Pipefitter

About the role

Serves as a Pipefitter in an extremely complex medical facility, which is constantly evolving within a highly complex and competitive geographic area. This position is located at the James A.

Haley Veterans' Hospital, a tertiary hospital located in Tampa FL; it is one of the busiest medical centers in the nation with over 4000 employees, and numerous outpatient clinics dispersed over a large geographic region.

What you will do

• The Pipefitter works under the direct supervision of the Structural Shop Supervisor and is responsible for the coordination, scheduling and completion of all work assigned and ensures that all assignments are completed in a timely manner.
• The work involves installing, modifying, and repairing new and existing utilities, supply and disposal systems.
• Incumbent works from building plans, blueprints, sketches, and verbal instructions to plan and lay out the routing, placement, slant, slope, fall, and proper operation of systems and equipment.
• The Pipefitter tests and makes needed adjustment to systems and equipment for proper operation, flow, drainage, and sanitary conditions in accordance with VA and national Plumbing Codes.
• Major Duties: Installs, modifies, repairs, and maintains high temperature water and high-pressure piping systems.
• Sets up system routes, places and cuts route openings, installs regulating devices, and places hangers for proper pitch and elevation.
• Determines and installs risers, flexible branches, expansion joints, pumps, gauges, and pressure regulators in the combination needed to support the pressures of the systems and proper operations of the systems.
• Reads and interprets blueprints, layout sketches, manufacturers literature and specifications for sizing, estimating, installing, and repairing new or existing piping systems.
• Replace sections of pipe, repairs steam traps and relief control valves.
• Cuts, threads, and connect pipes by means of union, flanges, and sweating.
• Fits pipe sections by screwing, bolting, brazing, welding, gluing, fusing, soldering, and caulking connection by forcing oakum and molten lead into joints.
• Tests systems and equipment for proper operation, circulation, flow, pressure, and leak free joints.
• Traces and troubleshoots pipes, lines, systems and equipment to locate and repair leaks and trouble spots.
• Performs safety and preventative maintenance inspections of systems and equipment.
• Performs maintenance, repair and alteration to fire sprinkler systems according to local and national codes.
• As necessary, constructs dust barriers and/or blocks off areas as needed for the safety and protection of patients, staff, visitors, and equipment.
• Ensures that the job site is clean of all debris and equipment upon the completion of work.
• Reviews blueprints, sketches, drawings, etc. for compliance with local and national codes and proper trade practices and procedures.
• Make recommendations for changes in proposed projects.
• Required to make rough sketches or prints of newly installed modified equipment or systems to be delivered to the Plumbing Work Leader for the purpose of updating the master piping and plumbing blueprints.
• Work Schedule: 3:00 PM - 11:30 PM Position Description Title/PD#: Pipefitter/PD00108A Physical Requirements: Pipefitter must be able to read and be familiar with all building and system blueprints, schematics, drawings, etc., to enable them to trace out, locate, and determine corrective action to take in the event of a system failure.
• Pipefitter must monitor and maintain Facilities Management Service (FMS) utility systems such as potable water, hot water, fire alarm, pumping stations, water conditioning units, medical oxygen/vacuum units, dental, medical, and utility air compressors.
• Monitors and controls the building systems and all associated equipment.
• Frequently handles, lifts, carries, and sets up parts and equipment that weigh up to 50 lbs.
• Occasionally, lifts, carries, and up parts and equipment that weigh over 50 lbs. with help.
• Incumbent makes, repairs, and installations from ladders, scaffolding, and platforms, and in hard to reach places.
• Stands, stoops, bends, kneels, climbs and works in tiring and uncomfortable positions.

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 (***).
• 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 you will be evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC.

WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.

Documents you must provide

• DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (VA) Other (1) Resume Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.
• Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).
• You will not be contacted for additional information.
• Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
• Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply.
• Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
• Applications are accepted online.
• Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.

What to expect next

After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email.

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted.

HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties.

VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities.

HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities.

HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies.

To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at ***

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.