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Boiler Plant Operator

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Health Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

NOTE: This announcement has been extended. Applicant(s) who previously applied, do not need to re-apply.

These positions serve as a Boiler Plant Operator for the San Francisco VA Medical Center (SFVAMC) in San Francisco, CA.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
07/02/2025 to 07/15/2025
Salary
$37.13 to - $43.25 per hour
Pay scale & grade
WG 9
Location
2 vacancies in the following location:
San Francisco, CA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
25% 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
None
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
CARZ-12757426-25-QSA
Control number
839933800

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Duties

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Major Duties:

  • Operates the central boiler plant which consists of three 500 Hp fire-tube boilers, operating at 80-125 psi safely.
  • Follows all safety procedures in the lighting off, operating, securing, testing and maintenance of the boilers and associated auxiliary and pollution control equipment.
  • Operates all support equipment - deaerator tank, condensate storage tanks, associated pumps, chemical injection systems, pneumatic air systems, and their associated controls.
  • Records steam production and other operating data at hourly intervals as required on the steam log sheet, changes flow charts, and computes daily use of makeup water, steam production, and average outside air temperature.
  • Makes necessary adjustments and stabilize boilers as needed while maintaining safe levels and efficient combustion.
  • Performs specialized combustion techniques and adjustment to control chemical pollution in gas emission and maintain combustion efficiency.
  • Performs hourly inspections of operating equipment and records diesel fuel tank levels and fuel usage daily.
  • Performs all maintenance requirements and procedures necessary to complete operational repairs of limited to moderate complexity as applicable.
  • Uses computer skills for Windows-based systems, for communicating, planned maintenance procedures, log maintenance, and must check and respond to their email daily.
  • monitors several computer­ based building management systems including Metasys, the Translogic tube system, and SteamEye steam trap monitoring system to maximize hospital efficiency, conserve energy, and maintain a comfortable environment throughout the campus.
  • Operates the boilers under normal and emergency conditions in a safe and reasonable manner with little or no immediate supervisory direction.
  • Performs other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Various 12 hour shifts rotating days, weekends, and holidays
Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period
  • Pre-employment physical required
  • Subject to background/security investigation
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

Qualifications

PHYSICAL EFFORT: At times, the work will require some strenuous physical exertion for prolonged periods such as standing, repeated bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, and frequently lifting heavy items such as pumps, motors, and bags of chemicals, etc. The position requires the employee to sometimes work under conditions of abnormal temperature, wet and dirty conditions and in very confined areas in and around boilers and support equipment and awkward positions during periodic equipment cleaning and inspection. The Incumbent is required to have an annual employee physical to rule out any disqualifying conditions and is automatically enrolled in the Hearing Conservation Program.

WORK CONDITIONS:

Boiler Plant Operators work indoors and occasionally work outside for short periods where they are subject to prevailing weather conditions. Workers may be subject to high temperatures, constant noise, rotating machinery, soot, dirt, grease, chemicals, oil, and fumes in the work area. Boiler Plant Operators at this level may be subject to cuts and abrasions from the use of tools and equipment and burns from acids, caustics, hot water, steam, and contact with piping and boilers. In addition, they work on catwalks and ladders. This position requires the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to perform some aspects of the duties. The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of such places as engineering shops, offices and mechanical rooms.


Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualifications. For this position, the job element method is used to match what you, the applicant, can do against what the work calls for. Your knowledge, skills and abilities will be compared to the knowledge, skills and abilities (called job elements) needed for success. Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element (WG-2 and higher only; screen-outs are not applicable to WG-1). Applicants who appear to meet the screen out element are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated from consideration. The potential eligibles are rated against the remainder of the job elements. While a specific length of training and experience is not required, your responses to the questionnaire must be supported by detailed descriptions of your experience on your resume.

You will be rated on the following Job Elements as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:
  • Dexterity and Safety
  • Equipment Assembly, Installation, Repair
  • Interpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading)
  • Measuring Instruments
  • Operation of Equipment/Machinery
  • Technical Practices
  • Without more than normal supervision


IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

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.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

How you will be evaluated

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

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

Your responses to the assessment questionnaire will be reviewed along with the information provided in your resume and supporting documentation to determine if you are qualified for the position. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered and/or you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

Candidates who apply under All U.S. Citizens announcements will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The categories are defined as follows:

  • Best qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position;
  • Well qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the job; and
  • Qualified - applicants possessing experience and/or education that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors.
Application of Veterans' Preference: Category rating and selection procedures place those with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligible applicants that meet the eligibility and qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

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