Facility Operations Specialist.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS); Madison (WI); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in Madison, WI seeks an experienced facilities specialist to support the Science Support Branch Chief.

You will assist in evaluating laboratory development, assessing Deferred Maintenance and Capital Improvement needs, and serving as the Contracting Officer's Representative for building projects. The role involves updating facility drawings, planning modifications, and contributing to annual maintenance plans while supporting budget execution.

Qualifications

• Experience in routine facility or building systems (HVAC, plumbing, electrical)
• Experience serving as a COR or similar contract compliance role
• Familiarity with CMMS or maintenance tracking databases
• Having a valid state driver's license and ability to travel as needed

Responsibilities

• Assist in evaluating development, design, and construction of laboratories and support systems.
• Assist in assessments of Deferred Maintenance and Capital Improvement needs.
• Serve as COR for center construction or rehabilitation projects.
• Maintain and update engineering drawings of existing facilities.
• Plan modifications or rehabilitation of buildings, grounds, and equipment.
• Contribute to annual and long-range repair and preventative maintenance plans.
• Assist in executing monthly operations budgets for facility operations.

Skills

Facility operations

COR liaison

CMMS experience

Driver's license

Education

Graduate education toward PhD

Tools

CMMS

Job description

Duties

• Assists the Science Support Branch Chief to evaluate the development, design, and construction of laboratories and support systems.
• Assists the Science Support Branch Chief to develop, prioritize, and complete assessments of Deferred Maintenance and Capital Improvement needs.
• Serves as Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) with responsibility for Center construction or rehabilitation projects (buildings).
• Assists the Science Support Branch Chief to: maintain and update engineering drawings of all existing facilities.
• Assists the Science Support Branch Chief to plan and design modifications to, or rehabilitation of, buildings, grounds, and equipment.
• Assists in the development of annual and long-range repair and preventative maintenance plans.
• Responsible for implementing monthly plans developed by the Science Support Branch Chief for the NWHC facility operations budget.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit
• Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
• You must pass a physical examination.
• You are required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority.
• You must be at least 18 years of age or older to operate government vehicles.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

This Probationary Period Is An Extension Of The Appointment Process And Therefore Requires The Agency To Determine If Continued Employment Would Advance The Public Interest, Meet The Organization Goals And Mission Of The Agency, And/or Otherwise Promote The Efficiency Of The Service. In Determining If Your Employment Advances The Public Interest, The Agency Will 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.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated.

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

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/05/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "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. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.

This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. If you do not certify that you possess the following selective factor(s), you will be rated not qualified.

• Current and valid State-issued Driver's License

To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level:

• Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as experience that may include:
  • Conducting routine facility, building system (HVAC, plumbing, electrical), and grounds walkthroughs;
  • Utilizing a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) or tracking databases;
  • Assisting with the acquisition of standard facility services or supplies;
  • Serving as a primary point of contact for routine building operations;
  • Applying codified regulations to daily facility layouts and operations;
  • Coordinating localized furniture reconfigurations or minor personnel relocations;
  • Managing the facility's inventory of custodial supplies, spare parts, and tools;
  • Collecting, tracking, and entering building utility data (water, electric, gas);
  • Serving as the on-site technical contact or escort for external service personnel;
  • Gathering raw facility metrics to support broader administrative compliance reporting. -OR-
• Education: Successful completion of at least 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. (Degree must reflect the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.). You must include transcripts. -OR-
• Combination of education and experience. To combine education and experience, first find the percentage of education completed that is leading to a PhD. Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include hours per week and transcripts.

To qualify for this position at the GS-12 grade level:

• Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as experience that may include:
  • Use of a Building Automation System (such as METASYS) to program control sequences for major equipment (e.g., exhaust fans and air supply), to monitor critical functions, and to issue alarms when operational parameters deviate from pre-set levels;
  • Managing the day-to-day operations, on-call of a laboratory or biomedical facility with complex mechanical, HVAC, and electrical, digital security and controls systems designed to maintain biological containment;
  • Utilizing knowledge of principles of planning, management of rehabilitation and construction projects in accordance with Federal procurement and contracting requirements;
  • Overseeing a comprehensive maintenance program including; developing standard operating procedures; addressing safety practices; testing, monitoring, and validating systems; and establishing maintenance/repair/rehabilitation schedules.

Volunteer Experience:

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; religious; 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.

Education

You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

Foreign Education:

To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education.

Additional information

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor.

Term positions do not convey permanent status in the Federal service. The agency retains sole discretion and without further competition, the right to extend the duration of this appointment after selection and/or appointment, based on changes to the term appointment regulation(s). No extension to a term appointment shall be granted to a selectee/employee to an amount of time that exceeds the maximum number of years authorized under any present or current regulation, unless such regulation expressly allows such action.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests:

If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the

Physical Demands

Work requires physical exertion such as climbing ladders; bending, kneeling, crouching, and reaching, and working in confined or mechanical spaces. The incumbent frequently lifts and carries tools, equipment, and materials while performing maintenance and repairs.

Work Environment

Normal operations place the incumbent in contact with electrical systems, steam and hot water systems, and a wide variety of other mechanical equipment. The incumbent is required to wear respiratory protection to enter some biological containment areas. There is regular and recurring exposure to moderate discomforts and unpleasantness, including high levels of noise, animal dander and odors, high temperatures, and adverse weather conditions.

All Department of Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here,

The duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

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.

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.