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Engineering Technician (High Voltage Electrical)

Smithsonian Institution
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. This position is located in Smithsonian Institution’s Office of Facilities Management and Reliability (OFMR). OFMR provides the full range of building services through eight maintenance and operational zones.

More than one selection may be made from this announcement.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
05/27/2025 to 06/10/2025
Salary
$69,923 to - $131,826 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 09 - 12
Location
Washington, DC
FEW vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Work requires travel away from the normal duty station on a regular basis.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent - Federal
Work schedule
Full-time - Full-Time, Permanent
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
25R-SC-312423-MPA-FM
Control number
837512500

Duties

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The Engineering Technician (High Voltage electrical) serves under the general supervision of a manager of the Systems Engineering Division (SED).  The employee is responsible for providing maintenance on high voltage systems.

In this position, you will:

  • Prepare plans, specifications, and cost estimates for small, in-house electrical projects.
  • Test and troubleshoot aspects of the Smithsonian-owned high voltage controlling and distributing systems in high voltage vaults, and underground and overhead power lines to include infrared thermography, transformer and switchgear testing, and motor circuit evaluation as part of the Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) program.
  • Analyze, draw conclusions, evaluate and report on complex system operation and functions and problems in high voltage electrical system maters that have not been explored previously.
  • Write an evaluation report of findings and recommendations.

Major Duties has a 350 character limit to save the announcement.

Major Duties has a 350 character limit to save the announcement.

Major Duties has a 350 character limit to save the announcement.

Major Duties has a 350 character limit to save the announcement.

Major Duties has a 350 character limit to save the announcement.

Major Duties has a 350 character limit to save the announcement.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation
  • May need to complete a Probationary Period
  • Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer
  • Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.

Conditions of Employment

Qualification requirements, including one year time-in-grade at the next lower grade level for promotion candidates, must be met within 30 days of the job announcement closing date. See the 'Required Documents' section for additional information.

  • A valid state driver's license is required.
  • Call back and emergency overtime are regular requirements of this position.
  • Work requires travel away from the normal duty station on a regular basis.
  • Must be able to distinguish colors and shades of colors.
  • May be required to participate in respirator and other health programs that relate to the exposure of dust, asbestos, lead, etc.

For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions viewable on OPM Website.

Qualifications

Experience:

Grade 9: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-7 level in the Federal Service or comparable pay band system.  For this position Specialized experience is defined as performing routine maintenance on high voltage systems; preparing plans, specifications and cost estimates for in house electrical projects including load computation and distribution system lay out.

Grade 11: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 level in the Federal Service or comparable pay band system.  For this position Specialized experience is defined as
 independently analyzing and resolving complex problems on high voltage systems; writing detailed engineering specifications for contracts to maintain and repair high voltage systems; and being part of a team that has performed major overhaul of high voltage systems.


Grade 12: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal Service or comparable pay band system.  For this position Specialized experience is defined as
 leading teams in performing advanced testing and troubleshooting on high voltage systems.

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). 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.

Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.

Or Education: 

Grade 9 ONLY: Education is generally not applicable for the substitution of the 1 year of specialized experience. However, two full years of graduate education or a master's degree may be credited in those few instances where the graduate education is directly related to the work of the position.

Or a Combination: Education and experience may be combined to meet the basic qualifications. For a full explanation of this option please see the Qualification Standards. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are qualifying by education and/or you have education completed in a foreign college/university described above, it is your responsibility to provide transcripts and proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study. For instructions on where to fax these documents, see the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Additional information

  • This position is included in the bargaining unit.  

Recruitment Incentive: Recruitment incentive(s) may be authorized for this position.  However, approval for incentives are contingent upon various availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require the incumbent to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a certain time period.

Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid.

Selections may be made for vacancies across the Smithsonian Institution (SI). By applying to this position, you agree to allow your application and other personal information to be shared with one or more SI hiring officials for employment consideration for same/similar positions within the location(s) identified in this announcement.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your application will be evaluated first for the basic qualifications described above.  The applications that meet the basic qualifications will be evaluated further against the following criteria:

  • Knowledge of National Electrical Codes, building codes, and National Electrical Safety Codes, NFPA 70E and Electrical theory.

  • Knowledge of high voltage electrical systems to technically evaluate complex engineering proposals. 

  • Ability to perform all tasks associated with high voltage systems.

  • Ability to communicate in writing on matters concerning electrical systems in regard to plan reviews, training aids, testing of system applications, and other complex technical issues.

BASIS OF RATING:  Once the announcement closes, your application will be automatically evaluated and rated by the system and a Human Resources Specialist. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your application and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the occupational questionnaire. The numeric rating you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire. The score is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of this position. If, after the Human Resources Specialist reviews your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that the score you have received is not a true reflection of your qualifications and/or experience, your score can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect the information you provided that support your abilities. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Your resume should provide detailed information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA):  If you are applying for a VEOA appointment, you must be a veteran and must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed 3 or more years of active service. ("Active Service" under this law means active duty in a uniformed service and includes full-time training duty, annual training duty, full-time National Guard duty, and attendance, while in the active service, at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary concerned.) A veteran who is released under honorable conditions shortly before completing a 3-year tour is also eligible.

Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities:  The following links contain information on the eligibility requirements to be considered under a noncompetitive appointing authority:

Important Note:

Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire or other assessment tool for consistency. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your resume, you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience. Your resume should provide sufficient information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.


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