Instrumentation Controls Technician

Architect of the Capitol; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 52,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement benefits

Paid holidays

Paid vacation

Life insurance

Training and development

Student Loan Repayment Program

Job summary

The Architect of the Capitol operates the Capitol Power Plant, where the Instrumentation and Controls Technician maintains, calibrates, installs and repairs a wide range of digital and analog instrumentation used in steam and chilled water production.

The role requires troubleshooting and servicing complex control systems, meters, valves and sensors in a high-humidity, industrial environment; working at heights over 100 feet may be required. A strong focus on reliability and safety is essential.

Qualifications

• Experience with maintenance and calibration of instrumentation in industrial settings.

Responsibilities

• Maintains, repairs, calibrates and installs pneumatic and digital control systems.
• Reads meters, gauges, transmitters and control devices for steam/chilled water production.
• Ensures proper operation of metering pumps, valves and related process equipment.

Job description

• Location: Washington, District of Columbia
• Schedule: This is an Excepted Service position and does not require or confer civil service Competitive Status

This position is located in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Utilities Power Plant Operations, Assistant Director Engineering Division, Instrumentation and Controls Branch. The Instrumentation Controls Technician will provide expertise in troubleshooting, maintaining, installing and repairing state of the art digital, analog and industrial equipment typically found in power plants.

Key Responsibilities

The selectee will perform maintenance, repair, calibration, installation and reading of various meters, controls and control systems, gauges, and a wide variety of industrial instrumentation utilized for the production and control of steam and chilled water in the Capitol Power Plant.

Duties include: Performs, maintains, adjusts, troubleshoots and repairs pneumatic and digital control mechanisms (e.g., level and pressure transmitters, relays, valve positioners, power drives, pneumatic and electric operated valves, pressure controllers and similar mechanisms), refrigerant leak monitors, emissions monitoring equipment, opacity systems, and electromechanical control mechanisms (e.g., water softener and de-alkalizer control system, fly ash system and chemical field process equipment.

Maintains, repairs, adjusts and calibrates a variety of field mounted instrumentation (e.g. temperature devices, flow meters, differential pressure transmitters, pressure transmitters, pressure switches, differential pressure switches, pneumatic and electronic flow indicators, recorders and gauges (e.g. low pressure, high pressure and vacuum.

Maintains, adjusts, and repairs electric motor driven valves, electro-hydraulic valves and air diaphragm motor valves with needle type, double seated type or three-way type inner valves in lines associated with control systems for production of steam and chilled water (e.g., continuous blow down lines, condensate lines, city water supply, boiler feed water, condenser water lines and chilled water lines).

Maintains and adjusts the operation of metering pumps and valves associated with automatic liquid feed systems in the steam production plant (e.g. softener tanks, brine tanks, de-alkalizers, and hot well and de aerator tanks), the chilled water makeup and the cooling towers of the refrigerant plants. Solves moderate to complex problems by analyzing installation, circuitry and operating characteristics of the control systems.

Adjusts and aligns system sensors, transmitters, amplifiers, power supplies, transponders, actuators, installs serviceable components and performs total systems alignments and calibrations in accordance with existing technical instructions. Accomplishes the modification of components or systems and completes thorough system checks for proper operation. Maintains, modifies, calibrates and inspects a wide variety of user test, measurement and diagnostic equipment.

Installs, maintains and modifies pneumatic, electric, and pneumatic controls and control systems for industrial type applications such as fly ash removal system, stack emission monitoring. Ensures that installed systems and controls function to meet operating needs by mounting instrumentation, installing its associated process tubing, and connecting wiring to appropriate terminations. Maintains and calibrates building ventilation controls for heating and air conditioning.

Requires working at heights greater than 100 feet above the ground on exterior mounted equipment.

A variety of health insurance plans; retirement system with investment options; paid holidays; paid sick and annual (vacation) leave; life insurance; incentive systems; subsidized transportation; training and development opportunities, etc. Selected applicant(s) may be eligible to earn a higher annual leave accrual rate credit towards annual leave accrual based on prior non-Federal or uniformed service work experience.

The amount of service credit will be based on specialized experience or qualifying experience that is provided on the applicant profile submitted. As such, if you are a new employee to the Federal Government or a rehire, it is important that you provide a work history that lists all directly related positions held, and it must include the dates of employment (month/day/year).

The Architect of the Capitol offers eligible employees opportunity to participate in the Student Loan Repayment Program.

Which agency is hiring for this position?

This position is with Architect of the Capitol, Legislative Branch.

What is the salary for this position?

The posted pay range is $38.35 – $44.74/hr.

What is the application deadline?

Applications close on 2026-12-31.

What is the work schedule?

This is a This is an Excepted Service position and does not require or confer civil service Competitive Status position.

Who is eligible to apply?

This position is open under the 'Public' hiring path.