Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to current, permanent VA-Wide employees, Federal Employees, Career transition (CTAP/ ICTAP) , veterans, and Status Candidates.

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Major Duties required in the position:

• Performing and directing survey and investigations at project sites to determine the condition of facilities and to secure necessary data prior to initiating design.
• Evaluating design objectives, performs technical calculations, and identifies most economical and efficient process for project design and performance considering all influences necessary.
• Preparing detailed cost estimates for use in obtaining project funding and bid evaluation.
• Preparing correspondence, technical reports, estimates, fact sheets and status reports.
• Producing job orders for work performance by VA craftsmen. Provides technical assistance to shops, Engineering, and the customers during all phases of job execution.
• Consulting with construction contractor personnel to resolve unforeseen problems and latent conditions developed during construction.
• Participating in construction project evaluations, planning and coordination meetings.
• Reviewing and becoming familiar with the construction plan and specifications.
• Reviewing of materials, work methods and workmanship to ensure that part of the structure and system is built in accordance with the plans and specifications.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Engineering Technician/1897-A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

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, 04/10/2026.

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-10 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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.

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

INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENTS -

• 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.

Certification: Engineering technicians may be certified by the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies, an organization sponsored by the National Society of Professional Engineers. Certification by the Institute will be helpful as a measure of the technician's quality of experience.

In addition to the individual occupational requirements, you may qualify based on your experience as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Experience applying building codes and standards to manage construction and renovation projects, including planning, programming, coordination, and budgeting. Skilled in administering complex, multi-year projects using agency regulations, medical center planning requirements, federal acquisition regulations, and government contracting procedures. Proficient in reviewing contractor proposals, monitoring construction for compliance, and preparing or editing engineering and architectural plans and specifications. Experienced with AutoCAD, Excel, and MS Project, and knowledgeable about medical center organizational structures and operational needs. Experience assessing design intent, adequacy, and compliance to ensure successful project execution.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:



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.

Physical Requirements: Physical agility and manual dexterity are essential in the incumbent must be able to climb. Lift, push, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl and reach during normal project inspection procedures and equipment of systems evaluations.. The incumbent usually works indoors in an office and drafting room and occasionally (during visits to work sites) in environmental conditions where there are normal everyday risks and where there is possible exposure to contagious diseases in the Medial center, on construction sites where the is exposure to physical handicaps, i.e., tripping, falling, being stuck, electrical shock, burns, dust and debris, fluids, chemicals, noise, falling objects and asbestos in asbestos abatement work areas.

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.