Veterans Health Administration Logo
Position Title
General Engineer
Agency
Veterans Health Administration
Announcement Number
CBSW-11189056-21-MFJ-BU Opens in new window
Open Period
Friday, September 17, 2021 to Friday, October 8, 2021
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Do you claim Veterans’ Preference? (limit characters)
2. Are you currently employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information.
(limit characters)
3. Are you an employee of the department/service line indicated for this position?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you may be required submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Please review the instructions in the announcement.  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information.
(limit characters)
4. Are you an employee of the facility indicated for this position?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information.
(limit characters)
5. Are you a current permanent Federal employee from an agency other than Department of Veterans Affairs?

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form.
(limit characters)
6. Are you currently employed as a civilian employee in the competitive service in a federal agency other than the Department of Veterans Affairs?
 
To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting your permanent, competitive status. Your SF-50 (or equivalent personnel action form) must reflect:
  • career or career-conditional (Tenure field is 1 or 2); AND,
  • your status is in the competitive service (Position Occupied field is 1).
(limit characters)
7. Are you a veteran whose latest discharge was under honorable conditions AND you:
  • served three or more years of continuous active duty service in the military (NOTE: if released shortly before completing a 3-year tour, you are considered to meet the eligibility); OR,
  • are entitled to veterans' preference?
For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (copy indicating character of service) or other proof of service which includes character of service.  *Note current Federal employees must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements.
(limit characters)
8. Are you a veteran who separated from active duty under honorable conditions AND you:
  • recently separated (within the past 3 years); OR,
  • are a disabled veteran; OR,
  • served on active duty during a war, campaign or expedition; OR,
  • received an Armed Forces Service Medal?
If eligible, submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (copy indicating character of service) or other proof of your service which includes character of service. If claiming disability preference, provide the disability letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs or Armed Service and the Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, Standard Form 15.

For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (copy indicating character of service) or other proof of your service which includes character of service. If claiming disability preference, you must also submit the disability letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs or Armed Service and the Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, Standard Form 15.
(limit characters)
Preferences
1. Which of the following items describes your current or recent (within the last five years) political appointee service?

If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
(limit characters)
Assessment 1
1. Have you served 52 weeks at the GS-09 grade level? The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. You may need to submit more than one SF-50 to show eligibility. Be aware, a General Pay Adjustment or Award SF-50 will not show when time-in-grade was met.
(limit characters)
Select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your current level of experience and/or education that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and education are subject to verification by investigation. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience or education as proof to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task. (limit characters)
Basic Requirements: Please select the most appropriate response(s) regarding meeting the basic requirement for the GS-801 General Engineering series. Transcripts REQUIRED - You must submit a copy of your transcripts with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. (limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
2. Do you possess a bachelor's degree in engineering? To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET); or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships) (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics (d) thermodynamics (e) electrical fields & circuits (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties) and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. Transcripts required.
(limit characters)
If you do not have an engineering degree, you may qualify with a combination of education and experience: college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following: (see Questions 3, 4, 5 below). Select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your current level of education and/or experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. (limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
3. Professional Registration or Licensure: Do you possess current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT), or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions. Documentation must be provided.
(limit characters)
4. Written Test - Do you have evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico? Documentation must be provided.
(limit characters)
5. Specified Academic Courses - Have you successfully completed at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described above in question 1. Transcripts required.
(limit characters)
6. Related Curriculum - Have you successfully completed a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions. Transcripts required.
(limit characters)
7. If you responded yes to the Related Curriculum question, please indicate the position on your resume where you have at least one year of professional engineering experience and the name and title of the person(s) that provided the professional engineering supervision and guidance.
(limit characters)
8. Specialized Experience: Do you possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience to perform the duties of this position? To be creditable, this experience must have been gained at least the equivalent of the next lower level of (GS-09) in Federal service. Specialized experience include but is not limited to the following: development and review of contract plans and specifications for projects including but not limited to: Nonrecurring Maintenance (NRM), Minor Projects, In-House Designed Projects, Tenants Improvement projects in leased space, etc.; serve as a technical advisor in the development and submission of the Strategic Capital Investment Plan (SCIP) and Energy Management Plan as requested; provide professional engineering support to the all organization elements. 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.
(limit characters)
For each task in the following group, choose the statement from the list below that best describes your experience and/or training. Please select only one letter for each item. (limit characters)
The following statements pertain to the General Engineering competency. (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
9. Provide professional engineering support to all organization elements of the facility.
(limit characters)
10. Prepare designs and specifications for hospital systems
(limit characters)
11. Required to use ingenuity, judgment and skill to inspect, design or troubleshoot specialized electrical control or monitoring systems and equipment to meet unique conditions.
(limit characters)
12. Evaluate healthcare provider requirements and translate these requirements into specific work requests.
(limit characters)
13. Evaluate building space utilization reassignments for the potential impact on building mechanical, electrical and structural systems.
(limit characters)
14. Generate clear, correct and detailed drawings and specifications for new construction or modification of existing systems for small to medium-size (up to $10M) new construction, repair and maintenance projects.
(limit characters)
15. Compute loads and plan industrial or similarly complex system.
(limit characters)
The following statements pertain to the Project Management competency. (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
16. Coordinate with mechanical and structural trades to ensure compatibility and a completely usable finished product.
(limit characters)
17. Ensure discrepancies between field conditions and drawings are reported to the appropriate department for inclusion into the drawings.
(limit characters)
18. Prepare and submit detailed cost estimates for competitive bidding for a variety of assigned projects.
(limit characters)
19. Estimate and itemize labor, material and equipment requirements for construction, alteration, installation, maintenance and repair of buildings, utilities, plant equipment and other facilities as required.
(limit characters)
The following statements pertain to the Communication competency. (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
20. Prepare documentation and assigns priority based on project urgency.
(limit characters)
21. Identify projects and develops documentation.
(limit characters)
22. Interface design and construction engineers, contracting personnel and contractor personnel in all matters concerning the design projects.
(limit characters)
23. Plans and coordinate various phases of work to accommodate the needs of tenant customers and those occupying spaces surrounding the work.
(limit characters)
The following statements pertain to the Critical Thinking competency. (limit characters)
For each knowledge area, select the one response that most accurately describes your current level of knowledge using the scale below. (limit characters)
24. Estimate software, past performance records and personal experience in the trades involved are used to create the cost estimates.
(limit characters)
25. Select materials and new materials that meet hospital and business occupancy standards are recommended where appropriate.
(limit characters)
26. Incorporated all known facts into the finished estimate to show final cost.
(limit characters)
27. Prepare documentation and assign priority based on project urgency.
(limit characters)
28. Identify projects and develops documentation.
(limit characters)
29. Review technical designs (drawings, specifications and cost estimates) prepared by engineering firms for: conformance with design criteria, stated goals and pertinent codes and standards; accuracy and completeness; constructability; quality of design and economy; and provides recommendations for changes as needed.
(limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
30. Verification Statement:
I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, all of the information included in this questionnaire is true, correct, and provided in good faith. I understand that if I make an intentional false statement, or commit deception or fraud in this application and its supporting materials, or in any document or interview associated with the examination process, I may be fined or imprisoned (18 U.S.C. 1001); my eligibility may be cancelled, I may be denied an appointment, or I may be removed and debarred from Federal service (5 C.F.R. part 731). I understand that any information I give may be investigated. I understand that responding "No" to this item will result in my not being considered for this position.
(limit characters)
Promotion Documentation Reminder: If you are a current or former Federal employee, you must provide a copy of your last or most recent SF-50, "Notice of Personnel Action." The SF-50 must identify your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure, and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). If you have previously held a higher grade and are applying based on that grade, you must provide a copy of the SF-50 showing you held the higher grade IN ADDITION to your last or most recent SF-50 indicating proof of status. (limit characters)
Resume Reminder: Your resume must include the following information each job listed: Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible) Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008) Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week) Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail. Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications (limit characters)