Maintenance Worker

Duties

Summary

This position is located within the Plant Genetic Resources Unit (PGRU) and Grape Genetics Research Unit (GGRU), for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Geneva, NY. In this position, you will assist in the maintenance and upkeep of office and laboratory buildings, greenhouses, and barns.

Requirements

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this position you must meet the following by the closing date of the vacancy announcement: 05/28/2024. Qualifications will be determined under the Job Element Rating System X-118C, Qualifications Standard Handbook. While a specific length of time and experience is not required for most Wage Grade positions, you must show through experience and training that you possess the best qualified level of knowledge and skill necessary to perform the duties of this position. Qualification requirements emphasize the quality of experience, not necessarily the length. The responses to the questionnaire and your resume should be in significant detail to provide the person rating your application with a good understanding of your ability to do the job, technical knowledge, work, and training experience, etc. (For example You must have the ability to perform the duties of a Maintenance Worker without more than normal supervision (Screen Out)). Applicants who do not meet the SCREEN OUT ELEMENT will not be given further consideration. Physical Effort: The work requires close hand and eye coordination. Considerable physical effort is used when working on parts or systems that are in hard-to-reach and limited space areas. Work requires bending, stooping, kneeling, working in tiring and uncomfortable positions, and using the arms for long periods of time when using hand tools, shop tools, and equipment. The incumbent must frequently carry and set up heavy parts and equipment weighing up to 50 pounds with the assistance of material lifting devices or other workers. The incumbent may perform repairs and installations from ladders, scaffolding, platforms, and other hard to-reach places both indoors and outdoors. The incumbent may work overtime hours as required. Working Conditions: Work is performed both indoors and outdoors. Indoor work is usually performed on concrete surfaces where there is exposure to dust, dirt, chemicals, heat, steam, noise, and unpleasant odors. Outside work is sometimes performed under adverse weather conditions, including hot, cold, wet, and/or windy weather. The incumbent may be exposed to chemical dust and sprays and may need to wear protective clothing and respirators. The incumbent may also be exposed to high noise levels and fumes, and the possibility of injuries such as scrapes, cuts, chemical irritations, bruises, and falls. The incumbent must follow prescribed safety practices and use safety equipment such as personal protective equipment, safety glasses or goggles, gloves, hard hats, and hard-toed shoes to avoid injury and possible hazards in the work areas. Other Considerations: Subject to on-call duty outside normal duty hours, in accordance with procedures established for control of such on-call duty. May be required to work weekends, holidays, or before/after normal duty hours when necessary; may be required to report for duty during emergencies, critical periods, or during times when the Location is closed due to inclement weather.

Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency. Our job is finding solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every day from field to table. What we do matters in science and the world. For more information about Agricultural Research Service, go to https://www.ars.usda.gov/.