Utility Systems Repairer-Operator Job in Togus, ME

Vacancy No. CBTD-12737318-25-MES Department Veterans Health Administration
Salary $27.96 to $32.63 Grade 10 to 10
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 7/23/2025 Close Date 12/19/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Togus, ME


Summary

This Utility Systems Repairer-Operator (USRO) position is in Facility Management Service at the VA Maine Healthcare System located at the Togus, Maine location. This position is full time at 40 hours per week.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

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

Duties

This Utilities Systems Repairer-Operator works in both the Boiler and the Chiller Plants performing operation, maintenance, and repair of four high pressure boilers, three centrifugal chillers, three cooling towers, one steam absorption chiller, and all associated equipment, piping, and controls.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

  • Check operating equipment in Boiler plant regularly; monitors the building automation system; medical gas alarm panels; elevator emergency call systems; and temperature monitors for temperature and humidity.
  • During normal working hours, the incumbent fields, and routes hot and cold calls as well as other Engineering service calls.
  • Check the operational safety of equipment to ensure optimal operation such as flame extension, low water cutout, low and high-water alarms, and high-pressure cutouts.
  • Repack and replaces pumps, valves, greasing oil pumps, valves, and control linkages.
  • Operate the equipment, initiates the regeneration of water softeners when tests indicate hardness in the water. Operates, repairs, and maintains support equipment such as deaerator tank, condensate storage tanks, associated pumps, chemical injection systems, and air-control systems.
  • Chiller Plant operations, repair and maintenance duties include hourly checks of all operating equipment in the chiller plant; each shift making inspections of the cooling towers and utility tunnels, and daily checking the bulk oxygen storage facility.
  • Maintain the chiller plant and all peripheral equipment including pumps, piping, etc.; heating and ventilation units, exhaust fans, and all other similar equipment involved in the chiller plant.
  • Perform operator-level preventative and corrective maintenance on boilers, chillers, cooling towers, exhaust equipment, pumps, steam traps, compressors, and other associated equipment.
  • Inspect, adjusts, and repairs all boiler control safety devices, instrumentation, flow meters, etc. and must inspect repairs and adjustments made by contractors.
  • Use tools such as manometers, multi-meters, combustion analyzers, test gauges, infrared thermometers, and dead weight testers.
  • Perform major and minor repairs to equipment in accordance with VA regulations and directives, ASME boiler and pressure vessel codes, ASHRAE standards, facility policies, and good engineering practice.
  • Check the operation of Honeywell and Centrak systems.
  • Maintain daily log sheets of boiler operations and checks all readings for indications of inefficient or dangerous operating conditions of chillers and auxiliary equipment.
  • In the case of power failure, the incumbent is responsible for operating boilers and chillers under the emergency power generators provided at each building, which are used for the continuous operation of all electrical equipment in the power plant.
  • After normal business hours, the operator receives calls directed to Facilities Management and performs first response actions to trouble calls, including elevator entrapments, throughout the campus and corrects problems within training and capabilities that can be done in a short time.
  • Responsible for maintaining an accurate and complete log of conditions and events during his/her tour, and the turnover of items requiring further attention to the appropriate shop.


Work Schedule: Full Time Sunday-Saturday - All hours
Position Description Title/PD#: Utility Systems Repairer-Operator/PD035490
Compressed/Flexible Work Schedule: Not Authorized
Telework/Virtual/Remote Work: Not authorized
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives: May be authorized
Financial Disclosure: Not required

Notifications:
  • This position is in an AFGE Bargaining Unit position.
  • This position is in the Competitive Service.
  • Veterans' preference does not apply
  • 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.

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.
  • Must pass a pre-employment physical
  • 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.

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 (other than blueprint reading)
  • Materials
  • Measuring Instruments
  • Technical Practices
  • 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 Requirements: Frequently work in confined areas in and around boilers. Requires moderate to strenuous effort and long periods of walking, standing, climbing, bending, and crouching. Frequently lift and carry boiler parts and chemical supplies weighing up to 50 pounds unassisted. Occasionally, and with assistance, carries items weighing over 50 pounds.

Working Conditions: Mainly works indoors, but occasionally works outdoors for short periods of time. Exposed frequently to temperature extremes, drafts, dampness, water, and noise for work conditions. The majority of work takes place in an industrial environment. The position will frequently encounter ladders, catwalks, confined spaces, etc. The position could be subjected to hazards normally encountered in the trade. The position requires working rotating shifts and overtime. The position requires the donning and wearing of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) suitable to mitigate the appropriate hazards.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Additional information

THIS OPEN & CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT (OCA) ESTABLISHES A STANDING REGISTER OF ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS, which closes on 06/26/2025. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be 12/19/2025 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.

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.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/.

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.

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.

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

Résumé Reminder:

Your résumé must include the following information each job listed:

  1. Job title
  2. Duties (be as detailed as possible)
  3. Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
  4. Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week).
Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your résumé. Be sure that your résumé clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.An incomplete application will receive a rating of IFFM (ineligible due to missing forms). Requests for reconsideration will not be considered for applicants who fail to submit a complete application package. We cannot be held responsible for incompatible software or fax transmissions. The following documents are accepted and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to 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.

Required Documents

Documents Accepted:

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

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. 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.

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 12/19/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12737318.

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

Marays Soto
Address
VA Maine Healthcare System
1 VA Center
Augusta, ME 04330
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.


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