Facility Operations Specialist.

Responsibilities

• Operates, monitors, troubleshoots, repairs, and maintains the wet laboratory to ensure stable water quality, flow, temperature, and oxygenation parameters required by ongoing research.
• Performs and schedules preventive and corrective maintenance on water treatment and filtration equipment.
• Maintains lakeside pump house and associated intake and return systems.
• Operates, maintains, and adjusts building automation and process control systems.
• Performs facility maintenance and operations for campus buildings, grounds, and science research laboratory requirements.
• Analyzes and solves a variety of mechanical, hydronic, electrical, and facility‑system operational problems.
• Provides technical input for the development of statements of work, performance work statements, statements of need, cost estimates, and material requests for repairs, equipment replacement, and system upgrades.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12‑31‑1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successful completion of the E‑Verify employment verification check.
• Must have and maintain a valid driver’s license throughout employment.
• Physical examination or statement regarding physical ability required; must maintain physical fitness standards throughout employment.
• May be required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority.
• May be required to work weekends.
• One‑year probationary period during which fitness, performance, and alignment with the public interest will be evaluated; continuation of employment beyond the probationary period requires written certification.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of the announcement (09/28/2026) unless otherwise stated. Resumes must indicate “full‑time” (or “40 hours a week”) or “part‑time” with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

• Basic Educational Requirement AND/OR Specialized Experience for the series.
• Either:
• Degree: Undergraduate and graduate education with a major in engineering, industrial arts, property management, or business administration (transcripts required).
• OR Experience: Knowledge of practices and procedures related to property management, maintenance, materials requirements, and building operation and repair, such as budgeting, record maintenance, or trades work requiring technical judgment.
• To qualify at the GS‑11 grade level, at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS‑09 level in the federal service is required. Specialized experience includes managing a maintenance program, conducting surveillance of construction and maintenance operations, estimating material and labor costs, and directing work on various structures.
• Examples of qualifying specialized experience: EPA Universal Certification for HVAC; HVAC technical certification; experience with building automation systems and BACnet/Modbus; experience with water filtration, UV systems, pumps, and process piping; previous experience in a research laboratory, aquaculture, or fisheries facility.
• Education alternative: Successful completion of at least three years of progressively higher‑level graduate education leading to a PhD or equivalent doctoral degree (or LL.M.) in a related field, with transcripts required.
• Combination of education and experience is acceptable.
• Volunteer experience (paid or unpaid) is creditable, including service through National Service programs or other organizations.
• Education documentation: Official transcripts must be submitted if education is used to qualify; unofficial transcripts are acceptable for initial review but official transcripts are required upon selection.
• Foreign education must be evaluated by a recognized credential evaluation service and deemed equivalent to U.S. education.

Additional Information

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) requests for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments may be submitted with supporting documentation prior to the assessment. Decisions are made case‑by‑case.

Physical Demands/Work Environment: Work occurs in office, laboratory, mechanical, warehouse, and outdoor settings. The incumbent is routinely exposed to wet conditions, process water systems, mechanical equipment, and chemical and biological materials used in fisheries research. The role requires adherence to safety protocols, use of personal protective equipment, and physical exertion such as walking, climbing ladders, bending, kneeling, crouching, reaching, and lifting moderately heavy tools, equipment, piping, and materials.

Telework is permitted only during an emergency or natural disaster.

All Department of the Interior employees and their families are subject to specific ethics and land‑use restrictions.