Pipefitter

Summary

The Pipefitter performs duties at the journeyman Maintenance Mechanic Pipefitter level in the maintenance section. This entails knowledge of plumbing, steam fitting and mechanical skills. The incumbent works on a variety of systems such as steam distribution, water supply, fire sprinklers, drainage and sewage, consumer gas, medical oxygen, air vacuum and nitrous oxide distribution and storage as well as on mechanical equipment and appliances.

Duties

• Major duties and responsibilities include, but not limited to: The Pipefitter receives work assignments from the supervisor through work orders, oral instructions, building plans, blueprints and sketches. The pipefitter works on steam piping, valves, steam straps, steam powered equipment, pressure regulators and many other items connected with steam. The incumbent works on disposal and utility systems, such as waste, placement, slant, slope and fall of systems. The pipefitter installs and performs maintenance on all plumbing fixtures and equipment and works with all types of piping and valves (copper, galvanized, black, cast iron, Poly Vinyl Chloride , Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, glass and fuse seal). The incumbent does rough-in, set and finish, and soft and silver solders and many other items connected with plumbing. The Incumbent also does mechanical work such as assembling and repairing wheel chairs, beds, stands, lockers, dietetic, lab, surgical and housekeeping equipment. The incumbent does welding repair by use of electric arc, oxyacetylene, and time in grade and many other items connected with mechanics. Duties of this position require a good knowledge of the proper use and care of power operated equipment such as pipe threading machines, drill presses, core drills, roto hammers, power saws, grinders, welders and hand tools. Strong credit card skills required for processing invoices. Assignments include periodic National Fire Protection Association and Joint Commission Accreditation Healthcare Organization mandated preventive maintenance inspection of all systems and their components affiliated with the pipefitting trade on a basis set up by the supervisor or management. On installation of new work, or correction of a deficiency in the pipefitting utility system, the incumbent may be assigned to plan and lay out the proposed work which will include estimating materials required such as types and amounts; labor required and provides the supervisor with an estimated shut-down time. May perform minor Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning work which includes repairing, adjusting room thermostats, replacing air filters, replacing V belts and cleaning refrigeration condensers. May perform minor electrical work which consists of replacing defective fluorescent ballasts, fixtures, lights, switches and outlets. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Position Description Title/PD#: Pipefitter/PD4057-A Physical Requirements: Duties require the incumbent to climb ladders and to crawl around in cramped ceilings and subbasements, requiring a high degree of agility as well as long periods of work in standing, kneeling and other awkward positions. Climbing, crawling stooping and other forms of physical exertion are commonplace when working in pipe spaces. The incumbent must be able to work in extreme temperatures and moisture conditions for prolonged periods (up to four hours at a time).

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. 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. Incumbent must possess the following Knowledge and Skills: (Must be present on/in resume) Must be able to read and interpret blueprints, specifications, tables and charts. Knowledge of up to date construction working methods, equipment and tools. Knowledge and skill of installing, performing maintenance and repairs and high pressure piping systems and equipment. Knowledge of relief valve, check valves, pressure regulators, expansion joints, and other pressure and controlling devices. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements: Equipment Assembly, Installation, Repair Interpret Instructions, Specifications (includes blueprint reading) Measurement and Layout Technical Practices Troubleshooting 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.

Requirements

U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Services Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 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. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. 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 period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

How to apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/11/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13057093. 1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. 2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center. Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update the resumes in your profile before applying for a job. Resumes should include information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying. VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed. Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement. If initial application submission is updated and resubmitted with a new resume, only the most current resume will be reviewed for consideration. Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. We recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started. Helpful Hints for Creating a Two-Page Resume: Prioritize most relevant and recent experience Use concise, results focused language Align language from the job announcement Focus on demonstrating skills and competencies Remove outdated or unrelated experience Use the USAJOBS resume builder Additional guidance on this new requirement and resume building tools can be found at: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/page-limit https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/merit-hiring-plan-resources/applicant-guidance-on-the-two-page-resume-limit/ To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.