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Engineering Technician

Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Weather Service (NWS) field, Regional Office or National Center.
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is also announced under vacancy number NWS-24-12553630-ST, which is open to Status Candidates. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.

This position is located in the National Weather Service (NWS)field, Regional Office or National Center. These sites include Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs) and River Forecast Centers (RFCs) with one vacancy that is location negotiable after selection.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
10/11/2024 to 10/25/2024
Salary
$61,023 to - $161,349 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9 - 11
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Hanford, CA
Monterey, CA
Oxnard, CA
Sacramento, CA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
50% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
11 - If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you may be non-competitively promoted if you perform successfully and if recommended by management
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes
Announcement number
NWS-25-12553627-DE
Control number
813792700

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Duties

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As an Engineering Technician within the National Weather Service (NWS) field, Regional Office or National Center, some of your specific duties will include:

  • Serve as a representative for the Region for all real property planning and construction projects, installations, relocations, rehabilitations, building and/or facilities equipment maintenance, and inspections at National Weather Service (NWS) sites.
  • Maintain NWS facilities, grounds and equipment including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, etc. and on an emergency basis, constructs repairs, or renovates NWS facilities.
  • Serve as the NWS representative/inspector for facilities planning and construction projects, including reviewing and interpreting plans and specifications working plans, and written instructions to contract work.
  • Develop project descriptions and cost estimates for facility maintenance, repairs and replacement; provides budget input.
Duties described above are at the full performance GS-11 grade level, the GS-09 and GS-10 are developmental intended to prepare for the GS-11.

NOTE:
*Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.
*This position is in the bargaining unit. This position is covered by (1538).

Key Requirements:

  1. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
  2. Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
  3. Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period.
  4. More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.
  5. Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
  6. Selectee must provide a valid state driver's license & safe driving record.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?

  • A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
  • Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.
  • Physical Demands: Work requires some physical exertion, such as periods of standing, recurring bending, crouching, stooping, working in cramped or confined areas. Must be able to lift and carry moderately heavy objects such as but not limited to handle and carry tools, equipment, and testing devices weighing at least 50 pounds a minimum distance of 20 feet without difficulty. Climbing is required (e.g. equipment ladders, towers, and fixed stairs). Must install equipment and cabling on towers, rooftops, in cramped spaces, or occasionally in areas inaccessible by vehicles. "High" work may be performed in hard to reach areas without benefit of ladders or safety enclosures.
  • Work involves regular or recurring moderate risks that may require the use of special environmental, safety, and health precautions or devices. Works under potentially hazardous conditions including; high voltage, power generators, machinery, obstructed work areas, high noise levels, and inclement weather conditions. Operating motorized and specialized vehicles to perform site equipment.
  • May be required to obtain and maintain contracting officer representative (COR) certification in order to manage and monitor facilities contracts.
  • May be required to travel more than 50% of the time to domestic and international locations for two to three-week periods or longer.
  • May be required to obtain and use a Government Purchase Card. (under micro-purchase threshold)

Qualifications

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy

This experience need not have been in the federal government. 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.

Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.

To qualify at the GS-09 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicant must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-08 grade level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience MUST include the following:

  • Assisting with property planning, construction projects, or building and equipment maintenance.
OR

EDUCATION: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in (a) major study in an appropriate field of engineering, construction, or industrial technology; or (b) that included at least 24 semester hours in any combination of engineering, engineering or industrial technology, construction, physics, drafting, surveying, physical science, or mathematics.

OR

COMBINATION: A combination of education and experience as described above.

Note: Only graduate education is qualifying at this level.

To qualify at the GS-10 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicant must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:
  • Assisting with property planning, construction projects and,
  • Assisting in the maintenance of facilities and/or grounds and equipment including heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, generators, power systems.
To qualify at the GS-11 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicant must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-10 grade level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:
  • Conducting property planning and construction projects; and
  • Conducting facilities engineering operations and maintenance functions for grounds, facilities, buildings and related fixtures and equipment including HVAC, electrical systems and security systems.

Education

  • Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: OPM Foreign Education Evaluation
  • College Transcript: If you are qualifying based on education, submit a copy of your college transcript that lists college courses detailing each course by the number and department (i.e., Bio 101, Math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours and grade earned. You must submit evidence that any education completed in a foreign institution is equivalent to U.S. education standards with your resume. You may submit an unofficial copy of the transcript at the initial phase of the application process. If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at the time the course was taken.

    Note: Your college transcript is used to verify successful completion of degree, or college course work. An official college transcript will be required before you can report to duty.

Additional information

CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: Employee Guide to Career Transition

CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

  1. A copy of your specific RIF notice; notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice).
  2. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade level, and duty location;
  3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

  1. A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; notice of disability annuity termination; certification from your former agency that it cannot place you after your recovery from a compensable injury; or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement;
  2. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" documenting your RIF separation, noting your positions, grade level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc;
  3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

NOAA participates in e-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees.

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 for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

We will review your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions) and place you in one of the three pre-defined categories. The categories are "gold", "silver" and "bronze". However, your resume or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Candidates placed in the "gold" category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview. The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:

  • Building and Construction
  • Engineering and Technology
  • Project Management
  • Technical Competence


How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility: Within each category, those entitled to veterans' preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed. Preference eligible with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (gold) depending on the position and grade level of the job. For more information on Category Rating, please go to Category Rating.

--Basis of Rating:

Category rating will be used in the ranking and selection process for this position. The quality categories are Gold, Silver, and Bronze. You will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position. If you are eligible, your on-line responses to the application questions will determine your placement in the appropriate quality category described above. Your responses must be substantiated by your resume. If you do not respond to the application questions you may be rated ineligible. Veterans' preference rules for category rating will be applied.

--NOTE: If it is determined that you have rated yourself higher than is supported in your description of experience and/or education as described in your resume/application, or that your resume or application is incomplete, you may be rated ineligible and/or not qualified.

To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12553627

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