Clarification from the agency

This Merit Promotion position is open to Current Federal Employees and Former Federal Employees with permanent status or reinstatement eligibility. Individuals who are eligible for a special appointing authority may also apply such as Individuals with Disabilities (Schedule A), former Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, and Vista volunteers; certain Military Spouses, or individuals eligible under various programs for Veterans (VRA, VEOA, 30% disabled).

Performs a variety of duties in support of scientific projects and facilities and maintenance of the Observatory’s buildings, infrastructure, grounds, and mountain road, including the following:

• Painting: Performs spray or brush painting of walls, ceilings, exterior of buildings, doors, window frames, siding, and trim. Masks surfaces preparatory to painting. Applies specialized coatings to roofs.

• Carpentry: Performs rough or simple type carpentry in the repair and maintenance of buildings and related furnishings or structures. Duties may include framing, box construction, and concrete forms, making minor repairs such as replacing broken boards, nailing down loose wall siding, and caulking doors and window sills.

• Welding: Welds parts used to repair such things as telescope structures, railings, or heavy equipment. Depending upon proficiency, may assist other staff members who are highly specialized welders.

• Plumbing: Perform a variety of maintenance and repairs to the facility’s plumbing fixtures. Repair faucets, drains and toilets. Maintains waterless urinals. Utilizes specialized plumbing equipment to clean out sink/shower drains and pipes.

• Roofing: Performs maintenance tasks such as patching leaky roofs and repairing flashing, masonry and concrete.

2. Works cooperatively with scientific and other support staff on a variety of modifications and repairs to telescope facilities. This may include such tasks as repairing seams of a telescope, the telescope dome or its rotation motor assembly Assists Ridge Telescopes’ staff with changing telescope instruments.

3. Operates heavy equipment such as forklifts, man lifts, front-end loaders, backhoes, cranes, etc. in open areas and on level, hilly and/or mountainous terrain to move earth, rocks, sand, stumps and other equipment. Operates snow plows and sanders in winter weather, transports optical and scientific equipment, and transports liquid nitrogen Dewars required for telescope instruments’ operation.

4. Performs a variety of routine tasks such as delivery and pick-up of light and heavy objects at the Administrative Complex and mountain facilities, fueling all types of vehicles and heavy equipment on the mountain, and performing minor servicing of all types of vehicles and heavy equipment. Serves as an alternate driver for Tucson pick up of goods.

5. Assists with cleaning debris and rocks from culverts (150) in the mountain road in cooperation with co-workers. Removal of fallen rocks is frequently required subsequent to rain storms and high winds.

6. Drives a 30-passenger bus on the mountain road during the months that public tours of the telescope facilities are offered.

7. Participates in maintenance of grounds as required, including tree trimming, weeding, and grass cutting on the mountain road or at the administrative complex.

Conditions of employment

• Pre- and post-appointment background investigation required.
• May be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
• Must possess a valid Commercial Driver's License (Class B)
• Must participate in Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds for salary payments
• Use of respirator and annual respirator fit testing and training required.
• Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.

Applicants must have a valid driver's license with at least a Class B CDL endorsement. In accordance with the Smithsonian Institution's Drug and Alcohol Testing and Medical Examinations for Commercial Drivers Program, tentative selectees must pass a drug test AND physical examination in order to be offered an appointment.

A CDL endorsement for bus driving and HAZMAT is not required at the time of appointment, but will be mandatory within the first year of employment. 

Annual physical examinations are required to maintain a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) and to be certified for using a respiratory for a limited number of tasks. 

An annual respirator fit testing and training is required.

Heavy physical effort will be required in constantly reaching, bending, turning and moving hands, arms, feet, and legs to handle different sets of controls to operate tools, equipment, and vehicles. Due to the nature of some duties, the incumbent is required to work in awkward positions, on ladders and scaffolds, and will handle objects weighing up to 50 pounds.

Working Conditions: Duties at the Ridge telescopes and on other areas of the mountain are recurring. The environment can be extreme, and range from dry heat to bitter cold. Travel to the Ridge or higher over a mountain road can be hazardous, and involve exposure to snow and rain, lightning, and flash floods.

Position requires work to be performed on Mt. Hopkins at an elevation of ~8000 feet.

Qualifications

Your overall experience and training must indicate that you have the minimum knowledge, skills, abilities needed to perform the duties of this position. There is no substitution of education for experience for this position. Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. Additional information on the Job Qualification System for Trades and Labor Occupations can be found on OPM's web site at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/x-118c/index.html.

How you will be evaluated

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

Applications will first be evaluated to determine whether the following screen out element is met:

Ability to perform the work of a maintenance worker with minimal supervision (screen-out).

Then applicants will be evaluated on the following competencies:

• Knowledge of the assembly, installation, and repair of wheeled vehicles.
• Skill in performing maintenance and repairs in carpentry, plumbing, electrical, painting, roofing, and metalwork (welding).
• Ability to use and maintain tools and equipment.
• Ability to interpret instructions, specifications, etc. (includes blueprinting reading).
• Knowledge of the technical practices of trade work (theoretical, precise).

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:

• Primary Appointing Authorities for Career and Career-Conditional Appointments
• Hiring Authorities for Veterans
• People with Disabilities

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.