Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic

Summary

This position is located within the Kansas City Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, Facilities Management Service (FMS). The position serves as the Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic for the HVAC section of FMS and is responsible for the installation, repair, and operation of all refrigeration, air conditioning and air handling parts and equipment to be installed, modified, retrofitted, removed, and maintained as part of any HVAC Projects at the KCVAMC.

Duties

To evaluate candidates who meet the minimum qualifications for this skilled trades position, the selecting official may conduct a Practical Job Interview / Hands-On Skills Assessment. In accordance with OPM guidance for skilled trades and craft positions, a practical interview may be used to assess proficiency in the critical competencies of this position. This is not a formal test, but a demonstration of your ability to perform representative job tasks. Candidates who are referred and selected for an interview may be asked to demonstrate, verbally explain, or physically perform tasks such as the duties below. Major duties include, but are not limited to the following: HVAC/R System Maintenance & Repair Perform installation, troubleshooting, repair, and preventive maintenance on HVAC/R systems ranging from 1⁄4-ton to 1500-ton capacity, including hermetic reciprocating units and centrifugal chillers. Service and repair air- and water-cooled chillers, walk-in coolers, freezers, refrigerators, VFDs, ice machines, pumps, induction units, fan coil units, make-up air units, mini-split systems, heat-recovery units, window units, and air handling units. Troubleshoot and repair electric, steam, and hot-water reheat systems, including control sequencing, actuators, valves, and temperature control issues. Maintain, troubleshoot, and repair electric humidification systems, including water feed components, canisters, steam piping, and BAS control integration. Refrigeration Systems & Piping Conduct refrigerant diagnostics by evaluating superheat, subcooling, metering devices, restrictions, and overall system performance. Charge refrigeration systems using manufacturer specifications, P-T relationships, and EPA-approved recovery and charging procedures. Perform brazing and soldering on copper refrigerant, hot-water heating, and chilled-water piping systems, ensuring proper purge, flow, and joint integrity. Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) Systems Troubleshoot and maintain VRF systems including branch selector boxes, refrigerant manifolds, multi-zone controls, electronic expansion valves, and integrated communication networks. Mission-Critical Cooling & Environmental Stability Operate and service data-center HVAC systems (CRAC/CRAH units, cooling loops, humidity control, containment) to ensure redundancy and environmental stability. Respond to Temp Track monitoring alerts across pharmacy, laboratory, surgery, sterile storage, nutrition, and research environments; replace sensors, calibrate devices, and verify environmental compliance. Healthcare Ventilation & Regulatory Compliance Perform airflow measurements, air-exchange verification, and directional-pressure testing for AIIRs, protective environments, clean rooms, and operating rooms. Use balometer, anemometers, and differential pressure instruments to verify compliance with ASHRAE, CDC, USP 797/800, and VA ventilation standards. Building Automation System (BAS) Support Install, calibrate, and troubleshoot electronic and pneumatic controls and BAS-managed field devices (sensors, actuators, transducers, relays, VFD interfaces). Support BAS programming including graphics creation, adding/removing points, scheduling, alarm parameter editing, loop tuning, trend logs, and communication-network troubleshooting. Ensure BAS tuning and optimization support VA energy management and cybersecurity requirements. Chiller Overhaul & Specialized Diagnostics Overhaul centrifugal chillers including compressor teardown, thrust bearing replacement, seals, wear rings, and guide vanes. Diagnose and repair chiller control panels, safety circuits, starter systems, VFDs, electronic expansion systems, economizers, purge units, oil-return systems, and condenser/evaporator issues. Perform chiller startup, shutdown, calibration, purge operations, oil sampling, and tube cleaning per manufacturer and VA standards. Complete, update, and close work orders in CMMS with accurate documentation of work performed, labor hours, parts used, findings, and required follow-up. Maintain a valid state driver's license and EPA Universal Refrigerant Certification. Perform all work in compliance with VA safety, environmental, energy management, and HVAC/R standards. Perform other tasks as assigned to support Engineering Service operations. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:00 am to 3:30 pm Position Description Title/PD#: Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic/PD10498A Physical Requirements: The incumbent may be required to bend, reach and hold awkward positions for prolonged periods. Frequently works from ladders platforms, high places and cramped spaces. Considerable climbing, walking, and stooping is also required for this position. Frequently lifts and moves objects up to 50 lbs. and occasionally lifts and carries objects over 50 lbs. either alone or with others.

Requirements

U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation 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 Services Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 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. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. 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 period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications and evaluation

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.

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 08/10/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13020991. 1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. 2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center. 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. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update the resumes in your profile before applying for a job. Resumes should include information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying. VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed. Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement. If initial application submission is updated and resubmitted with a new resume, only the most current resume will be reviewed for consideration. 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, RTF, 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 San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started. Helpful Hints for Creating a Two-Page Resume: Prioritize most relevant and recent experience Use concise, results focused language Align language from the job announcement Focus on demonstrating skills and competencies Remove outdated or unrelated experience Use the USAJOBS resume builder Additional guidance on this new requirement and resume building tools can be found at: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/page-limit https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/merit-hiring-plan-resources/applicant-guidance-on-the-two-page-resume-limit/ 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.

Required documents

Documents Required: Universal EPA certification Resume Documents Accepted: Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (VA) License Universal EPA certification Professional Certification Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application. Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. 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.

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. 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. Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities. 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 which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/. 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. 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. 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.