Maintenance Worker (Irrigation)

at Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Administration in Elwood, Illinois, United States

Job Description

Summary This position is located at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Illinois. Responsibilities The duties of this position include a variety of trade practices involved in facility/grounds maintenance, mainly in irrigation and has some responsibility for the maintenance and repair of the automotive, engineering, and grounds equipment. The incumbent performs a variety of tasks involved in the upkeep of buildings, grounds, and related structures, fixtures, and utilities as well as preventive and routine maintenance on cemetery equipment. Incumbent also serves as alternate Contracting Officer Representative. Maintains equipment and performs facilities maintenance (i.e., painting, minor construction repair) as needed and indicated by or Grounds Foreman/ Assistant Director/Cemetery Director. Operates a variety of motorized vehicles and equipment, gasoline or diesel powered. Incumbent uses rakes, shovels, spades, power tools, etc. Assists with setting headstones, sweeps streets, and removes unsightly flowers, trash and debris from cemetery grounds. Assists gardener in gardening operations performing seasonal gardening tasks such as fertilizing, laying sod, mowing, pruning, trimming and raking. Responsible for repair and maintenance of the cemetery irrigation two-wire decoder style control system. central control computer irrigation system, pump station and weather station. Excavates the ground to repair, replace or install irrigation lines and wire of the irrigation systems and storm water systems. At times, the Incumbent will have to dig by hand in areas not able to be reached by a machine or when more practical. Operates a variety of small, motorized vehicles and equipment, such as pick-ups, dump trucks, vans, and utility equipment to transport tools and materials throughout the cemetery site to affect repairs and maintain all infrastructures. Operates various pieces of equipment, such as tractors, excavators. rototillers. trenchers, dump trucks, utility dumpers, skid steer, vehicles, forklifts, golf carts and others to assist in performing duties associated with grounds maintenance and interment operations. Operates various types of attachments that are hydraulically, power take off or electrically driven. Operates and maintains the irrigation system, pumps and control cabinets that supplies water to plant material by way of a three-phase distribution design using main lines to convey the quantities of water required. Submain lines that direct the water to separate control valve zones and lateral lines which ultimately distributes the water to plant material through sprinklers, spray heads, bubblers, and drip emitters. Coordinates, monitors, and schedules the operation of the entire water management system. This requires a complete understanding of system capabilities and limitations. Utilizes GPS technology and equipment to perform GPS collection of points on gravesites, headstones and in the excavation casket/crypt area. Using a handheld device (iPad, tablet or Smart Phone), loads essential data for the daily interments before heading to the field. Sets up and initializes the GPS equipment in a careful and safe manner. Takes GPS survey points by holding a 6-foot-long pole with an attached GPS receiver and takes shots on headstones, ground shots and shots inside the excavation site on the casket or the crypt and take pictures with the device in the same areas. Saves these points and pictures to the handheld device. At the end of the day uploads these GPS points and pictures to a cloud-based server. Incumbent performs the duties of a Maintenance Worker responsible for repair and maintenance of the cemetery irrigation two-wire decoder style control system. central control computer irrigation system, pump station and weather station. Work includes repairing and/or replacing irrigation lines, valves, solenoids. heads, etc. using specialized tools. Often heads will need to be temporarily capped to ensure water from the irrigation system zones does not interfere with burial operations. The work includes maintaining the 75 plus acres of the irrigation system with over 600 zones and flower watering stations and maintaining the irrigation pond on the 170 developing acre cemetery. Position Description Title/PD#: Maintenance Worker (Irrigation)/ PD1655625. The full performance level of this position is WG – 08 Relocation Expenses: Not Authorized Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement,08/05/2024. Your background must demonstrate work involved in the full range of building and maintenance trades to include carpentry, plumbing, electrical, painting, masonry, pest control, asphalt repairs, etc. This includes repair and preventive maintenance of irrigation systems, maintaining and repairing buildings and physical structures, facilities, and utilities using hand and power tools. Qualifying experience should include skill and experience in two or more of the trades covered by this position. 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 Qualification Standard Handbook X-118C ( www.opm.gov/qualifications/x-118c). 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. The screen-out element(s) for this position are/is: Ability to do the job without more than normal supervision. Must possess and maintain a valid state driver’s license. JOB ELEMENTS: Those who meet the minimum level of experience and training for the screen-out element will then be evaluated in each of the following job elements: Equipment Assembly, Installation, Repair Interpret Instructions, Specifications (includes blueprint reading) Materials Technical Practices Without more than normal supervision 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: Requires prolonged and frequent walking, standing, bending, stooping, and pulling. Climbs ladders and lifts objects weighing over fifty (50) pounds. Occasionally items weighing more than 50 lbs. are lifted with assistance from co-workers. Must have a full range of upper and lower extremities. Moderate effort required in operating vehicles and tools of the trade. Stamina, dexterity, and perseverance are required in all