Pipefitter

Veterans Health Administration • El Paso, TX

3d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is in the Facility Support Service, Maintenance and Repair Section of the El Paso VA. The Pipefitter performs installation, modification, testing, maintenance, repair, inspection, and troubleshooting of the facility’s piping systems and auxiliary equipment. Systems include high- and low-pressure steam and condensate return, natural gas, medical gas, domestic and chilled water, waste and drainage, and water-based fire suppression systems. The incumbent performs routine and emergency maintenance and responds to visual examination findings, operational tests, and work requests from the Maintenance and Operations Supervisor.

The position includes work on medical gas piping and related outlets, fittings, manifolds, and systems. The employee must be certified as a medical gas installer and maintain yearly recertification. The employee also works on commercial and residential plumbing fixtures, faucets, control valves, sanitary and storm waste lines, vents, and drainage lines, and assists other trades with piping-related problems affecting hospital systems and equipment.

The Pipefitter records work, materials, costs, and inspections; maintains equipment histories and preventive-maintenance documentation; ensures material stock in coordination with the Generic Inventory Program clerk; and keeps work areas clean and safe. The incumbent determines when systems or equipment are unreliable or unsafe, arranges their removal from service, and provides temporary alternatives as needed. The position requires compliance with safety procedures, including Lockout/Tagout, coordination with users to schedule non-emergency repairs, and maintaining workmanship to accepted trade standards. The employee must obtain a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Backflow Repair Assembly Tester license within one year of hire and annually test facility backflow prevention devices.

This is an essential position. The employee must report during emergencies and inclement weather. The stated schedule is Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., subject to agency changes; the tour of duty may also include holidays, weekends, and rotating shifts. Work involves physical activity and may take place on ladders, platforms, under equipment, in crawl spaces, hot or hard-to-reach areas, and outdoors.

Requirements

• Evidence of training or experience sufficient in scope and quality to demonstrate the ability to perform the work; no specific length of training or experience is required.
• Demonstrated ability to perform work assessed through the screen-out element and job elements, including equipment assembly, installation and repair; interpreting instructions and specifications, including blueprint reading; measurement and layout; technical practices; troubleshooting; and using and maintaining tools and equipment without more than normal supervision.
• Medical gas installer certification, with yearly recertification.
• Obtain a TCEQ Backflow Repair Assembly Tester license within one year of hire.
• U.S. citizenship, except that non-citizens may be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Suitable for federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
• Selective Service registration for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Complete the required online onboarding and provide acceptable identification and application materials.
• Serve a one-year probationary period.
• Meet VA Health Care Personnel seasonal influenza vaccination requirements or obtain an exemption; masking is required when an exemption is granted.
• Ability to perform physical work involving walking, standing, bending, lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling moderately heavy loads up to 50 pounds and occasionally heavier loads with assistance; work in uncomfortable positions and on ladders, platforms, under equipment, in crawl spaces, hot or hard-to-reach areas, and outdoors.

Responsibilities

• Install, modify, test, maintain, repair, inspect, and troubleshoot piping systems and auxiliary equipment throughout the facility.
• Maintain and repair high- and low-pressure steam and condensate return, natural gas, medical gas, domestic and chilled water, waste and drainage, and water-based fire suppression systems.
• Maintain, modify, and repair medical gas piping, outlets, fittings, manifolds, and systems; maintain medical gas installer recertification.
• Install, maintain, repair, and troubleshoot commercial and residential plumbing fixtures, faucets, and control valves.
• Maintain, repair, replace, and install sanitary and storm waste lines, vent lines, and drainage lines.
• Assist other shops and trades in diagnosing and repairing piping problems involving hospital systems, HVAC equipment, and dietetic equipment.
• Repair, replace, and install piping, fittings, components, and auxiliary equipment.
• Keep the work site and shop clean and safe, clean debris during work, and secure tools, equipment, chemicals, and materials to prevent risk to others.
• Open and close work orders, recording time, materials, costs, and completed work; maintain adequate material stock in coordination with the GIP clerk.
• Maintain documentation of inspections, repairs, work performed, vendor repairs, and equipment histories as required by the Preventive Maintenance Program.
• Identify unreliable or unsafe systems and equipment, arrange removal from service until repaired, and provide temporary alternatives as needed.
• Follow applicable safety precautions and use Lockout/Tagout procedures and logs when required.
• Keep affected users informed and schedule non-emergency repairs to minimize service outages; provide temporary resources as needed and possible.
• Obtain a TCEQ Backflow Repair Assembly Tester license within one year of hire and annually test backflow prevention devices; take devices that fail out of service, repair them, and retest them.
• Report to work during emergencies and inclement weather.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package; specific benefits depend on position type and eligibility.
• VA may consider credit for job-related non-federal experience or active-duty uniformed military service when determining annual leave accrual, subject to request and approval before appointment and not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed