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Utility System Repair Operator

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
8 days ago
Full-time
On-site
Laurel, Maryland, United States
$36.49 - $36.49 USD hourly
Creative & Design

Duties

  • The duties may include, but are not limited to:
  • Operates, maintains, modifies, and repairs three boilers that supply 180-degree Fahrenheit water 24/7, throughout the entire facility.
  • Monitors, adjusts, and controls phases of the boiler plant operation to achieve efficient combustion levels and compliance with air pollution laws or regulations.
  • Troubleshoots and diagnoses malfunctioning heating systems and supporting components, determines nature and extent of repairs and makes adjustments and corrections as required.
  • Performs regular preventive maintenance, diagnoses refrigeration malfunctions, and makes repairs to compressors, condensers, liquid line solenoid and expansion valves, coils, motors, belts, bearings, fans, filter-driers, and other auxiliary equipment
  • Inspects and monitors the chiller operations, temperatures, and generated alarms on a daily basis, and records all data in the chiller logbook.
  • Maintains the generator in a ready state mode in order to guarantee 24/7 emergency power transfer capability.
  • Exercises all generators on a biweekly basis by bringing them up to operational conditions and making repairs or adjustments as needed to ensure optimal performance.
  • Initiates the decontamination cycle and monitors the batch runs through the system, and records all pressures and temperatures and logs them in the waste sterilization log book.
  • Operates, inspects, and maintains the BSL-3AG microwave wastewater sterilization system that was designed exclusively to perform pre-programmed thermal deactivation of biological waste, including Ag Select Agents.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • You must be a US Citizen or US National.
  • Individuals who were born male after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served. Refer to the Next Steps section for more information.
  • Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/
  • Valid state driver's license is required at the time of application.
  • All USDA employees are required to be enrolled in Continuous Vetting, which authorizes government agencies to receive notifications of criminal activity on individuals who hold low risk, public trust, or national security positions.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.


To qualify for the WG-11 Grade Level, you must show you have had training and experience of sufficient scope and quality to provide you with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Your resume MUST support the experience required for the grade level being appointed. Your resume must include this experience, being mindful that experience may not be inferred by job title.

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 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: There is no education substitution for this grade level.

Education

This position does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

  • Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.
  • First time hires to the federal government normally start at the lowest rate of the salary range for the grade selected.
  • Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expense associated with reporting for duty will be the responsibility of the selected employee.
  • Worksite Information: This position is located at the duty station(s) listed in this vacancy announcement and is not eligible for telework or remote work.
  • Subject to be on-call for emergencies, such as power outages, heating system breakdowns, chiller malfunctions, breach in containment of pathogens, and environmental growth chamber malfunctions, and must carry a cell phone when assigned on-call duty status.
  • Subject to call-in during non-duty hours and may be required to work overtime to effect repairs or complete installation or maintenance of a system which cannot be worked on during normal working hours or is of an urgent priority nature.
  • May be required to work fluctuating shifts, including overnight shifts, 12-hour shifts, weekend shifts, and evening shifts in various combinations.
  • May be required to work weekends and holidays when necessary and may be required to report for duty during emergencies, critical periods, or during times when the government is closed due to inclement weather.
  • May be required to operate a forklift occasionally to transfer equipment and materials.
  • Will be required to submit to a background investigation at the Moderate Risk level due to the following conditions:
    • The nature of the incumbent's work operating specialized mechanical systems that maintain the bio-containment and bio-security; and
    • The incumbent's work inside the BSL-3AG facility around the growth rooms and greenhouse sections where research is being conducted on plant pathogens of high risk or Select Agents, outlined in the 7 CFR 331.

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.