Clarification from the agency

Please be advised this vacancy is opened to Current and Permanent Lexington VA Healthcare System employees and CBOCs that are aligned with Station # 596. If you are unsure of if your current duty station falls under the correct Station # to be considered for this position, you can verify your Station # by referring to Box 40 on your most recent SF-50. The first 3 alphanumeric values should read 596 in order to be considered for this position.

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As the Engineering Technician, the incumbent's duties include, but are not limited to:

• Selects, writes and edits VA Master Specifications that will efficiently, effectively and economically satisfy design requirements to form a legal binding document and contract.
• Utilizes various computer programs such as Excel, Outlook, Word and cost estimating software.
• Prepares documentation and information needed for presentations as well as submits work orders, equipment orders and contract documents on a regular basis.
• Communicates with other services and contractors to develop a working plan, devising solutions when complex issues arise and carries these out without supervision.
• Serves as Contract Officer Representative (COR) for all activation items which requires frequent customer communication and networking to see projects through to completion.
• Provides guidance and administrative on-the-job training to staff engineers, other engineering technicians and draftsmen who have project responsibilities.
• Ensures that all OSHA guidelines, infection control requirements, construction safety and coordination requirements are followed.
• Reviews Home Improvement Structural Alterations (HISA) to ensure compliance with American Disabilities Act and VA safety regulations and handicap requirements.
• Selects and adapts specifications which will satisfy the design requirements in terms or materials and equipment and maintain safety and are compliant with policies.
• Oversees procurement of equipment, furniture, start-up supplies necessary to implement project activations and moves.
• Provides knowledge of project cost limitations between NRM, minors, majors and minor cost improvements when preparing project applications and can develop cost estimates for each of those with knowledge of construction trades.
• Responsible for projects up to 5 million dollars which entails cost estimate, project paperwork submission, and working with contractors and VISN in development of the project.
• Performs other tasks as assigned by supervisor.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday; 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Engineering Technician/PD305140

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
• 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)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 01/16/2026.

Applicants must meet the time-in-grade requirement, individual occupational requirement, and specialized experience. These are separate requirements.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

• For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9.

The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

In addition to meeting the time-in-grade requirement, applicants must meet the following basic requirement:

• INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT - BASIC REQUIREMENT:
  • Examples of qualifying specialized experience include technical work in: drafting, surveying construction estimating, physical science, mathematics, aerospace, architecture, chemicals, electrical or mechanical systems, mining, petroleum, or nuclear systems. Experience in a trade or craft may be credited as specialized experience when the work provided intensive knowledge of engineering principles, techniques, methods, and precedents.
  • Examples are trade positions with substantial developmental, test, or design responsibilities such as:
    • Planner and estimator who analyzed designs for production purposes.
    • Instrument maker or model maker who performed design or development work on devices fabricated.

In addition to meeting the time-in-grade requirement and individual occupation requirement, applicants must meet the specialized experience:

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as:
  • Experience with construction, maintenance and operation of plant facilities.
  • Experience with Engineering drafting to be able to read, prepare and interpret architectural, electrical, plumbing and mechanical plans and drawings.
  • Experience interpreting, selecting and applying many guidelines, precedents and engineering principles and practices which relate to construction projects.
  • Have experience with computerized drafting programs and equipment such as engineering plotter and blueprint machine, as well as other types of software such as word processing, electronic messaging, spreadsheets, and database management.

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; religions; 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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. 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.

Permanent Employee Status: If you are unsure if you have permanent employee status to be considered for this position, you can verify your status by referring to Box 24 on your most recent SF-50. The box must have a 1 or 2 in order to be considered for this position.

Basis for Selection: Selections for positions will be based on the objective evaluation of the candidates' total qualifications for the position. "Qualifications" means the combination of experience, training, education, skills, knowledge, abilities, personal characteristics, and merit factors deemed to be pertinent to successful performance.

Physical Requirements:The incumbent must be able to work in any environment in and around the Lexington VA Healthcare System (LVAHCS) and will be required to wear appropriate protective equipment as necessary. Additionally, he/she must be able to complete investigative and inspection work above ceilings, in crawl spaces, and scaffolding, on roofs, in mechanical spaces, swing buckets, etc. he/she may be exposed to extreme heat and/or cold and heights.

Work Environment: Work is done generally in an office setting, but also includes site visits and investigative work throughout facilities grounds, structures, and construction sites. He/she is required to wear appropriate surgical or safety equipment as necessary to complete the work. He/she must know and follow procedures for working in areas of infection, radiation, high voltage, and use all protective clothing.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

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.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

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.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

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.