Veterans Health Administration

Utility Systems Operator

San Diego, California $30 - $35 PH WG Closes Oct 30, 2026

This announcement is sourced from the official USAJOBS API. Federal Job Alerts is not affiliated with OPM, USAJOBS, or any U.S. government agency.

Summary

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/30/2026. 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. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements: Ability to Do the Work of the Position without More Than Normal Supervision Equipment Assembly, Installation, Repair Interpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading) Measuring Instruments Operation of Equipment/Machinery 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. Physical Requirements: Frequently lifts and carries weights of various loads above 50 pounds. Uses electrical, mechanical systems and forklifts to lift motors, pumps and other machinery overhead for replacement of repair. Extensive walking to inspect, troubleshoot and maintain plant equipment and take hourly readings, working on ladders and platforms, carrying equipment, parts and tools. All work is on a rotating shift basis, operators must be able to work all shifts 24/7/365, including evenings, nights, weekends and holidays. Working Conditions: Must wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as required for the job tasks including footwear. The Power plant is not heated or Air Conditioned, there is an extreme amount of noise, dangerously high temperatures from the Cogeneration plant, steam heat exchangers, exhaust manifolds, boilers and rotating equipment, very high levels of electrical voltage and current, potential sources of Carbon Monoxide and unburned gasses, potential water, Natural gas, refrigerant and fuel oil leaks, long periods of standing heavy lifting, dirt, dust, vapor, grease, dangerous chemicals, outdoor tasks under varying conditions, night time work in unlit areas working alone, asbestos environments in the interstitial, which requires wearing respirators and protective clothing and working alone in the intestinal spaces between floors after hours.

Major Duties

he Utility Systems Operator is responsible for all Engineering Utility equipment, monitoring and distribution systems throughout the Medical Center after normal working hours. The Operator shall assess the calls received and based on the information provided by the caller physically evaluate the situation. If not resolved or adequately contained, the operator shall escalate the issue thru the designated supervisor channel, notify and Contactors, Research, Engineering, Safety, Housekeeping, IT and other support staff after normal working hours. This is an extremely critical position for the entire Medical Center. The Operators will not, at any time, leave the Central plant unattended or be relieved by unqualified personnel not in the role as Central Plant Supervisor or Plant Operator. Major duties include but are not limited to:Operate, Adjust, troubleshoot, repair, replace, monitor and control, manual, backup and bypass systems. including those listed below: Includes manual adjustment of controls for temperatures, valves, Variable frequency drives, water flow, coolant flow, refrigerant flow, damper openings, fire and heat control valves, variable flow equipment, systems and valves in order to meet utility requirements for the entire medical center campus and meet energy conservation goals. Refrigeration - Chiller plant, cooling towers and associated equipment Graphic Control Operations - Computer Monitoring and Control of the entire central plant computer network for all Central Plant Equipment, and all medical Center HVAC control, fire alarm, Medical Gas distribution and alarm systems, emergency procedures and communications. Troubleshoot all utility control and alarm systems including fire alarm notifications; adjust temperatures manually in order to obtain required space temperature and utility control, initiates work requests for modifications or repairs to utility systems, work with contractors for changes to the utility systems. Electronics Controls - Monitoring, adjustment, repair and troubleshooting of utility monitoring and control subsystems on the network, head-end and field equipment. Normal Power High Voltage Electrical Power Generation and distribution- Cogeneration Plant High Voltage Electrical (12,000 volts) Power Generation High pressure Natural Gas, Steam production High Voltage distribution: Protective relays, make load shed decisions in order to maintain electrical power to critical functions of the medical center, open and close substations, Oil Switches, Vacuum Breakers and paralleling Switchgear. Emergency Power Generation and distribution - switchboard control and synchronization, Transfer switches, prioritize load shedding, manual and bypass operation of all Control Systems, control and operate normal and backup fuel supply controls and pumping systems. Boiler Plant Steam Generation and distribution: Natural Gas, Diesel Fuel and heat recovery boilers, production, distribution and operation ensures adherence to pollution control requirements by operating the air and flame ratios to maintain required NOx levels. Monitors and reports deficiencies in the elevator system and is required to call in the Elevator Repair Company when needed for Elevator repairs or Elevator Entrapment. Notify and authorize overtime for Engineering employees and call in Emergency contract services. Notify Housekeeping, Safety, Hazmat, Radiation Safety, Research, City, County, State and Federal Agencies as necessary. Work Schedule: Rotating Shifts, 24/7 coverage Position Description Title/PD#: Utility Systems Operator/PD09766A Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Subject to background/security investigation Pre-employment physical required 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial 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 or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: Resume The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information. Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (Schedule A) Disability Letter (VA) License Other (1) PCS Orders Performance Appraisal Professional Certification Proof of Marriage Status Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility): Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee An SF-50 showing 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 Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade. Examples of appropriate SF-50's include: Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old. Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

How to Apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/30/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13094147. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. 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. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. 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/ Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified, you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.