NIST's Operations and Maintenance Group is seeking Electricians to support complex research and facility operations by installing, modifying, and troubleshooting specialized electrical systems used in laboratories, central plant systems, and test environments. This role collaborates with engineers and scientists to ensure reliable electrical infrastructure that enables precise experimentation, safe facility operations, and mission-critical research activities.
Summary
NIST's Operations and Maintenance Group is seeking Electricians to support complex research and facility operations by installing, modifying, and troubleshooting specialized electrical systems used in laboratories, central plant systems, and test environments. This role collaborates with engineers and scientists to ensure reliable electrical infrastructure that enables precise experimentation, safe facility operations, and mission-critical research activities.
U.S. Citizens and Status Candidates (this includes Merit Promotion, Status Candidates, Former Overseas Employees, CTAP, ICTAP, VRA, VEOA, 30% or More Disabled, EVHO, Schedule A, Military Spouses, Americorps, Peace Corps, Vista, Interchange Agreement Eligibles, and National Guard).
- Perform a wide variety of assignments in connection with the maintenance of the electrical distribution system, which consists of voltages from 24 volts to 600 volts AC and the DC electrical distribution system.
- Operate and install a variety of complete electrical systems and equipment, such as series, parallel, and compound circuits for single and multiple phase alternating current of varying voltage, amperage, and frequency.
- Maintain motor control systems, variable voltage, variable frequency ( VVVF) drives, integrated lighting systems and controls.
- Apply National Electric Code ( NEC) regulations to all maintenance and installation tasks.
- Troubleshoot, maintain, and install electrical control systems according to schematics and drawings.
- Instruct lower-level electricians in the repair and installation of electrical equipment.
- Perform other trade duties in support of multi- craft assigned work groups.
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
Suitable for Federal employment
Satisfactory completion of a pre-employment medical examination
This position is subject to emergency “ out of hours” call back to the NIST campus
Bargaining Unit Position: Yes - Washington Area Metal Trades Council (WAMTC), AFL-CIO
Qualifications
All applicants must submit a resume NOT TO EXCEED two pages on standard-size paper. If the resume exceeds two pages, only the first two pages will be reviewed for qualifications or assessment determinations.
There is no specific length or level of experience requirements. The applicant's overall background of experience, education and training must clearly demonstrate the ability to perform electrician work at the Journeyman level, such as installation, maintenance, and repair, without more than normal supervision. As well as being able to instruct lower- level electricians in the repair and installation of electrical equipment.
Applicants must meet the screen out elements and achieve an overall score of at least fifty (50%) or higher
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.
The qualification requirements in this vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Job Qualification System for Trade and Labor OccupationsHandbook.
If requesting reconsideration of your qualification determination, please refer to the following site: Applicant Reconsideration
Additional information
This position is covered by the Federal Wage System. The FWS is a uniform pay-setting system that covers Federal appropriated fund and non-appropriated fund blue-collar employees who are paid by the hour. For more information regarding the FWS, visit http://www.opm.gov/oca/wage/.
We may share your application package with other selecting officials at NIST with opportunities like this one. Additional selections may be made through this vacancy.
Click all links in this vacancy announcement to view additional information or instructions.
You MUST select at least ONE ELIGIBILITY in order to be considered for this position.
All documents submitted for this announcement must be legible in order to make qualification or eligibility determinations.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a one-year probationary 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 your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
This position has physical requirements which include but may not be limited to:
Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds
Light lifting, under 15 pounds
Heavy carrying, 45 pounds and over
Moderate carrying, 15-44 pounds
Light carrying, under 15 pounds
Straight pulling - 0.5 hours
Pulling hand over hand - 1 hour
Pushing - 1 hour
Reaching above shoulder
Use of fingers
Both hands required
Walking - 2 hours
Standing - 2 hours
Crawling - 1 hour
Kneeling - 2 hours
Repeated bending - 1 hour
Climbing, legs only - 2 hours
Climbing, use of legs and arms
Both legs required
Operation of crane, truck, tractor, or motor vehicle
Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously
Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4
Both eyes required
Depth perception
Ability to distinguish basic colors
Ability to distinguish shades of colors
Hearing (aid may be permitted)
This position has environmental factors which include, but may not be limited to:
Outside
Outside and inside
Excessive heat
Excessive cold
Excessive humidity
Excessive dampness or chilling
Dry atmospheric conditions
Excessive noise, intermittent
Constant noise
Dust
Silica, asbestos, etc.
Fumes, smoke, or gases
Solvents (degreasing agents)
Grease and oils
Radiant energy
Electrical energy
Slippery or uneven walking surfaces
Working around machinery with moving parts
Working around moving objects or vehicles
Working on ladders or scaffolding
Working below ground
Vibration
Working closely with others
Working alone
Protracted or irregular hours of work
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
NIST strives to build a flexible and encouraging work environment to bring out the best in our employees. To help our employees balance responsibilities at home and at work, NIST offers a variety of work-life flexibilities such as:
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
How you will be evaluated: We will review your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documents to assess your qualifications for this position. Please be sure that your resume and supporting documents include detailed information to support your qualifications for this position. Failure to provide sufficient and/or legible evidence in your resume or supporting documents may result in a "not qualified" determination. You MUST select at least ONE eligibility (i.e., how you wish to be considered) to receive consideration for this position.
Rating: Applications will be assessed on the following competencies:
Ability to Do the Work of the Position without More Than Normal Supervision
Applicants must meet the screen out elements and achieve an overall score of at least fifty (50%) or higher. Subject Matter Experts may be used for qualification determinations. If the minimum qualifications and eligibility requirements are met, your application will be rated and ranked among others, based on your responses to the online questions regarding your experience, education, training, performance appraisals, or awards relevant to the duties of the position. Your rating may be lowered if your responses in the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application.
To preview the questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12908774
Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview. You will be referred depending upon your eligibility (i.e., Merit candidate, veterans preference, etc). Please review the Evaluation Process on how applicants are review and referred based upon how they wish to be considered for the position.
CTAP or ICTAP eligibility: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP), you must be determined eligible and rated as well-qualified to receive special selection priority. "Well Qualified" means that in addition to meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective placement factor(s), if applicable, you must receive a score of 85 or higher. Please review the following site regarding required documents to support CTAP or ICTAP eligibility and additional information regarding this authority - CTAP/ICTAP Eligibility
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
NIST strives to build a flexible and encouraging work environment to bring out the best in our employees. To help our employees balance responsibilities at home and at work, NIST offers a variety of work-life flexibilities such as:
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
A complete application includes: 1) A resume, 2) vacancy question responses, and 3) submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, or if the documents submitted are illegible you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
Resume: All applicants must submit a resume by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their choosing. Cover letters are optional. To receive any credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and the number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please refer to the Resume Guidance on how to build an effective resume.
Reinstatement: If you are a former federal employee (separated from Federal service for at least 1 year) and wish to be non-competitively reinstated for a higher grade or full performance level than which you left federal employment, you MUST provide a copy of your separation SF-50 (the "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2") AND the last performance appraisal you received from your federal employment which shows at least a fully successful rating.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Click 'Apply' and we'll walk you through a multi-step process to attach a resume and any required documents. While working an application, you may review, edit, delete and update information. You must complete the online application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the closing date of the announcement.
Once your application has been submitted, you will receive a confirmation notification by email. The Human Resources Office will evaluate your application to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
Need help applying?
If you are experiencing any difficulties with the online application process (anything after you have clicked the 'Apply Online' button), please contact the Agency Contact listed on this announcement between regular business hours (8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET). If you receive any kind of error message, please be ready to provide a screenshot or, at a minimum, the error message text and number. We will provide you with a technical support number for further assistance if necessary.
If you are having trouble with USAJOBS (searching for jobs, account password/profile issues, or Resume Builder), please visit the USAJOBS Resource Center. We regret that we are unable to support any issues with USAJOBS, as this service is not maintained by the NIST.
If you are experiencing a significant hardship that hinders your ability to apply online, please contact the Agency Contact listed on this announcement prior to the vacancy closing date and during regular business hours to discuss your situation.
Gaithersburg Facility Maintenance Division
100 Bureau Drive
Gaithersburg, MD 20899
US
Next steps
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
We will update applicant statuses when:
A qualification determination is made. If found not qualified/eligible, no additional updates will be provided.
Applications are referred to the selecting official.
A selection decision has been made.
Please notify us if your contact information changes after theclosing date. Also, note that if you provide an inaccurate email address or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication, which could affect your consideration for this position.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
A complete application includes: 1) A resume, 2) vacancy question responses, and 3) submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, or if the documents submitted are illegible you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
Resume: All applicants must submit a resume by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their choosing. Cover letters are optional. To receive any credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and the number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please refer to the Resume Guidance on how to build an effective resume.
Reinstatement: If you are a former federal employee (separated from Federal service for at least 1 year) and wish to be non-competitively reinstated for a higher grade or full performance level than which you left federal employment, you MUST provide a copy of your separation SF-50 (the "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2") AND the last performance appraisal you received from your federal employment which shows at least a fully successful rating.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Click 'Apply' and we'll walk you through a multi-step process to attach a resume and any required documents. While working an application, you may review, edit, delete and update information. You must complete the online application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the closing date of the announcement.
Once your application has been submitted, you will receive a confirmation notification by email. The Human Resources Office will evaluate your application to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
Need help applying?
If you are experiencing any difficulties with the online application process (anything after you have clicked the 'Apply Online' button), please contact the Agency Contact listed on this announcement between regular business hours (8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET). If you receive any kind of error message, please be ready to provide a screenshot or, at a minimum, the error message text and number. We will provide you with a technical support number for further assistance if necessary.
If you are having trouble with USAJOBS (searching for jobs, account password/profile issues, or Resume Builder), please visit the USAJOBS Resource Center. We regret that we are unable to support any issues with USAJOBS, as this service is not maintained by the NIST.
If you are experiencing a significant hardship that hinders your ability to apply online, please contact the Agency Contact listed on this announcement prior to the vacancy closing date and during regular business hours to discuss your situation.
Gaithersburg Facility Maintenance Division
100 Bureau Drive
Gaithersburg, MD 20899
US
Next steps
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
We will update applicant statuses when:
A qualification determination is made. If found not qualified/eligible, no additional updates will be provided.
Applications are referred to the selecting official.
A selection decision has been made.
Please notify us if your contact information changes after theclosing date. Also, note that if you provide an inaccurate email address or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication, which could affect your consideration for this position.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
