Electrical Engineering Technician

Summary These positions are located within the Office of the Chief, under the Deputy Chief, Engineering Service, at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN. Learn more about this agency Duties ***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** Major duties and responsibilities include: Modifies established testing programs to test entire systems; Determines characteristics, capabilities, and limitations and performance of conventional systems; Establishes a program to test required data under varying loads and operating conditions; Analyzes data for evidence of improper function and determines the cause of malfunction; Prepares plans, specifications, and estimates for complex projects, which include multi-disciplinary architectural, fire and safety, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, telecommunication, analog and digital electronics, and hazardous material abatement design Manages of all non-patient care electronic and physical security systems such as radios, security cameras, panic buttons, and physical access controls to include physical and network support; Coordinates and works effectively with other facility support departments including but not limited to Engineering Service, Office of Information Technology (OIT), Patient Safety, Sterile Processing Service (SPS), Supply Chain Management (SCM), Contracting, Informatics, and Environmental Management Service (EMS). Specific tasks include but are not limited to incoming inspections, regular and unscheduled maintenance, and planning for end-of-life replacement in conjunction with clinical services or administrative services; Utilizes common test equipment including, but not limited to, patient simulators, pulse generators, network analyzers, test phantoms, electrical safety analyzers, oscilloscopes, and multimeters. Coordinates and plans projects with medical center staff, consultants, vendors, and contractors; Maintains functional knowledge of relevant safety codes and standards of regulatory bodies including, but not limited to, Joint Commission (JC), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) Prepares reports required for tracking of progress, contracts and funding allocation; Assists consulting architects and engineers with design of competitively bid construction, maintenance, and repair work Develops initial plans and technical specifications for maintenance, repair, alternations, additions, modernizations, and new construction projects including roads, grounds, structures, buildings, utilities, distribution systems, building service equipment, operations equipment, furnishing, and other physical property Carefully screens records, plans, sketches, specifications, and directives to ensure compliance and compatibility; Prepares working drawings of proposed work and/or existing conditions, complete with accurately taken field measurement, elevations, and other pertinent information and conditions; Leads and manages installation or upgrade projects for non-patient care electronics and physical security systems; to include pre-implementation planning and coordination with end users, vendors, and other onsite support staff (OIT, Informatics, SPS, etc.); Performs a variety of Computer-Aided Drafting and Design (CADD) assignments; Assists in conducting engineering, structural and land surveys; Prepares preliminary and working drawings for construction projects Performs other related duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:30am to 4:00am Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Requirements Conditions of employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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) - See "Required Documents" below for details. 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, 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 at the GS-11 level, you must meet one of the following: Experience: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-10) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of an Engineering Technician. 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. At this grade level, experience should include applying a practical knowledge of a wide range of technical methods, principles, and practices relative to the profession field to prepare complex drawings, estimates, and specifications for architectural, fire and safety, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, telecommunication, electronic and digital controls, and asbestos abatement for the maintenance, repair, alteration, and/or total replacement of facility and building components; preparing, reading, and interpreting engineering and structural drawings and specifications; and making preliminary sketches, concepts, and layouts for complex projects in all construction disciplines; experience with AutoCAD, Revit and Microsoft Office Software including Microsoft Word and Excel NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. ~OR~ Education: Successful completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education that is directly related to the work of the Engineering Technician position, such as engineering, construction, or industrial technology, and included coursework in drafting. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~ Combination: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond master's degree) and specialized experience, as described above. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. 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. 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/. Physical Requirements: The work is mostly sedentary; however, the incumbent must be physically able to climb, crawl, walk and stoop. Work is frequently performed in the cramped and awkward positions. Such work shall require the use of all limbs, a strong back and legs along with good coordination, and balance. Good eyesight, color and depth perception are also requisite to being able to perform at an optimum level. The work may also require being exposed to the elements. Some work may require some physical exertion long periods of standing, walking, bending, climbing, and crawling in or around the facility and construction sites, field inspections, or to observe and study work operations in an industrial, storage, or comparable work area. The EET exercises physical effort in the performance of duties that may include lifting and carrying objects weighing up to 50 pounds. Work hours can vary from the norm, depending upon the circumstances surrounding project performance, which can entail night, weekend, and/or extended work hours. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. NOTE: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional information Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 80 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. Note: Per "Executive Order 14251: Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs", this position is no longer eligible for bargaining unit participation. 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. Expand Hide  additional information 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. Benefits 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. Review our 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.