Engineering Technician

Veterans Health Administration•El Paso, TX

2d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is in the Facility Management Service Capital Improvement Section of the El Paso VA Healthcare System. The Engineering Technician serves as a consultant to Healthcare Engineers, Interior Designers, Space Planners, and the Capital Improvement Supervisor, providing direction and review of professional and technical programs and engineering work across disciplines including civil, electrical, mechanical, biomedical, environmental, and safety engineering. The technician supports facility maintenance and capital improvement projects from planning and design through construction and closeout. Work includes preparing plans, specifications, drawings, cost estimates, project documentation, and budget justifications; coordinating with engineering staff, contractors, consultants, and user services; reviewing designs and construction submittals; administering contracts; inspecting work; and keeping facility record drawings current. The position also supports code and life-safety compliance, asbestos assessments and abatement design, and energy audits and conservation proposals. The position is not virtual. The regular schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but the schedule may change based on agency needs and may include holidays, weekends, and rotating shifts. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. citizen.
For current or former federal employees subject to time-in-grade requirements, must have 52 weeks at GS-08 for a GS-09 position; applicable documentation must be submitted.
Must meet the individual occupational requirement through qualifying technical experience in areas such as drafting, surveying, construction estimating, physical science, mathematics, architecture, or electrical or mechanical systems, or qualifying trade/craft experience involving engineering principles and design or development work.
Must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-08, including experience such as applying building codes and standards and construction practices, asbestos management, drafting, and using personal computers and AutoCAD; alternatively, qualify through the stated education or combination pathways.
Must be able to prepare, read, and interpret engineering and structural drawings and specifications; understand building materials; prepare detailed cost estimates using estimating software and Excel; inspect materials and workmanship; use construction engineering equipment; communicate with contractors, contracting officers, and management; monitor construction projects; prepare reports; and apply safety and fire-protection procedures.
Alternatively, two full years of graduate education or a master's degree in an appropriate engineering, construction, or industrial technology field may meet the GS-09 requirement; transcripts are required.
Alternatively, an equivalent combination of experience and education beyond a bachelor's degree in an appropriate engineering, construction, or industrial technology field may qualify; transcripts are required when relying on education.
Must complete the required application steps and online assessment.
Must complete a background/security investigation and online onboarding; acceptable identification is required for pre-employment requirements.
Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as a condition of employment.
Must serve a one-year probationary period or two-year trial period, as applicable.

Responsibilities

Assist with analysis, design, modification, planning, installation, administration, and construction of projects.
Support general engineers in maintaining facilities, structures, and electrical systems.
Prepare plans, specifications, estimates, contract drawings, and construction documents for complex multidisciplinary projects, including architectural, fire and safety, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, telecommunications, electronics, hazardous-material abatement, and outpatient clinic projects.
Coordinate with the Chief Engineer and engineering staff to implement major construction projects and keep management informed about ongoing project plans.
Communicate engineering management expectations to Facility Support Services staff and contractors.
Prepare project documents for multi-year facility plans and funding authorization requests; prepare magnitude estimates for budget planning and detailed cost estimates and justifications for construction, renovation, maintenance, repair, and equipment installation.
Perform technical calculations and measurements to identify cost-effective building and space designs; evaluate survey and measurement data for design solutions.
Review construction contract specifications for NFPA Life Safety Code compliance, coordinate with regional safety and fire prevention engineering staff, and ensure Interim Life Safety Measures are implemented during construction.
Administer contracts, evaluate submissions, process payment applications and invoices, and prepare construction progress reports and payment requests.
Assess maintenance, repair, or remodeling areas to help determine the presence of asbestos; prepare asbestos-abatement designs as needed.
Assist consulting architects and engineers by providing existing as-built drawings, field measurements, VA construction standards, and specifications; review preliminary designs and specifications for errors, omissions, and technical soundness.
Gather engineering data and field measurements needed to prepare construction drawings and specifications; review contractor shop drawings and submittals for compliance.
Serve as Contracting Officer's Technical Representative on projects and inspect construction and maintenance work for compliance with drawings and specifications.
Work with general contractors to resolve problems caused by errors or differing site conditions; coordinate projects with user services from conception through completion.
Review contractor change-order requests for accuracy and cost control and negotiate when necessary.
Maintain and update record drawings of Station and Domiciliary structures and grounds using AutoCAD, as time allows.
Perform energy audits of buildings and building systems, calculate energy consumption, and prepare proposals to reduce consumption.
Assist with orienting temporary technicians or draftsmen assigned to the project section.