Pipefitter

Veterans Health Administration • Coatesville, PA

19d • Onsite

About The Position

The Pipefitter works in the Facilities Engineering Service, General Utilities Section, at the Coatesville Veterans Affairs Medical Center and reports directly to the Section's Maintenance Foreman. The position is responsible for maintaining, operating, and repairing plumbing and steam systems throughout the facility, supporting their safe and uninterrupted use.

The work includes installing, modifying, maintaining, repairing, and performing preventive maintenance on high-pressure piping and plumbing systems. The employee reads and interprets engineering drawings, plans pipe routing, positions hangers and equipment, and works across the main campus and neighboring facilities using a government vehicle. The schedule is Monday through Friday, with listed shifts of 7:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. or 7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Overtime and after-hours call-back may be required for emergencies or other events affecting the medical center's operations.

The work is physically demanding and may involve ladders, scaffolding, hydraulic platforms, cramped or difficult-to-reach utility areas, prolonged crouching or standing, and frequent stooping, bending, kneeling, and climbing. The employee frequently lifts or carries items up to 50 pounds and occasionally items over 80 pounds. Work may involve hazards including power-driven tools, falls, temperature extremes, noise, bad weather, cuts, bruises, broken bones, burns, asbestos, and irritating or caustic chemicals. Protective equipment and clothing may be required.

The position requires a valid, unrestricted state driver's license, a pre-employment physical examination, and evidence of training or experience sufficient to demonstrate the ability to perform the work. No specific length of training or experience is required, and there is no education qualification requirement. The position is subject to applicable federal employment conditions, including citizenship requirements, a background investigation, and a possible one-year probationary period. VA health care personnel must participate in the seasonal influenza program or obtain an approved exemption; masking is required when an exemption is granted.

Requirements

• Demonstrate training or experience of sufficient scope and quality to perform the work; no specific length of training or experience is required.
• Provide detailed resume descriptions supporting knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties.
• Possess a valid, unrestricted state driver's license.
• Pass a pre-employment physical examination.
• Meet applicable federal employment conditions, including U.S. citizenship unless appointment of a non-citizen is permitted under VA policy, suitability for federal employment, and Selective Service registration where applicable.
• Complete the required online onboarding and application requirements, including acceptable employment-identification documentation.
• Meet the screen-out element and demonstrate competencies in equipment assembly, installation and repair; interpreting instructions and specifications, including blueprint reading; measurement and layout; technical practices; troubleshooting; use and maintenance of tools and equipment; and working without more than normal supervision.
• Meet the physical demands of the work, including frequent carrying or lifting up to 50 pounds and occasional carrying or lifting of items over 80 pounds.

Responsibilities

• Install, modify, maintain, repair, and perform preventive maintenance on high-pressure piping, including steam distribution and heating systems, oil and natural gas piping, and heat exchangers.
• Install pipe insulation, condensate collection tanks and pumps, hot-water heating devices, circulating pumps, radiators, pressure-reducing valves, strainers, fire-suppression systems, backflow preventers, and steam traps.
• Install, modify, maintain, repair, and perform preventive maintenance on plumbing systems, including domestic water, drainage, waste and vent systems, water softeners, chemical feed pumps, chlorine systems, hot-water return systems, well pumps, circulators, backflow devices, relief valves, shutoff valves, metering devices, mixing valves, hot-water heaters, plumbing fixtures, and faucets.
• Read and interpret engineering drawings; set up pipe routing; locate and cut openings through obstacles; place hangers at proper pitch and elevation; and determine placement and elevation of condensate collection tanks, pressure-reducing devices, risers, drip legs, and control valves.
• Use a government vehicle to travel between the main campus and neighboring facilities.
• Respond to overtime and after-hours call-backs when required for emergencies or events affecting the medical center's ability to operate.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package is available; specific benefits depend on position type and eligibility.
• VA may grant 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
• Education Level: No Education Listed