Address
Form of workThis position is located in the Electronics Sub-section of Biomedical Engineering Section. The incumbent is responsible for the assessment, installation, intercommunication, and maintenance of complex electronic equipment and systems at the VA Puget Sound Health Care Facility (VAPSHCS) both the Seattle and American Lake divisions, all of which have a direct bearing on the VAPSHCS goals concerning quality of patient care and safety.Qualifications: To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement, 12/27/2023.
Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-10. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.
Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): An IOR is a basic requirement that must be met in order to qualify for the 0856 occupational series. To qualify for this occupational series, applicants MUST have the following knowledge of the techniques and theories characteristic of electronics, such as a knowledge of basic electricity and electronic theory, algebra, and elementary physics; knowledge of electronic equipment design, development, evaluation, testing, installation, and maintenance; and knowledge of the capabilities, limitations, operations, design, characteristics, and functional use of a variety of types and models of electronic equipment and systems related to, but less than, a full professional knowledge of electronic engineering.
Electronics technicians may have gained experience assisting in work situations including:
Maintenance - Developing maintenance standards and procedures for use by others. Analyzing repair practices and developing procedural instructions for use by others on methods and steps to repair equipment.
Installation - Planning and directing the installation of complex systems and associated facilities, particularly where there are site selection and construction problems, dealings with contractors and public utilities, and the possible need to modify equipment for novel site characteristics.
Fabrication - Designing and analyzing circuits, determining design feasibility, evaluating equipment performance under varying environmental conditions, and collecting performance data. Designing or modifying designs to achieve performance and cost objectives. Evaluating the adequacy of equipment for such purposes as repair, calibration, and testing.
Testing and Evaluation/Research and Development - Developing or evaluating new or modified electronic systems. Completing testing, evaluating data, and determining acceptability of equipment modifications, validity, test procedures and data, or legality of operation. Technicians support professional engineers in performing experiments, research, and developmental activities requiring an in-depth knowledge of technical engineering methods, applications, practices, and principles to work on concepts, prototypes, and experimental projects that are without precedent and support state-of-the-art research.
Sustainment - Developing, performing, evaluating, or modifying calibration and test equipment, systems, and procedures. Reporting, analyzing, and archiving test data. Performing complex calculations and manipulations of test data to improve performance of systems, instrumentation, measurement standards, techniques, and procedures.
Troubleshooting - Analyzing and diagnosing faults in the operational configuration of electronic systems and equipment. Interpreting circuit wiring, logic cable diagrams, drawings, specifications, and schematics of complete systems and equipment to understand the function and interconnections of the various assemblies and troubleshoot the system.
Specialized experience: I possess at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-10) in the Federal Service. Specialized experience includes Work as a technician, instructor, inspector, or mechanic (civilian or military) that showed progression in theoretical and practical knowledge of electronic theory, and of the characteristics, function, operation, and capabilities of a variety of types of electronic equipment. This experience must have included the use of schematic diagrams, a variety of test equipment, and the application of appropriate electronic formulas involved in such duties as testing, troubleshooting, modifying, designing, calibrating, installing, maintaining, repairing, constructing, developing, and instructing on electronic equipment, or similar functions. Experience in developing policies, standards, and procedures for maintenance, installation, or similar functions, provided the work clearly shows that the applicant applied a specialized knowledge of the theories and principles of a variety of electronic systems or equipment.- Electronics
- Network Management
- Oral Communication
- Planning and Evaluating
- Technical Competence
- Technology Awareness
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.
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 requires moderate physical exertion, and can involved prolonged periods of pushing, pulling, carrying, bending, stooping, crawling, crouching, reading inside of devices, and negotiating cramped working areas. Frequently work will be performed in cramped and awkward positions. The work also requires prolonged periods of standing and walking. The incumbent will continually handle objects weighting up to. 20 lbs. and occasionally objects up to 50 lbs. Some tasks involve climbing and working in high places using ladders or platforms. Circuit repairs also require adequate eyesight and dexterity. Technical, academic, and mental demands are considerable. The work performed is of a precise nature requiring prolonged concentration. The incumbent will often work under conditions or stress caused by the nature of the medical mission which involves the well being of patients and the necessity to meet deadlines.Education: This job does not have an education qualification requirement.Employment Type: FULL_TIME
