The Pipefitter position is within the Facilities Management Services at the Providence VA Healthcare Center, located in Providence, Rhode Island. It is a permanent, full-time position at 40 hours per week.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/27/2025. EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required, but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards. SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements: Equipment Assembly, Installation, Repair Measurement and Layout Technical Practices Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment Without more than normal supervision 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. 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 Effort: Work must frequently be done from ladders, scaffolds, or elevated platforms and in hard-to reach, cramped, and confined work sites such as under or behind tanks or equipment, ditches, crawl spaces and manholes. The work involves considerable walking, standing, stooping, bending, kneeling, climbing and working in tiring and uncomfortable positions. The pipefitter is required to lift, carry, set up parts, tools, and equipment weighing up to 50 pounds. Occasionally, items are over 50 pounds. Working Conditions: The pipefitter must work both inside and outside. Outside work is occasionally required during extremely bad weather. Repairs are frequently in areas that are wet, dirty, greasy, extremely hot, or foul smelling. Interior work will require working on plugged and/or overflowing toilets and drain lines containing human excrement. Occasionally, the incumbent will be required to work in the vicinity of asbestos containing materials. The incumbent will be required to wear appropriate personal protective equipment as necessary to accomplish assigned tasks in a safe manner. The incumbent will be expected to practice proper infection control techniques to accomplish tasks in a safe manner.
The pipefitter installs, modifies, maintains and repairs a variety of high, medium and low pressure piping systems such as steam distribution and heating systems, oil, medical gases and vacuum, and potable water systems throughout the medical center complex. Duties include, but are not limited to: Installs a wide-range of trade equipment (including pipe insulation, condensate collection tanks and pumps, hot water heating devices, circulating pumps, radiators and other heating devices, a variety of plumbing fixtures, food service equipment and control devices); Installs, repairs and tests fire protection sprinkler systems; Plans and lays out piping system routing, equipment placement, and elevation (when applicable,) proper pitch, fittings and accessories required; Sets up piping routing and locates and cuts openings through obstacles; Performs soldering, brazing, silver soldering and welding when repairing and installing piping and fixtures; Operates a wide-range of trade items (such as relief valves, check valves, pressure reducing valves, shut-off valves, expansion joints and similar devices and how these items control flow, pressure, circulation, and expansion within these systems); Installs, modifies, maintains, and repairs a variety of high, medium, and low-pressure piping systems (including steam distribution and heating systems, oil, medical gases and vacuum, and potable water systems); and Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:00am to 3:30pm Position Description Title/PD#: Pipefitter/PD650-001770 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Notifications: Interchange Agreements with Other Merit System: Employees who occupy medical or medical-related positions and were appointed under 38 U.S.C. 4701(1) or (3) [formerly 38 U.S.C. 4104 (1) and (3)] must be serving in a full-time position without time limit and have served continuously for at least one year in this other merit system to be eligible to convert to the Title 5 System. Some exceptions to this rule may apply if you have previously acquired tenure under a Title 5 appointment. Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held. This position is a LIUNA Bargaining Unit position. Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees. This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay.