Itlearn360
Boiler Plant Operator at US Veterans Health Administration Muskogee, OK
Itlearn360, Muskogee, Oklahoma, United States, 74403
Boiler Plant Operator job at US Veterans Health Administration. Muskogee, OK.
Summary The Boiler Plant Operator position establishes responsibilities and duties of operating a complex steam generation system comprised of three 500 HP multi‑fuel high‑pressure power boilers with a total installed heat input of 63,000,000 BTU per hour (21,000,000 BTU per hour per boiler) and a total installed steam generating capacity of 51,750 pounds per hour (17,250 pounds per hour per boiler), associated auxiliary equipment and systems, flue gas recirculation systems (FGR) and related controls.
This job is open to The public U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL) Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.
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.
Duties Duties:
Skills and abilities to operate, fire, maintain, test, troubleshoot, repair, replace, or adjust sub‑systems or components of a complex steam generation system.
Utilizes comprehensive knowledge of the operational phases of high‑pressure power boiler operations, maintenance, and repair, including federal codes/regulations, methods, practices, and techniques to oversee the safe and efficient production of high‑pressure steam used by medical center facilities and their industrial systems and equipment.
Works in concert with other Boiler Plant Operators under the leadership of the Boiler Plant Supervisor and the Lead Boiler Plant Operator.
Boiler Plant Operator will start/stop baiters, pumps, and related equipment; increase/decrease boiler fires, adjust/activate pressure‑reducing valves, adjust fuel and water controls, monitors condensate transfer and boiler feed water pressures and adjusts pressure regulators and add/remove pumps to maintain feed water pressure, monitors flow rates, temperatures, and pressures of water, steam, air, gas, and oil.
Checks trending software to ensure proper recording of boiler plant operations.
Frequently checks water levels and steam pressure gauge to assure valves open/close and if water needs to be added or removed or to blow off steam to maintain safe operating levels.
Responds within the boiler plant to any boiler plant equipment/systems malfunctions or medical center industrial systems emergencies impacting boiler plant operations and coordinates with non‑boiler plant personnel, supervisors, and management regarding boiler plant concerns.
Responsible for ensuring operational capability, the Boiler Plant Operator operates, inspects, monitors, tests, evaluates, interprets, and troubleshoots complex boiler plant systems, subsystems, components, and devices using a variety of test and diagnostic instruments, specifications, manufacturer publications, drawings, diagrams, schematics, etc. to quickly locate operational deficiencies, malfunctions, and areas of substandard performance, interprets results of these actions and determines appropriate action required to maintain safe and adequate steam production.
Work Schedule:
Monday – Friday; 8:00am – 4:30pm for the first 90 days of appointment. After initial 90 days, 12:00am – 8:30am Sunday – Thursday or 4:00pm – 12:30am Tuesday – Saturday depending on the needs of the Service.
Position Description Title/PD#:
Boiler Plant Operator/PD14151A
Virtual:
This is not a virtual position
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives:
Not authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI):
Not approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS):
Not authorized
Financial Disclosure:
Not required.
Physical Requirements
Work requires moderate to heavy physical exertion (10–80 pounds) while lifting, transporting, carrying, pulling, moving, handling, or setting up ladders, scaffolds, materials, chemicals, tools, equipment, etc. Repairs, maintenance, or observation work requires kneeling, stretching, pushing, pulling, crouching, stooping, bending, climbing, and walking/standing for long periods. When accessing confined spaces such as Morrison tubes and condensate return and deaerator tanks through limited access manways, the incumbent works from ladders, scaffolds, platforms, ground level, or in hard‑to‑reach places requiring climbing ladders, reaching over and under while in cramped, awkward, tiring, and/or uncomfortable positions. Uses hand, eye, leg, and body coordination while performing assigned work.
Requirements Conditions of employment
You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
Subject to a background/suitability investigation
Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
A complete application package; including Resume, Transcripts, etc. is 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 (
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.
May be required to complete pre‑employment physical examination.
90 day general restriction on movement applies for Direct Hire Authority only. 5CFR 330.502
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;
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.
Qualifications To qualify for this position,
applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
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:
Dexterity and Safety
Equipment Assembly, Installation, Repair
Interpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading)
Measuring Instruments
Operation of Equipment/Machinery
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. 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.
Education There is no education combination or substitution for this position.
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 (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) [URL] for more information.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and 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 ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.
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. VA may offer newly‑appointed Federal employee's credit for their job‑related non‑federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. 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.
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.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits: A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Learn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full‑time, part‑time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.
Required Documents Documents Accepted:
Cover Letter
DD-214/ Statement of Service
Disability Letter (Schedule A)
Disability Letter (VA)
Other (1)
Performance Appraisal
Professional Certification
Resume
Separation Notice (RIF)
SF-15
SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
Documents Required:
Resume
Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). 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.
How to Apply All applicants are encouraged to apply online.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/19/2025 to receive consideration.
Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position.
Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, TRF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. We recommend using a sans‑serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open Sans Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14‑point for the main text in your resume.
Helpful hints for creating a Two‑Page Resume:
Prioritize most relevant and recent experience
Use concise, results focused language
Align language from the job announce
Focus on demonstrating skills and competencies
Remove outdated or unrelated experience
Use the USAJOBS resume builder
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re‑select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Agency contact information VISN 19 HR Contact Center
Phone: 719‑227‑4600
Email: V19USAJOBS@VA.GOV
Address:
VA Eastern Oklahoma Health Care System 1011 Honor Heights Drive Muskogee, OK 74401 US
Next steps 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.
Overview Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
12/10/2025 to 12/19/2025
Salary
$28.45 to - $33.20 per hour
Pay scale & grade
WG 9
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Muskogee, OK
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full‑time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
5402 Boiler Plant Operating
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Credentialing
Suitability/Fitness
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
CBSU-12844315-26-GL
Control number
852056100
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Summary The Boiler Plant Operator position establishes responsibilities and duties of operating a complex steam generation system comprised of three 500 HP multi‑fuel high‑pressure power boilers with a total installed heat input of 63,000,000 BTU per hour (21,000,000 BTU per hour per boiler) and a total installed steam generating capacity of 51,750 pounds per hour (17,250 pounds per hour per boiler), associated auxiliary equipment and systems, flue gas recirculation systems (FGR) and related controls.
This job is open to The public U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL) Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.
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.
Duties Duties:
Skills and abilities to operate, fire, maintain, test, troubleshoot, repair, replace, or adjust sub‑systems or components of a complex steam generation system.
Utilizes comprehensive knowledge of the operational phases of high‑pressure power boiler operations, maintenance, and repair, including federal codes/regulations, methods, practices, and techniques to oversee the safe and efficient production of high‑pressure steam used by medical center facilities and their industrial systems and equipment.
Works in concert with other Boiler Plant Operators under the leadership of the Boiler Plant Supervisor and the Lead Boiler Plant Operator.
Boiler Plant Operator will start/stop baiters, pumps, and related equipment; increase/decrease boiler fires, adjust/activate pressure‑reducing valves, adjust fuel and water controls, monitors condensate transfer and boiler feed water pressures and adjusts pressure regulators and add/remove pumps to maintain feed water pressure, monitors flow rates, temperatures, and pressures of water, steam, air, gas, and oil.
Checks trending software to ensure proper recording of boiler plant operations.
Frequently checks water levels and steam pressure gauge to assure valves open/close and if water needs to be added or removed or to blow off steam to maintain safe operating levels.
Responds within the boiler plant to any boiler plant equipment/systems malfunctions or medical center industrial systems emergencies impacting boiler plant operations and coordinates with non‑boiler plant personnel, supervisors, and management regarding boiler plant concerns.
Responsible for ensuring operational capability, the Boiler Plant Operator operates, inspects, monitors, tests, evaluates, interprets, and troubleshoots complex boiler plant systems, subsystems, components, and devices using a variety of test and diagnostic instruments, specifications, manufacturer publications, drawings, diagrams, schematics, etc. to quickly locate operational deficiencies, malfunctions, and areas of substandard performance, interprets results of these actions and determines appropriate action required to maintain safe and adequate steam production.
Work Schedule:
Monday – Friday; 8:00am – 4:30pm for the first 90 days of appointment. After initial 90 days, 12:00am – 8:30am Sunday – Thursday or 4:00pm – 12:30am Tuesday – Saturday depending on the needs of the Service.
Position Description Title/PD#:
Boiler Plant Operator/PD14151A
Virtual:
This is not a virtual position
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives:
Not authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI):
Not approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS):
Not authorized
Financial Disclosure:
Not required.
Physical Requirements
Work requires moderate to heavy physical exertion (10–80 pounds) while lifting, transporting, carrying, pulling, moving, handling, or setting up ladders, scaffolds, materials, chemicals, tools, equipment, etc. Repairs, maintenance, or observation work requires kneeling, stretching, pushing, pulling, crouching, stooping, bending, climbing, and walking/standing for long periods. When accessing confined spaces such as Morrison tubes and condensate return and deaerator tanks through limited access manways, the incumbent works from ladders, scaffolds, platforms, ground level, or in hard‑to‑reach places requiring climbing ladders, reaching over and under while in cramped, awkward, tiring, and/or uncomfortable positions. Uses hand, eye, leg, and body coordination while performing assigned work.
Requirements Conditions of employment
You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
Subject to a background/suitability investigation
Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
A complete application package; including Resume, Transcripts, etc. is 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 (
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.
May be required to complete pre‑employment physical examination.
90 day general restriction on movement applies for Direct Hire Authority only. 5CFR 330.502
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;
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.
Qualifications To qualify for this position,
applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
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:
Dexterity and Safety
Equipment Assembly, Installation, Repair
Interpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading)
Measuring Instruments
Operation of Equipment/Machinery
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. 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.
Education There is no education combination or substitution for this position.
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 (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) [URL] for more information.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and 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 ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.
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. VA may offer newly‑appointed Federal employee's credit for their job‑related non‑federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. 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.
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.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits: A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Learn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full‑time, part‑time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.
Required Documents Documents Accepted:
Cover Letter
DD-214/ Statement of Service
Disability Letter (Schedule A)
Disability Letter (VA)
Other (1)
Performance Appraisal
Professional Certification
Resume
Separation Notice (RIF)
SF-15
SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
Documents Required:
Resume
Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). 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.
How to Apply All applicants are encouraged to apply online.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/19/2025 to receive consideration.
Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position.
Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, TRF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. We recommend using a sans‑serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open Sans Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14‑point for the main text in your resume.
Helpful hints for creating a Two‑Page Resume:
Prioritize most relevant and recent experience
Use concise, results focused language
Align language from the job announce
Focus on demonstrating skills and competencies
Remove outdated or unrelated experience
Use the USAJOBS resume builder
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re‑select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Agency contact information VISN 19 HR Contact Center
Phone: 719‑227‑4600
Email: V19USAJOBS@VA.GOV
Address:
VA Eastern Oklahoma Health Care System 1011 Honor Heights Drive Muskogee, OK 74401 US
Next steps 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.
Overview Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
12/10/2025 to 12/19/2025
Salary
$28.45 to - $33.20 per hour
Pay scale & grade
WG 9
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Muskogee, OK
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full‑time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
5402 Boiler Plant Operating
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Credentialing
Suitability/Fitness
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
CBSU-12844315-26-GL
Control number
852056100
#J-18808-Ljbffr