Utility Systems Operator

Summary

In this position you will work as a member of the Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center (MWEOC), Facilities Management, Operations Branch and Control Room team. MWEOC is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The ideal candidate for this position will have experience with water and wastewater treatment.

At the WG-09 level possess a Virginia Class III Water Treatment License or Virginia Class IV Wastewater Treatment License and possess both licenses for the WG-10 level.

Duties

All MWEOC staff have emergency assignments and are considered deployed in place. Exercises and activations are planned and unplanned, and may require long hours, nights, weekends and holidays. All MWEOC employees are:

• (1) required to use a government-issued electronic device (to include cellular phones); (2) subject to recall during emergency situations; and (3) required to perform work in locations both above and below ground.
• What will I do in this position if hired?
• In this position, you will serve as a Utility Systems Operator responsible for monitoring, operating, and maintaining site water and wastewater systems.
• Typical assignments include: Serving as a plant operator for efficient and continuous operation of all utility systems.
• Determining maintenance problems and initiating immediate corrective action.
• Maintaining accurate records of all phases of plant operations (i.e., water treatment, wastewater treatment).
• Operating water treatment and sewage treatment facilities & performing water treatment tests and measurements which require knowledge of various microbiological organisms.
• Recognizing the cause of faulty equipment and making repairs on large systems that provide for a variety of air conditioning.
• Certifications Required for the position: WG-09: The incumbent must currently possess and maintain a Virginia Class III Water Treatment License or a Virginia Class IV Wastewater Treatment License.
• WG-10: The incumbent must currently possess and maintain a Virginia Class III Water Treatment License and a Virginia Class IV Wastewater Treatment License.
• If licensed in another State, you are required to obtain a Virginia license within one year of your appointment in the position.
• What else do I need to know?
• At FEMA, our mission is to help people before, during and after disasters, and every employee at FEMA has a role in emergency management.
• Every FEMA employee has regular and recurring emergency management responsibilities, though not every position requires routine deployment to disaster sites.
• All positions are subject to recall around the clock for emergency management operations, which may require irregular work hours, work at locations other than the official duty station, and may include duties other than those specified in the employee’s official position description.
• Travel requirements in support of emergency operations may be extensive in nature (weeks to months), with little advance notice, and may require employees to relocate to emergency sites with physically austere and operationally challenging conditions.
• Promotion Potential: Future promotions will be dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the continuing need for an employee assigned to the higher level, and administrative approval.

Requirements

• To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy.
• To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo, successfully pass, and maintain a background investigation for a Top Secret clearance as a condition of placement into this position.
• This may include a credit check after initial job qualifications are determined, a review of financial issues, such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs (please visit: Mythbuster on Federal Hiring Policies for additional information).
• For more information on background investigations for Federal jobs please visit OPM Investigations.
• Please ensure you meet the qualification requirements described below.
• Key Requirements: You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation.
• Selective Service registration required.
• Current federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements.
• You must be able to obtain and maintain a Government credit card.
• You must be able to deploy with little or no advance notice to anywhere in the United States and its territories for an extended period of time.
• Please review the Additional Information section for additional key requirements.

Education

No Educational Substitution: There is no educational substitution for this position, and you must meet the qualifications listed in the “qualifications” section of this announcement.

How You Will Be Evaluated

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, we will use your responses to the job questionnaire to place you in one of three categories based on your experience, education, and training.

The competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job are: SCREEN OUT FACTOR: Ability to do the work of the position without more than normal supervision.

JOB ELEMENTS Knowledge of Equipment Assembly, Installation, Repair, etc. Operation of Water Plant equipment, machinery, etc. Technical Practices (theoretical, precise, artistic) Use of Measuring Instruments Ability to interpret instructions, specification, etc. (other than for blueprint reading) Dexterity and Safety If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be placed in one of the following categories: Best-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate high proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all Selective Placement Factors (SPF), and appropriate Quality Ranking Factors (QRF) as determined by the job analysis.

Well-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrates acceptable proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all SPF’s and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.

Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate basic proficiency in most of the critical competencies, including all SPFs and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis. If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.

Veterans: Qualified veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed in the best-qualified category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level, or higher. This position is not considered scientific/professional.

Other 10-point preference eligibles and veterans with 5-point preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligibles within the category in which they qualify. View information on veterans’ preference. Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP/CTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP/CTAP eligible.

View information about ICTAP/CTAP eligibility on OPM’s Career Transition Resources website. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet eligibility criteria for CTAP or ICTAP; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position; and, 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility (see “Required Documents” section of this announcement).

Well-Qualified is defined as those applicants who are rated with a minimum score of 85.00 for this position. Interview Requirement. Interviews may be required for this position. Failure to complete the interview may result in removed from further consideration.

Benefits

DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays.

Other benefits may include flexible work schedules; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities.

For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select “Benefits.” Disabled veteran leave will be available to any federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service- connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.

Required Documents

• Do not include photos, personally identifying information (PII) (including birthday and social security numbers), or personal information such as age, sex, medical history, etc. Resumes that include any of this information will be disqualified.
• You must provide the following supporting documentation for your application package, including: Resume.
• Limit your resume to no more than two pages.
• The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages.
• Responses to the job questionnaire.
• You will be directed to the online job questionnaire during the application.
• Are you a current or former federal employee?
• Upload documentation that supports your eligibility.
• Award SF-50’s do not include all the required information and will not be accepted.
• Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that demonstrates your eligibility for consideration, e.g., length of time you have been in your current grade; your highest grade held; your current promotion potential and proof of permanent appointment if applying based on an interchange agreement.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases and accessions.
• Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP/CTAP)?
• Upload the following: Agency Notice Most recent performance rating, and Most recent SF-50, with your current position, grade level and duty location.
• Other Supporting Documentation (submit if applicable to you) Are you a veteran?
• Submit Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 or other (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) and/or documentation of service-connected disability.
• If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification.
• Certifications must be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service (e.g. honorable, dishonorable, general etc.).
• View more veterans’ information.
• Note 1: Examples of applicable SF-50’s for submission include appointment, promotion, and with-in-grade/range increases – award SF-50’s will not be accepted.
• Documents for Auto-Request: CTAP/ICTAP College Transcript
• Cover Letter DD 214 Member 4 Copy Misc.
• Documentation SF15 SF50 VA Letter After FEMA completes its hiring, the resumes of the remaining candidates referred for selection consideration may be shared with other DHS Components and other federal agencies.
• During the application process, you may choose to opt-in if you would like your name, application material, and assessment results to be shared.
• There is no guarantee of further consideration, and you continue to explore other job opportunity announcements.