Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.

The incumbent at this grade involves making repairs that can be accomplished by removing, replacing, tightening, splicing, soldering, & insulating defective wiring, controls, equipment, & fixtures such as broken and bare wiring, burned out switches & relays, loose connections & fittings, damaged light fixtures, re-lamping fixtures & poorly operating thermostats. Electrical workers at grade 8 receive work orders, oral instructions, & wiring diagrams that indicate the nature of the repair or installation to be made, the layout and placement of circuitry, fixtures, & controls, & the types of wiring, parts, & equipment installed. They locate broken, worn, damaged, worn, damaged, or poorly operating wiring, fixture, controls, & test lamps, voltage testers, ammeters, & polarity testers. They complete needed repairs to installed systems, & rearrange & hook up item such as outlets, switches, light fixtures, regulators, & circuit breakers.Electrical workers require knowledge of where fixtures, wiring, & controls, such as light switches, circuit breakers, fuses, relays, & outlets, are installed & how they operate. They must have the ability to read & follow wiring diagrams that specify where wiring, fixtures, & controls are installed or are to be hooked up & show the type of wiring, fittings, & equipment installed or to be used. Electrical workers must have the skill needed to remove & replace fixtures and controls, & to make repairs such as tightening connections, using the correct wire nut device, & soldering loose wire leads to contact points. They must also have the skill needed to rearrange old or install new outlets, relays switches, & light fixtures in existing systems, & to test circuits to see if they are complete after making repairs or installations. At this grade, electrical workers must have the skill needed to measure, cut & bend wire and conduit to specified lengths & angles. They must have skill in the use of hand tools & portable power tools, such as screwdrivers, pliers, wire cutters, strippers, drills soldering irons, & manual or power conduit benders & threads; & a limited variety of test equipment, for example, meggers, test lamps & ammeters.Electrical worker selects tools, decides on methods and techniques to use, & carry out the work with little check during its progress. They use materials called for in work orders & schematic drawings, or obtain replacement parts by comparison with samples such as switches & wall outlet fixtures. They replace worn or bad switches, relays, & outlets by unscrewing or cutting wiring to connections. They also install or rearrange light fixtures, switches, & outlets by following schematic drawings that provide the exact work specifications, for example, the location where the electrical wiring is to be hooked into the installed system, the type, size, & measurements of wire, conduit, couplings, & fittings to use, & the type & placement of the electrical device to be installed. Routine repair & maintenance duties are accomplished independently; if unusual problems arise, or it installation or repair of unfamiliar or complex industrial electrical systems is assigned, a supervisor or higher grade worker provides advice & checks to see that completed work meets requirements.

Work Schedule: Monday Thru Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm
Position Description Title/PD#: Electrician/PD12095A
Physical Requirements: Electrical workers at this grade make repairs and installations from ladders, scaffolding, platforms, and other hard-to-reach places. This requires electrical workers to stand, stoop, bend, kneel, climb, and work in tiring and uncomfortable positions. Electrical workers frequently lift and carry tools, equipment, and parts that weigh up to 9 kilograms (20 pounds) and, less often, up to 18 kilograms (40 pounds). Occasionally, they lift or move with assistance moderately heavy objects weighing more than 18 kilograms.
Working Conditions: The work is performed both inside and outside. Electrical workers are sometimes required to make repairs and installations in bad weather; in work areas that are noisy, dirty, dusty, and greasy; on scaffolding or cranes at heights of 9 meters (30 feet) or more; and in close quarters such as manholes, attics, or aboard ships. There will be times when the incumbent will be on ladders for a long period of time during work hours. They are occasionally exposed to the possibility of injury from falling, electrical shock, burns, and rotary devices such as electrical motors. They are frequently exposed to the possibility of cuts and bruises.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• 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 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 dentification 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)

• 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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/08/2026.

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:

• Electrical Equipment
• Technical Practices
• Troubleshooting (Electrical)
• Without more than normal supervision

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume

• 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

• 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.

Next steps