Engineering Technician

Job DescriptionJob DescriptionPOSITION DESCRIPTION:

ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN - PLEASE READ ALL REQUIREMENTS - YOU WILL BE WORKING WITH STATE OFTHE ART TECHNOLOGY

Serves as an Engineering Technician providing comprehensive technical automation
and physical plant engineering support to the facility program, ensuring proper
functioning of automated fulfillment systems and ancillary support equipment used
throughout a consolidated mail outpatient pharmacy. The facility utilizes automated
pharmacy fulfillment systems to dispense and package a high volume (e.g.,
100,00/day) of prescriptions for shipment to Veterans. Facilitates pharmacy
automation to augment efficient and accurate medication distribution.

Compensation is $31.00 an hour 

LOCATION: 

Department of Veterans Affairs 
Station 766
109 Bee St, Charleston, SC 29401

WORK SCHEDULE: 2 SHIFTS AVAILABLE 

Tuesday - Friday : 2:00pm - 10:30am 
Saturday: 9:00am - 5:30pm

MAJOR DUTIES:

• 1. Executes a comprehensive automated equipment management program, ensuring standard protocols are adhered to for the assessment, maintenance, and repair of an automated pharmacy fulfillment system (APFS) and supporting infrastructure.
• Maintains complex, diverse facility and automated utility/system operations to include periodic inspection, preventive maintenance, and repair.
• Improvises troubleshooting practices and interprets electronic, electrical, and mechanical drawings, specifications, and schematics of custom systems.
• Conducts troubleshooting of automated systems equipment using various hand tools, soldering equipment, and standard test equipment (e.g., analog/digital multimeters, oscilloscopes, function generators, power supplies, resistor/capacitor substitution boxes, calibration devices, current probes, wattmeters).
• Installs and configures various peripheral devices/equipment.
• Monitors quality assurance indicators related to forecasting of premature equipment failure rates, mean time between equipment failures (MTBF) as they relate to enhancing patient safety, and the prevention or control of unexpected catastrophic system failures, identifying and implementing protocols to ensure timely recovery of critical equipment and systems. Resolves a variety of unconventional situations arising from software, hardware, and integration problems.
• Collaborates with production supervisors and end users to optimize fulfillment workflow. Serves as a subject-matter authority for automated pharmacy fulfillment system components and ensures that application training is provided to users and support staff.
• Maintains an equipment inventory and maintenance database used to supply current maintenance information on request.
• Prepares correspondence, technical reports, estimates, fact sheets, status reports, and schedules as required to ensure assigned projects are completed on time and within established budgets. (Approx. 70%)
• 2. Participates in equipment related strategic planning, pre-purchase evaluation, and assessment; acquisition support; project management support and communication; implementation coordination; equipment management; hardware modifications; training; and ongoing maintenance support for the automated production system.
• Serves as a Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) for assigned construction and service contracts related to facility systems/projects. Assists with site preparation, installation, configuration, and integration of healthcare technology and operational control systems for facility, wider-organization, and/or agencywide networked
• systems, coordinating with vendors and Contracting Officers on procurement or technical issues (Approx. 30%)

Performs other duties as assigned.

FACTOR EVALUATION:
FACTOR ONE. KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED BY THE POSITION - 
Extensive technical engineering knowledge related to automated pharmacy
fulfillment systems, including the practical application and understanding of
underlying computer, engineering, and electronics theory and the practical use of
analog and digital electronics, mechanics, pneumatics, electromechanical devices,
hydraulics, thermodynamics, optics, physics, and computer science along with
knowledge of the principles and techniques of operation of supported equipment and
limitations of applicable physical and network security issues to improvise
troubleshooting practices and interpret electronic, electrical, and mechanical
drawings, specifications, and schematics of custom systems in solving problems and
maintaining automated systems equipment.
Knowledge of human machine interface (HMI)/user interface, programmable logic
controllers (PLCs), sensors, input/output devices, transformers, three-phase
primary/secondary industrial power distribution systems, surge protection devices,
three-phase motor starters/associated circuits, pneumatic actuators, conveyors,
automated processes, and computer systems and familiarity with installation,
operation, troubleshooting, maintenance, and safety practices related to the above
devices to conduct electronics troubleshooting techniques and use common hand
tools and soldering equipment and standard test equipment (e.g., analog/digital
multimeters, oscilloscopes, function generators, power supplies, resistor/capacitor
substitution boxes, calibration devices, current probes, wattmeters).
Working knowledge of computers and networking, including standard network
hardware, software, standard topologies, media types, and Internet protocols (e.g.,
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)) and related characteristics,
capabilities, installation, and configuration of supported equipment and their
associated networks to install and configure various peripherals.
Ability to read, interpret, and apply a variety of technical data (e.g., schematic
drawings, wiring diagrams, tables, charts, mathematical expressions and formulas)
and service documentation included in manufacturer's literature to effect repairs and
perform complex installations, calibrations, preventative maintenance, and
troubleshooting on complex mechanical and computer-based systems that have
vitally interrelated and sometimes dispersed subsystems, many of which are
assembled from numerous constituent units or subsystems
Ability and skill to communicate and collaborate with clinical and administrative
personnel and serve as a liaison between them and read and interpret technical
literature and relay pertinent information to others.

FACTOR 2. SUPERVISORY CONTROLS - 
Assignments are generally based upon broadly defined goals and objectives and
frequently involve resolution of a variety of non-conventional situations arising from
software, hardware, and integration problems.
Assignments are completed with minimal direction. The employee is provided a
significant degree of/wide latitude for technical independence and decision making.
The employee applies not only standard procedures but also innovative techniques
and organized methodologies to accomplish operational goals in cooperation with
other staff and supervisors.
Performance is evaluated in terms of results achieved, decisions made, and total
project management effectiveness.

FACTOR 3. GUIDELINES - 
Guidelines include manuals; technical specifications; Federal, state, and local
regulations and standards; bureau policy; established procedures; and contract
requirements. Some guidelines are stated in general terms or are of limited use.
Judgment and initiative are required in applying and adapting electrical and/or
mechanical engineering principles and practices where significant departures from
established practices and precedents are required, resulting from such factors as
unusual local conditions or increased emphasis on productivity, throughput, and
energy conservation. Also uses judgment, initiative, and resourcefulness in deviating
from established methods to modify, adapt, and/or refine broader guidelines to
resolve complex and/or intricate issues and problems; address specific issues or
problems; develop new methods and criteria; and/or propose new practices.

FACTOR 4. COMPLEXITY - 
Assignments are diverse in nature and cover a number of essentially different
electrical/mechanical systems and equipment found in large processing plants and
CMOP’s. Incumbent must exercise creativity and experienced judgment in extending
traditional techniques or developing new ones in order to solve complex problems. In
many cases, assignments deal with the inapplicability of established design criteria
and technical precedents to project objectives thus requiring sound design judgment
to reach the correct solution, meeting major objectives and time lines without
compromising design and engineering principles. The work also requires recognition
of the relationship of problems and practices of related engineering fields either to
solve the situation/problem or refer it to the appropriate source.

FACTOR 5. SCOPE AND EFFECT - 
As an Engineering Technician for the facility’s automation operations and supporting
infrastructure, the employee performs engineering technical electronics, mechanical,
and electrical duties to facilitate fulfillment of the organization’s mission as well as
augmenting project and other automated systems development and improvement
projects for the wider organization.
Work impacts accuracy and timeliness of provision of pharmaceutical services to
Veterans, developing or effectively operating systems and ultimately the facility as
well as the work of other individuals, and modifying and developing maintenance
processes.

FACTOR 6. PERSONAL CONTACTS/FACTOR 7. PURPOSE OF CONTACTS - 
Personal contacts are with end users/facility staff and leads/supervisors and are
generally related to mechanical issues impacting system performance, staff, or
patient safety; agency information technology (IT) staff; and individuals or groups
from outside the agency, including consultants, contractors, and vendors or
representatives of regulatory bodies in moderately structured settings where the
roles and interests of the parties are well-established.
The purpose of contacts pertain to troubleshooting, maintenance, and repair of
automated systems or subsystems. Contacts are also to provide periodic technical
training for end users; participate with production supervisors and quality assurance
staff on projects related to improving efficiency, safety, or regulatory compliance;
participate in addressing unresolved issues, problem solving, or contract
enforcement; respond to requests for support or assistance; solve problems; provide
customers with consistent information; resolve critical production, system, and
network issues; confer with vendors and contractors to solicit advice in resolving
maintenance, design, and/or installation problems; give or receive information;
coordinate work efforts; furnish technical advice; and review drawings, installation
designs, or specifications and correct them, as necessary. In many situations, these
contacts will often require persuasion and tact in the resolution of technical
disagreements.

FACTOR 8. PHYSICAL DEMANDS -
Work involves various situations where the employee is required to perform bench
work and/or field work that requires sitting, walking, standing, bending, lifting,
pushing, etc. Often handles devices weighing up to 40 pounds and is sometimes
called upon to handle objects weighing in excess of 40 pounds with weight-handling
equipment or the assistance of others. Agency and contract work requires frequent
inspections, which may involve considerable walking, bending, stooping, crawling,
climbing, reaching, and other physical movements. Performs duties in areas that
require special safety precautions to avoid injury to self or others (i.e., lock-out/tagout,
wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in hazardous areas, etc.).
Assignments may require extended periods seated at a computer as well as
sedentary office work.

FACTOR 9. WORK ENVIRONMENT -
Work involves various conditions and environments (e.g., working in an office,
production plant floor, or on a construction site). Exposed to a wide variety of
temperatures, hazardous conditions, and potentially dangerous situations involving
toxic or hazardous substances. Exposed to high voltage electrical lines and
equipment. Operation of machinery and equipment may produce dangerous
situations that can result in loss of limbs. Often required to perform duties in
environments that require Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and perform duties in
areas where special safety precautions must be taken while at the same time
protecting product from infection/contamination. The area is adequately lighted,
heated, and ventilated.

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