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Engineering Technician (Electrical)

General Services Administration
Public Buildings Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This is a developmental position description: As an Engineering Technician (Electrical), you will assist with operating and performing technical support, maintenance of to the operation of back-up power, cooling plants and their distributions systems including miles of tunnels and buried piping systems.

Location of position: General Services Administration (GSA). Public Buildings Service (PBS), National Capital Region (NCR) Office of Facilities Program Support Division. Washington, DC.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open date: 08/16/2022
Closed date: 08/30/2022
Location
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$61,947 - $116,788 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 09 - 12
Promotion potential
12
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasion travel may be required to travel customer offices and GSA sites
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Top Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Announcement number
22PBSC875KTDE
Control number
671401000

Duties

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This position is a career developmental position to the Full Potential Level (FPL) GS-12

As an Engineering Technician (Electrical) you will perform the following duties:

GS-09/10 

  • Assist the Senior Electrical Engineering Technician in the engineering/maintenance staff responsible for providing technical and management support to the operation of the facilities and the distribution systems in the program areas of contract administration, project management, systems operation and oversight, project negations, occupational safety and health, fire safety; quality assurance and inspection programs, preventive maintenance, predictive maintenance; district-wide training program for subordinate personnel
  • Demonstrate a basic, and practical knowledge of, and experience in application of a wide range of concepts, practices, regulations, policies, and precedents sufficient to provide technical services on substantive functions and practices; Assist with performing routine and special generator plant maintenance; clean and adjusts generator units and all auxiliary equipment including ventilating fans and systems, changes air cleaner elements, clean crankcase breathers, lubricates bearings, changes coolant in the cooling systems, tests and adds corrosion inhibitors; adjusts and calibrates regulators, governors, circuit breakers, overload devices and switch gear.
  • Assist with examining and testing as a part of a rigid maintenance schedule, fuel storage tanks and supply lines and pump system; gauges, indicators, and meters; air cleaners, and turbo charges; fuel injectors and manifolds, exhaust silencers and engine exhaust systems; diesel engines, and automatic engine controls; Assist with performing routine and special generator plant maintenance; clean and adjusts generator units and all auxiliary equipment including ventilating fans and systems, changes air cleaner elements, clean crank case breathers, lubricates bearings, changes coolant in the cooling systems, tests and adds corrosion inhibitors; adjusts and calibrates regulators, governors, circuit breakers, overload devices and switch gear; Assist with performing equipment and system analyses to improve operational practices and procedures and identify and develop alternative measures to enhance efficiency and cost effectiveness of system operation; Effectively respond to customer inquiries and resolves customer complaints. Create a relationship with customers that builds trust, exhibits a positive, caring, and professional attitude.
  • Assist with communicating with customers regularly, effectively, and proactively to ensure end product/service meets customer's expectation; Work to improve customer satisfaction, as measured by national/regional measurement tools.

GS-11/12

  • Evaluate energy conservation techniques, equipment for application, track evolving weather forecasts, correlate system heating and cooling loads with weather parameters; 
  • Maintain records and data on system-wide performance/efficiencies. In accordance with general instructions from the building or plant manager, perform the following during a rotating shift: Start and place generators in service as required by the demand for power, adjusting voltage regulators, equalizing the phase voltage, synchronizing the generators, adjusting governors, and closing the circuit breakers. 
  • Make frequent inspections of all phases of work, conduct engineering test, furnish technical assistance to supervisor/team leader, and initiate or recommend corrective action or improvement in operation, maintenance, repair and administration of plant equipment and systems. Complete start-up and test for new system and equipment to ensure that correct procedures are used and that all manufacturers' recommendations are followed
  • Perform power and cooling plant electrical equipment and controls systems analyses to improve plant operation and maintenance practices and procedures and identify and develop implementation plans; For alternative measures which will enhance the efficiency and cost effectiveness of the plant operation. Perform trouble shooting and repair of controls, instrumentation, monitoring devices, distributive control systems and other electrical/electronic equipment within the power plant and associated operation spaces.
  • Perform calibration of controls, instrumentation, monitoring devices, distributive control systems and other electrical/electronic equipment within the power plant and associated operational spaces; Make regular inspections of work, conduct engineering test, furnish technical assistance to supervisor, and initiate or recommend corrective action or improvement in the operation, maintenance, repair, and administration of the plant; read industry literature to stay abreast of start-of-the-art methods in an exemplary manner.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship or National
  • Meet all eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must have registered with the Selective Service
  • Direct Deposit of salary check to financial organization required.

If selected, you must meet the following conditions:

  • Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non­-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.
  • Serve a one year probationary period, if required.
  • Undergo and pass a background investigation (Tier 5 investigation level). You must be granted this clearance before you can start the job.
  • Have your identity and work status eligibility verified if you are not a GSA employee. We will use the Department of Homeland Security’s e-Verify system for this. Any discrepancies must be resolved as a condition of continued employment.
  • Submit to periodic and random drug testing where a urinalysis will be used to screen for illegal drug use. 
  • Perform work inside and outside and in dirty, greasy, and noisy conditions. You will be exposed to hazards of electrical shock, burns, cuts, bruises, dust, and other injuries. You may be required to undergo a medical examination before you start work because of these conditions.
  • Incumbent is routinely required to travel and may be exposed to slippery or uneven ground, failing objects, constructions and site conditions, noise, dust and environment or other discomforts and hazards.
  • The employee must travel to customer offices and GSA sites: climbing over, under and around equipment, walking through tunnels using catwalk and ladders, and some bending and light lifting.  In these facilities safety equipment such as hard hats, safety shoes, and eye protection are worn. Specialized equipment for asbestos may also be required. Some work is performed in an office setting. 

Qualifications

For each job on your resume, provide:

  • the exact dates you held  each job (from month/year to month/year)
  • number of hours per week you worked (if part time).

If you have volunteered your service through a National Service program (e.g., Peace Corps, Americorps), we encourage you to apply and include this experience on your resume.

NOTE: Qualifications are based on length and level of experience.  Therefore, in addition to describing duties performed, applicants must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours per week if part time.  Qualification determinations cannot be made when resumes do not include the required information, so failure to provide this information may result in disqualification.

For a brief video on creating a Federal resume, click here.

If you are a new federal employee, your starting salary will likely be set at the Step 1 of the grade for which you are selected.

The GS-09 salary range starts at $61,947 per year. To qualify at the GS-09 , you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level or higher in the Federal service. 

Specialized experience is performing non-professional engineering technical work in functions such as inspecting, analyzing, diagnosing, troubleshooting, performing maintenance on instrumentation, emission monitoring devices, distribution control systems and other electrical/electronic equipment within a Power Generation Plant.

OR  have a Masters or equivalent graduate degree, or two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such degree or a LL.B. or J.D.. This education is related to the position being filled

OR  possess a combination of higher level graduate education and experience that when combined together qualify me for this position.
The GS-10 salary range starts at $ 68,217  per year. To qualify at the GS-10 you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level or higher in the Federal service. 
Specialized experience is performing work in function such as applying electrical/electronic engineering principles, concepts and practices with an emphasis on distribution control systems as it relates to the maintenance and repair construction of Power Generation Plan equipment.
The GS-11 salary range starts at $ 74,950 per year. To qualify at the GS-11, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-10 level or higher in the Federal service.  
Specialized experience is work that has provided a practical knowledge of electrical/electronic engineering principles, concepts, and practices with an emphasis on distribution control systems as it relates to the maintenance and repair construction of Power Generation Plan equipment, and a working understanding of trade practices, accepted safety policies, and use of protective equipment.
The GS-12 salary range starts at $ 89,834  per year. To qualify at the GS-12, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level or higher in the Federal service. 
Specialized experience is expert knowledge to apply and perform troubleshooting and repair of controls, calibration of controls within the Power Generation Plant, and preventive maintenance; and to prepared detailed sketches and working drawings to improve projects being accomplished.

Additional information

Bargaining Unit status: NFFE

On a case-by-case basis, the following incentives may be approved:

  • Recruitment incentive if you are new to the federal government
  • Relocation incentive if you are a current federal employee
  • Credit toward vacation leave if you are new to the federal government

Relocation-related expenses are not approved and will be your responsibility.  

If you are selected at a grade lower than the full performance level, you may be promoted up to that grade level without having to re-apply or compete against other applicants.

If you are eligible under Merit Promotion, you may also apply under Vacancy Announcement #22PBSC874MRMP. You must apply separately to each announcement to be considered for both.

We are currently filling multiple vacancies , but additional vacancies may be filled as needed. Additional vacancies may be filled through this announcement in this or other GSA organizations within the same commuting area.

Additional vacancies may be filled from this announcement as needed; through other means; or not at all.  

How you will be evaluated

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

You will be evaluated on the questions you answer during the application process, which will measure your possession of the following competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities. Your responses to these questions must be supported by your resume or your score may be lowered.

  • Knowledge of electrical/electronic engineering principles, concepts, practices, methods, techniques, and application of safety policies, procedures, and guidelines
  • Knowledge of back-up utility operations, including manual start-up, troubleshooting, and shut down of power generation and electrical distributions systems
  • Ability to monitor the operating of commonly used power generation, electrical and emergency distribution systems
  • Ability to understand verbal instructions, to comprehend context and intent of guidance, and to read written instructions
Additional assessments may be used, and, if so, you will be provided with further instructions.
Additional hurdle assessments, such as narrative responses or other assessments, may be administered to applicants who meet the requirements of the first hurdle, e.g., the minimum qualification requirements.
If additional assessments are used, you will be provided with further instructions. 
Consideration will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3).   You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume so that information will be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

If you are eligible under Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan or GSA’s Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP/CTAP), you must receive a score of 85 or higher to receive priority.


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Public Buildings Service

Agency contact information

Mary A. Robinson
Phone
(202) 501-0717
Fax
202-219-0982
Email
pbscvacancyinquiries@gsa.gov
Address
GSA, Public Buildings Service
General Services Administration
Human Resources Division (CPS)
1800 F Street NW - 7th Floor
Washington, District of Columbia 20405
United States

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http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/26570

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