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Air Conditioning Equipment Operator

Department of Defense
Military Treatment Facilities under DHA

Summary

About the Position: This position is located at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth and is responsible for maintaining operations across all local medical treatment facilities, inpatient clinical environments, and various Branch Medical Clinics.

This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Personnel of the DoD to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service.

Advanced In-hire may be authorized.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted yesterday · Apply in 3 days
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 20, 2026
Location
2 vacancies in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$38.68 - $45.12 per hour
Pay scale & grade
WG 11
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
HSJT-26-13003969-DHA
Control number
876415400

Duties

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  • Operate and fine-tune over 20 large-scale industrial chillers with individual capacities up to 1,600 tons located across the main medical center and branch clinics.
  • Monitors, evaluate, and manipulate facility parameters including ambient temperatures, water pressures, variable air volume boxes, constant velocity reheat boxes, and fan coil units.
  • Collaborate directly with medical staff to maintain sterile, highly regulated clinical climates such as operating rooms, intensive care units, and airborne infection isolation rooms.
  • Oversee the status of critical medical gas systems including nitrous oxide, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen banks.
  • Perform regular rounds and comprehensive inspections of over 70 equipment rooms around the clock, maintaining a highly detailed shift log of mechanical operations, fluid levels, and system malfunctions.
  • Coordinate command-wide key control during off-shifts, acting as the authorized custodian for facility access, maintaining secure entry logs, and providing technical orientation to contractors navigating complex mechanical areas.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
  • This position requires the incumbent be able to obtain and maintain a determination of eligibility for a Secret security clearance or access for the duration of employment. A background investigation and credit check are required.
  • This position has mandatory seasonal Influenza vaccination requirements and is subject to annual seasonal Influenza vaccinations unless otherwise exempted for medical or religious reasons (documentation of exemption must be provided upon hire).
  • This position may require the incumbent to work on call during irregular work hours which may include evenings, weekends, holidays, and/or varying work schedules.
  • This position has been designated Mission Essential. In the event of severe weather conditions or other such emergency type situations, the incumbent is required to report to work or remain at work as scheduled to support mission operations.
  • This position is subject to TDY or business travel requirements to various locations. This may require travel via privately owned vehicles, commercial transport platforms, and/or military aircraft, ships, and vehicles.
  • This position requires the completion of a pre-employment Physical Examination and an annual examination thereafter to ensure the continued, required level of physical health and ability or fitness to perform the duties of the position.
  • This position requires shift work to provide coverage on evenings, weekends, holidays, or special situations. Employee shifts are rotated on a regularly scheduled basis.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens

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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

There is no specific length of training or experience required. However, you must be able to demonstrate, through experience shown in your written application materials that you possess the sufficient knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the work of this position without more than normal supervision.

Minimum Qualifications (Screen Out Element): Ability to do the work of an Air Conditioning Equipment Operator - without more than normal supervision. - Failure to meet this Screen out Element will result in an ineligible rating.

I have the ability to perform common Air Conditioning Equipment Operator tasks including adding refrigerant, changing filters in air handlers, cleaning strainers, replacing broken or worn drive belts on motors, lubricating the various compressors, fans, shafts and steam glands of pumps, and moving parts of other operating and standby equipment. I can perform simple air conditioning maintenance and repairs. I work under normal supervision of a work leader or journey-level employee who observes tasks in progress and upon completion to make sure they are properly performed.

Physical Effort: The position demands regular, physical exertion including walking extensive campus rounds, prolonged standing, bending, stooping, crawling into tight utility spaces, and climbing vertical ladders to access rooftop chillers and cooling towers. Heaviest weights lifted are approximately 50 lbs.

Working Conditions: Work is primarily performed in an indoor control center environment but frequently requires exposure to high-decibel equipment rooms, high-voltage spaces, and confined mechanical areas. The incumbent is routinely exposed to extreme heat and cold, high noise levels requiring personal protective equipment, moving mechanical parts, noxious gases, and structural hazards.

Additional information

  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
  • This position requires a 1 year probationary periodduring which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest.
  • Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
  • Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
  • If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
  • Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position.

Veterans and Military Spouses will be considered along with all other candidates.

Military Treatment Facilities under DHA

As an integrated health care system, the Defense Health Agency delivers healthcare services across the Department of Defense and enables combat support to the Joint Force as a strategic partner. Through a robust healthcare delivery system, and a dedicated team of inspired professionals, the Agency ensures the worldwide delivery of medical, dental, and pharmacy programs to more than 9.5 million uniformed service members, retirees, and their families, by improving health and building readiness

Anytime, Anywhere-Always.

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Website
https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
Address
JT-DD83DY ATLANTIC DHN - PORTSMOUTH
DO NOT MAIL
Various Locations, VA 0
US

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