Engineering Technician

Summary This position is located in the Additivie Manufacturing Program of Healthcare Technology Management at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in North Charleston, SC. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION Performs assignments typically dealing with the three-dimensional (3D) production, engineering of assigned items, and components as well as equipment maintenance and troubleshooting; Designs shape, size, and mechanical aspects of assigned items and identifies support structure options in terms of feasibility for 3D printing; Identifies printing materials, machine parameters, cost, and post-processing for 3D printed items; Computes loads, stresses, strength, and other features; Coordinates with engineers, scientists, and researchers for more theoretical, analytical or specialized approaches to problems and to integrate technical efforts; Performs fit analysis of complex assemblies using the Computer Aided Design (CAD) system; Determines the method, proper model orientation, and support structure required to achieve the desired technical characteristics for 3D components; Provides design coordination for engineers and technical staff using CAD models; Establishes production plans, quality control processes, and cost estimates for 3D prints; Maintains a thorough knowledge of operational and software capabilities for 3D scanning and printing; Coordinates with engineers and technical staff to prepare complete final CAD design; Visits work areas to evaluate item progress and quality; Develops and monitors processes and planning instructions and recommends possible solutions to minimize production and post-processing schedule; Provides recommendations for acceptance/rejection of 3D printed items on a case by case basis; Designs, sets up, and tests items/systems during the research and development, production, and sustainment phases; Evaluates product requirements and related data to make recommendations on alternative approaches and execution; Modifies existing products or prototypes, designs of applicable quality test processes, or complete fabrications of systems to meet customer requirements; Performs related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:00am - 3:30pm. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized. Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. Subject to background/security investigation 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) - See "Required Documents" below for details. 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: One year of specialized experience supervising, leading, or performing work involving applying a practical knowledge of the methods and techniques of engineering or architecture; and the construction, application, properties, operations, and limitations of engineering systems, processes, structures, machinery, devices, and materials. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-10 grade level in Federal service. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include technical work in drafting, surveying construction estimating, physical science, mathematics, aerospace, architecture, chemicals, electrical or mechanical systems, mining, petroleum, or nuclear systems. Experience in a trade or craft may be credited as specialized experience when the work provided intensive knowledge of engineering principles, techniques, methods, and precedents. Examples are trade positions with substantial developmental, test, or design responsibilities such as a planner and estimator who analyzed designs for production purposes, or an instrument maker or model maker who performed design or development work on fabricated devices. This experience must be detailed in your resume to receive credit. OR Successful completion of three full years of graduate education or a PhD with a major study that is directly related to the position. One year of full-time graduate education is 18 semester hours unless otherwise specified by the school. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study. Transcripts required. OR An equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described above that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of the position. Experience must be detailed in your resume and transcripts required. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. NOTE: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. 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. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 80 or more before any Veterans preference points) 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/.