Engineering Technician

Individual Occupational Requirements: The 0802 series requires specific education or experience to be met in order to be appointed into a position of this series. You must meet one of the pre-determined Education or Experience Individual Occupational Requirements listed below as set by Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Qualifications: In order to qualify for this position, you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-10) in the Federal Service. Technician experience includes supervising, leading, or performing work involving applying a practical knowledge of the (1) methods and techniques of engineering or architecture and (2) construction, application, properties, operations, and limitations of engineering systems, processes, structures, machinery, devices and materials. Qualifying specialized experience includes 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 level applicants should possess experience utilizing computer-aided drafting and design software. NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. ~OR~ Education: Successfully completed 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. 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. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Building and Construction Design Project Management Technical Competence 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). 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 Demands: The work requires frequent walking, bending, lifting, and carrying light equipment. Occasional climbing and crawling are required. Work Environment: A major portion of the work is performed in an office setting; however, work will also be performed at construction sites. Some of the work may be performed on scaffolds, rooftops, platforms, and other exterior spaces. Frequent visits around medical areas are necessary where there is possible exposure to contagious diseases, staph infections, and radiation hazards. 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/.
The primary purpose of the position is to plan, design, analyze, and layout of new construction as well as the conversion, remodeling, or modernization of existing VA buildings and facilities. The Engineering technician is responsible to act as a technical resource for the staff and a project engineer for complex projects at the Veterans Affairs Sierra Nevada Health Care System (VASNHCS) in Reno, NV.