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Boiler Plant Operator


Job Location:

Waco, TX - USA

Hourly Salary: USD 28 - 28
Posted: 11 October 2026 (22 hours ago)
Application Deadline: 8 January 2027
Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Summary

The Boiler Plant Operator works in the Facilities Management Service for the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System (CTVHCS). This position is responsible for the safe reliable and efficient operation maintenance troubleshooting and repair of high-pressure boiler plant systems and associated auxiliary equipment supporting hospital operations.

DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.


Duties

Major duties include but not limited to:

  • Operate high-pressure boilers and auxiliary systems: Start stop adjust monitor and control multiple-fuel boilers and associated equipment to maintain safe and efficient steam production.
  • Maintain and repair boiler plant equipment: Troubleshoot repair replace adjust and maintain burners pumps valves controls regulators gauges bearings piping compressors fans generators feed-water systems condensate systems and other boiler components.
  • Perform preventive maintenance: Conduct scheduled maintenance and equipment inspections and perform repairs and overhauls necessary to maintain plant reliability.
  • Monitor computerized and automated controls: Use electronic hydraulic pneumatic automatic semi-automatic and computerized control systems to evaluate operating conditions and make adjustments.
  • Analyze boiler operating conditions: Read and interpret gauges meters recorders electronic displays alarms and computer-generated data to determine boiler performance and identify abnormal conditions.
  • Maintain combustion efficiency: Adjust combustion settings and fuel/air ratios to maintain efficient boiler operation and comply with applicable emissions and pollution-control requirements.
  • Perform boiler-water testing and treatment: Test boiler feed water boiler water and condensate using chemical testing methods; determine appropriate chemical treatment; and control impurities dissolved gases and unstable water conditions.
  • Inspect and maintain safety systems: Test adjust troubleshoot and repair flame safeguards pressure switches differential switches limit switches timers probes sensors safety valves fuel cutoffs ignition systems and related protective devices.
  • Troubleshoot electrical and mechanical systems: Diagnose equipment failures involving mechanical electrical electronic pneumatic hydraulic and electro-mechanical components and perform appropriate repairs.
  • Maintain operational documentation: Record steam production water and fuel consumption electricity and natural-gas usage boiler chemistry equipment conditions and other required operating data.
  • Respond to emergencies: Operate emergency generators when necessary respond to emergency trouble calls monitor facility fire-alarm and water-supply systems as assigned and take immediate action to protect personnel equipment and hospital operations.
  • Follow environmental and safety requirements: Handle boiler chemicals and byproducts appropriately and comply with applicable environmental public-health resource-protection and workplace safety requirements.
  • Work independently: Make operational and maintenance decisions during assigned shifts including periods when working alone while following standard operating procedures engineering policies technical manuals and supervisory guidance.
  • Coordinate with others: Work with utility plant personnel Engineering Service staff contractors vendors suppliers mechanics and technicians to support maintenance and repair activities.
Work Schedule: Rotating shifts including nights weekends and holidays.
Position Description Title/PD#: Boiler Plant Operator/PD8620-O
Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting 45 pounds and over; Climbing use of legs and arms; Near vision correctable at 13 to 16 to Jaeger 1 to 4 Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other Ability to distinguish shades of colors Hearing (aid maybe permitted) Excessive heat; Excessive humidity; Slippery or uneven walking surfaces; Working on ladders or scaffolding; Working alone.

Requirements
Conditions of employment

    • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
    • Subject to a background/suitability investigation
    • 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 ( May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
    Qualifications

    Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement.

    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.

    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 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.

    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 (includes 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 (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.
    Education

    This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

    Additional information

    Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicants criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations Security and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) 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 OPMs Career Transition Resources website which can be found at 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 employees 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.

    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.

    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. Opens in a new windowLearn 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.


    Required Experience:

    IC