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Maintenance Mechanic Helper

Smithsonian Institution
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo.  This position is located in one of the Smithsonian Institution's facilities serviced by the Office of Facilities Management (FM). The Office of Facilities Management (FM) is responsible for all Smithsonian facilities, many of which are designated as historic and all of which are visited by millions of people each year.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
11/24/2025 to 12/08/2025
Salary
$24.25 to - $28.29 per hour
Pay scale & grade
WG 05
Location
Washington, DC
FEW vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent - Federal
Work schedule
Full-time - Full-Time, Permanent
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
05
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
26R-SR-312821-MPA-FM
Control number
850492500

Duties

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The Maintenance Helper assists journeymen maintenance workers in accomplishing day-to-day duties required to maintain the facilities in museums.

In this position, you will:

  • Assist in the performance of carpentry duties including fabrication, installation, repair and general construction of items and structures, such as doors, windows, partitions, stairways, steps, flooring, and scaffolding with wood, metal, and other materials.
  • Assist in floor work, snapping lines, spreading lines, spreading mastic, placing tile on mastic, applying mastic to back of rubber base and installing same.
  • Assist in the assembly of metal cabinets and shelving units, using screwdrivers, pliers and wrenches. A
  • Assist in the performance of a variety of painting tasks in connection with maintenance and protective painting.
  • Assist in the performance of electrical duties, which includes the installation and/or alteration of electrical wiring by assisting with measuring, cutting, threading, bending, assembling, and installing conduits, as marked or measured by Journeyman worker.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation
  • May need to complete a Probationary Period
  • Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer
  • Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.

Conditions of Employment

Physical Requirements:
This position requires the physical ability to perform moderately heavy work including lifting and carrying heavy objects up to 50 lbs.; work outside in all weather conditions with exposure to dirt, dust, pollen and insects; climb ladders and stairs; and stand and walk for extended periods.

Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the job opportunity announcement.

For information on the Job Qualification System for Trades and Labor Occupations, see OPM’s website.

Additional Requirements:

Must have a valid State or District of Columbia driver's license. (Must submit a copy with your application)

Must be available to work late shifts, weekends and holidays and is subject to being called in for emergencies to restore the Smithsonian Institution to normal operations.

Qualifications

In order to be rated qualified, an applicant's overall experience and training must indicate possession of the minimum knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the duties of this position. 

Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages and should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and specialized experience required for this position. Do not copy language directly from the vacancy announcement, as you will be deemed ineligible for consideration. Instead, provide detailed, descriptive information about your actual experience.

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.

Important Note:

Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire or other assessment tool for consistency. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your resume, you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience. Your resume should provide sufficient information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.

Additional information

  • This position is included in the bargaining unit.

Recruitment Incentive: Recruitment incentive(s) may be authorized for this position.  However, approval for incentives are contingent upon various availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require the incumbent to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a certain time period.

Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid.

Selections may be made for vacancies across the Smithsonian Institution (SI). By applying to this position, you agree to allow your application and other personal information to be shared with one or more SI hiring officials for employment consideration for same/similar positions within the location(s) identified in this 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.

How you will be evaluated

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

Applications will first be evaluated to determine whether the following screen out element is met:

  1. Ability to do the work of a Maintenance Worker Helper without more than normal supervision demonstrated by experience in performing a full range of maintenance and repair services associated with painting, carpentry, plumbing and electrical operations.

If an applicant meets the screen-out element, the following Job Elements will be evaluated:

  1. Knowledge of equipment assembly, installation, operations, repair, and maintenance (painting, carpentry, plumbing, or electrical.)
  2. Knowledge of technical practices associated with painting, carpentry, plumbing and electrical operations.
  3. Ability to use measuring instruments associated with painting, carpentry, plumbing or electrical work.
  4. Knowledge of interpreting instructions, specifications, etc. (includes blueprint reading).
  5. Ability using and maintaining tools and equipment used to perform minor repairs and maintenance.
  6. Knowledge of materials used in performing the following maintenance tasks, painting, plumbing, electrical or carpentry work.
  • BASIS OF RATING:  Once the announcement closes, your application will be automatically evaluated and rated by the system and a Human Resources Specialist. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your application and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the occupational questionnaire. The numeric rating you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire. The score is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of this position. If, after the Human Resources Specialist reviews your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that the score you have received is not a true reflection of your qualifications and/or experience, your score can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect the information you provided that support your abilities. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Your resume should provide detailed information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.

    Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA):  If you are applying for a VEOA appointment, you must be a veteran and must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed 3 or more years of active service. ("Active Service" under this law means active duty in a uniformed service and includes full-time training duty, annual training duty, full-time National Guard duty, and attendance, while in the active service, at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary concerned.) A veteran who is released under honorable conditions shortly before completing a 3-year tour is also eligible.

    Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities:  The following links contain information on the eligibility requirements to be considered under a noncompetitive appointing authority:

  • Primary Appointing Authorities for Career and Career-Conditional Appointments
  • Hiring Authorities for Veterans
  • People with Disabilities

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