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Plant Mechanic (Apprentice)

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Reclamation
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Reclamation is seeking a career professional looking for an opportunity to capitalize on their expertise as a Plant Mechanic (Apprentice). You can make a difference in the West by assisting in meeting increasing water demands while protecting the environment.

Duty Location: Canyon Ferry, Montana, Estes Park, Colorado, Fort Smith, Montana, Mills, Wyoming, and Twin Lakes, Colorado

For living conditions go to: https://www.usbr.gov/gp/employment/living_conditions.pdf

Overview

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Hiring complete
Posted 09/20/22
Location
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$29.56 - $38.42 per hour

$29.56 Per Hour in Montana Locations; $38.42 Per Hour in Colorado and Wyoming Locations.

Pay scale & grade
BB 00
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time - 4-10's, Monday-Thursday
Travel Required
Occasional travel - you may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Other
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Announcement number
BOR-MB-22-DE-11593857-JM
Control number
678524100

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Duties

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Serves as an entry level Plant Mechanic (Apprentice), entering at the Step 2, requiring 8,000 hours (48 months) in a systematic training program. The goal of this training program is to provide experience, combined with mechanical and operational instruction aimed at developing the apprentice's knowledge, skills, and abilities to assume the duties of a journey level Plant Mechanic. Apprentice training program is formulated by the Missouri Basin Region Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee in cooperation with the Department of Labor's Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training. The program is comprised of on-the-job training supplemented with required classroom instruction and correspondence courses at progressively increased levels of both practical and mechanical complexity.

The full performance level of this training program is a journeyman Plant Mechanic. At the journeyman level, the incumbent will perform mechanical installation and maintenance duties on equipment in a hydroelectric plant, pumping plant, and/or other structures and equipment. The incumbent, at full journeyman level, will also operate cranes, hoists, and industrial tractors, as well as lifting, moving, dismantling, assembling, overhauling, or repairing plant machinery and related equipment. Also operates boats, snowplows, and large trucks. The incumbent performs preventive maintenance, welding, pipefitting, machining, and rigging incidental to mechanical maintenance work. The incumbent dismantles, reconstructs, repairs, tests, and adjusts turbines, generators, motors, pumps, educators, valves, pipes, penstocks, intakes, spillways, outlet works, domestic water systems, sewage systems, hydraulic systems, etc. Interprets, applies, and modifies facility drawings and manufacturer's instructions.

Promotions to the next salary levels are neither guaranteed nor automatic, but based on supervisor initiation and meeting training requirements.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
You must be suitable for federal employment, determined by a background investigation.
You must submit a resume and supporting documentation (see Required Documents).
You must submit eligibility documents for veterans consideration (see Required Documents).
You must meet any minimum education and/or experience requirements (see Qualifications).
You must maintain a valid State Driver's License at all times as the position requires operation of government vehicles on government and public roads. Failure to maintain a valid State Driver's License at all times will result in removal from the position.
You will be required to obtain a successful pre-employment physical examination by a licensed physician certifying your ability to perform the duties of this position. A physical exam may not be required if a comparable agency approved examination was performed within the last 12 months. The cost of the exam will be reimbursed by the agency.

Qualifications

This is an entry-level apprentice trainee position.

NOTE: Applicants determined to be qualified at a journey-level Plant Mechanic are not eligible for consideration and will not be considered for this apprentice position.

Promotion Potential: Each apprentice level is comprised of a 6-month segment. Upon successful completion of each segment, the supervisor and Apprenticeship Committee will review accomplishments and determine advancement to the next apprentice level, and if approved, a pay increase will be granted in accordance with the negotiated wage schedule. Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship program, the apprentice will be placed in a journey-level Plant Mechanic position.

Apprentices are required to complete related formal training courses which may entail 10 hours or more each week of their own time. Failure to complete the required training or to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position may be cause for removal from the program.

Minimum qualifications (as determined in Phase 1 and Phase 2) for trades and labor positions are determined by evaluation of job elements. You must meet at least 2 points on the screen-out element(s) and obtain an average of at least 2 points on all of the job elements in order to be considered qualified for this position.

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.

You must meet all Eligibility and Qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors if applicable, by 10/05/2022.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

Reclamation has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and you may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval.

DOI uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including applicant rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/

This position is designated as a LOW RISK position. It requires a fully completed and favorably adjudicated SF85 Background Investigation (T1 or equivalent) that is current (within the last 5 years). This is a condition of employment.

Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must certify registration with the Selective Service System or that the applicant is exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Go to: https://www.sss.gov

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

How you will be evaluated

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

Category rating and selection procedures will be used to evaluate applications from this announcement. If an applicant meets the basic qualification requirements, his/her on-line responses to the vacancy assessment questionnaire will be used to determine the quality and extent of his/her experience, education, training, etc., for placement in one of the following categories: 1) Best Qualified and 2) Qualified. Qualified candidates will be assigned a numerical score on a scale of 70-100. The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three" but protects the rights of Veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category. Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).

The application questionnaire can be previewed here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11593857

Your answers will be verified against information provided in your resume. Your resume must clearly support the responses to all the questions by addressing experience, education, and/or training relevant to this position. You must make a fair and accurate assessment of your qualifications. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than what is apparent in the description of your experience, competencies, skills, and/or education/training (or that your resume/application is incomplete), you could be rated ineligible or your score could be lowered.

For evaluating the quality of candidates for referral to the selecting official, a three-phased process will be used.

Phase 1: Applications will be reviewed by Human Resources to ensure they meet the basic eligibility requirements. If applicants meet basic eligibility and score at least a 70 on the initial phase, they will continue on to the second phase and will be given an interim score based on the applicant assessment questionnaire, which will take the applicant approximately 30 minutes to complete when initially applying. With information received from the applicant assessment questionnaire in the first phase, applicant's will be evaluated on the following job element:

  1. Ability to do the work of a Entry-Level Apprentice Plant Mechanic without more than normal supervision.
Phase 2: Candidates who pass the first phase will be contacted via email and asked to submit narrative responses which will address the Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies listed below. Subject Matter Expert(s) will review the score and narrative responses:
  1. Ability to do the work of an Entry-Level Apprentice Plant Mechanic without more than normal supervision.
  2. Aptitude and ability to learn operational knowledge of hydroelectric powerplant equipment, auxiliary systems, and communication and control devices.
  3. Ability to interpret instructions, specifications, and follow specified operating procedures.
  4. Ability to work safely as a member of a team.

Phase 3: Candidates will be given a final score which combines the scores from the first and second phases. Those candidates who score as best qualified will be referred to the selecting official for consideration.

Bureau of Reclamation

The Bureau of Reclamation is a contemporary water management agency best known for constructing dams, powerplants, and canals in the 17 western United States, having constructed more than 600 dams and reservoirs. We are the largest wholesaler of water and the second-largest producer of hydroelectric power in the United States.

Our mission is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public. We place great emphasis on fulfilling our water delivery obligations, water conservation, water recycling and reuse, and developing partnerships with our customers, states, and Native American Tribes. We also find ways to bring together various interests to address the competing needs for limited water resources.

Our core values are professional excellence, safety, and respect. We are results-oriented. We share a personal commitment to protecting the safety of each other, contractors, customers, as well as the people and communities served by our projects. We embrace a culture of respectfor people through our ethical behavior and with clear, effective communication.

The Department of the Interior places a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspectives and encourages applications from all interested eligible candidates. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility are fundamental principles that guide the Department and allow us to successfully achieve our mission.

Agency contact information

BOR MB-ART Human Resources Office
Phone
406-247-7696
Fax
406-247-7875
Email
gphireme@usbr.gov
Address
Eastern Colorado Area Office
Bureau of Reclamation
11056 W County Road 18 E
Loveland, CO 80537
US

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https://www.usbr.gov

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