforms, and other hard-to-reach places. This requires the incumbent to stand, stoop, bend, kneel, climb, and work in tiring and uncomfortable positions for prolonged periods of time. The work requires frequently lifting and carrying of tools, equipment, and parts that weigh up to 50 pounds and, less often, over 50 pounds.

Working Conditions: Exposed to a variety of weather conditions, both in the winter and summer, making repairs and installations on exterior work sites. During emergency repairs, extremes of bad weather are sometimes present. Many work sites are hot, cold, slippery, wet, dirty, dusty, greasy, poorly lit, cramped, and with unpleasant odors. Work locations include elevated platforms, man-holes where they are exposed to the danger from explosions of equipment and cables, high-voltage electrical shocks and burns. Occasionally, the incumbent will be required to work in the vicinity of asbestos containing materials necessitating the wearing of protective clothing and breathing masks. They may also be called upon to work extended periods of time to support emergency situations and power outages and may also be subject to call backs. The incumbent must work in a safe manner, wear appropriate PPE, and follow all applicable safety policy and practices.

How you will be evaluated

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

Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.

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

THIS OPEN & CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT (OCA) ESTABLISHES A STANDING REGISTER OF ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS, which closes on 3/13/2026. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be 12/16/2025 with subsequent reviews every other week as additional vacancies occur, or on an as-needed basis, until positions are filled. "What To Expect Next" area of the announcement which provides additional information on the referral process for this type of announcement.

Documents Required:

• Resume

Documents Accepted:

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Other (1)
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

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. 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