West Palm Beach VA Medical Center is looking for an Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic Work Leader, assigned to Facilities Management Service. Directing duties related to installs, repairs, modifies and relocates equipment on special purpose air conditioning and refrigeration units and systems that are frequently modified to provide specific and critical climatic conditions throughout the medical center.
Summary
West Palm Beach VA Medical Center is looking for an Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic Work Leader, assigned to Facilities Management Service. Directing duties related to installs, repairs, modifies and relocates equipment on special purpose air conditioning and refrigeration units and systems that are frequently modified to provide specific and critical climatic conditions throughout the medical center.
Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic Lead duties include directing work teams consisting up to 3 Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic WG-10, and 2 Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic WG-8. The employee installs, recognizes the cause of faulty equipment and makes repairs, modifies and relocates equipment on special purpose air conditioning and refrigeration units and systems that are frequently modified to provide specific and critical climactic conditions in throughout the Medical Center.
Additional Duties include but not limited to:
Maintains, installs and repairs air conditioning and refrigeration systems to provide specific and critical climactic conditions throughout the Medical Center.
Modifies and balances various elements of systems that are designed to meet a wide variety of extreme and critical conditions.
Reviews plans or specifications, determines the size, shape, and location of equipment and installs or plans the installation to meet the conditions of the experiment or test.
Modifies, alters, or substitutes components and elements of the system in order to meet specific pressure-temperature characteristics.
Works with engineering personnel while planning and modifying a system to meet specific conditions, and accomplishes repairs and modifications to meet conditions required.
Assignments are made by the Utility System Foreman with minimum accompanying instructions concerning work methods or work materials to be used.
Works with engineering personnel while planning and modifying systems to meet specific conditions.
Accomplishes repairs and modifications to meet conditions determined necessary.
Supervisor is available on difficult, unique or administrative problems. Otherwise, employee completes work without undue interruption.
Must have a broad knowledge of the principles and theories of air conditioning (refrigeration cycles, heat transfer laws, refrigerant tables) to calculate air flow and pressure and temperature characteristics for different systems.
Must have a knowledge of the construction characteristics of a variety of types and models of systems that are designed to reach and maintain critical and extreme conditions under a variety of circumstances.
Knowledge of troubleshooting techniques to check out the operating efficiency of the mechanical, electrical, electronic, hydraulic and pneumatic systems for air conditioning and refrigeration requirements.
Responsible passing on to other workers the instructions received from supervisors and getting work started, e.g., by assigning the immediate tasks to be performed by individual members of the group led.
Demonstrating proper work methods and seeing to it that needed plans, blueprints, materials, and tools are available, and is required to purchase needed stock and parts from venders and local supply locations.
Maintain a current knowledge, and answering questions of other workers on procedures, policies, written instructions, and other directives (for example, technical orders).
Seeing to it that there is enough work to keep everyone in the work crew busy.
Assuring that all safety rules are followed, and that the work crew has all needed and or required personnel safety equipment, and that all tools and equipment are used properly.
Answering questions of supervisors on overall work operation and problems (for example, concerning additional on the job training requirements for individual employees).
Insure that the refrigeration equipment at this Medical Center is operating and functioning safely.
Obtaining technical information, details of problems and determining priorities related to a specific work request.
Resolve misunderstandings or identify specific problems in a refrigeration unit.
Works closely with medical professional, nursing and engineering personnel to identify, solve and coordinate solutions to refrigeration problems.
Communicates with Supply personnel, outside venders and service personnel in order to secure required parts and services.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:00-3:30PM. Position Description Title/PD#: Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic Leader/PD017690 Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
Selective Services Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
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.
Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-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.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required, but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards.
SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements:
Ability to Interpret Instructions, Specifications, etc. (Includes Blueprint Reading)
Ability to Lead or Supervise
Ability to Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment
Knowledge of Equipment Assembly, Installation, and Repair, etc.
Strong background in HVAC installation, maintenance, and repair.
Ability to troubleshoot complex HVAC systems (commercial and/or industrial).
Familiarity with refrigeration cycles, heat pumps, boilers, chillers, and ventilation systems.
Proficient in reading blueprints, schematics, and wiring diagrams.
Leadership & Supervisory Skills:
Experience leading HVAC teams or crews.
Ability to assign tasks, monitor progress, and ensure quality work.
Skilled in mentoring and training junior technicians.
Strong communication and conflict resolution skills.
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: Heaviest weight handled unassisted with normally be 50 pounds, and with assistance 100 pounds or more. Uses lifting devices or obtains assistance in moving heavy items. Works from ladders , scaffolding and/or platforms where systems are in hard to reach places, requiring employee to work in close quarters or in cramped positions. Work requires hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity to manipulate tools when assembling units and replacing defective components, coordination for reading and setting gauges, checking for refrigerant leaks, and adjusting controls, and color discrimination to recognize color code. Work frequently requires stooping, stretching, bending, and kneeling for long periods of time.
Working Conditions:
Works indoors and outdoors, on elevated structures, and in cramped areas. Subject to discomfort from face masks and/or other protective devices when there is a possibility of exposure to toxic refrigerants, noxious gases, fumes or acids. Employee is exposed to the dangers of moving equipment, energized electric circuits, sharp metal edges, and toxic fumes while performing the duties of the position. Exposure to electrical conductors, moving objects, sharp edges, etc., may occur along with danger to cuts, burns, and respiratory ailments. Typical safety equipment required by the trade are safety shoes, safety glasses, and hard hats.
Education
This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/.
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. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. 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.
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.
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.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.
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.
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.
Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application. Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 06/22/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12982116.
1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update the resumes in your profile before applying for a job. Resumes should include information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying. VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed.
Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement. If initial application submission is updated and resubmitted with a new resume, only the most current resume will be reviewed for consideration.
Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. We recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.
Helpful Hints for Creating a Two-Page Resume:
Prioritize most relevant and recent experience
Use concise, results focused language
Align language from the job announcement
Focus on demonstrating skills and competencies
Remove outdated or unrelated experience
Use the USAJOBS resume builder
Additional guidance on this new requirement and resume building tools can be found at:
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
West Palm Beach VA Medical Center
7305 North Military Trail
West Palm Beach, FL 33410
US
Next steps
After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application. Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 06/22/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12982116.
1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update the resumes in your profile before applying for a job. Resumes should include information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying. VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed.
Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement. If initial application submission is updated and resubmitted with a new resume, only the most current resume will be reviewed for consideration.
Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. We recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.
Helpful Hints for Creating a Two-Page Resume:
Prioritize most relevant and recent experience
Use concise, results focused language
Align language from the job announcement
Focus on demonstrating skills and competencies
Remove outdated or unrelated experience
Use the USAJOBS resume builder
Additional guidance on this new requirement and resume building tools can be found at:
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
West Palm Beach VA Medical Center
7305 North Military Trail
West Palm Beach, FL 33410
US
Next steps
After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
