Locksmith

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Durham, NC is seeking a Locksmith to perform maintenance, repair, and installation of lock hardware across hospital settings. The role includes testing, keying, and security-related duties within secure areas, with a standard Monday–Friday schedule and on-site work.

Responsibilities cover installing and repairing locks, calibrating combinations, and maintaining electronic access systems to ensure secure operation of patient areas and facility spaces.

Qualifications

• A min length of training and experience is required with a Certified Registered Locksmith (CRL) certification.
• Applicants are evaluated against OPM Federal Wage System standards; volunteer experience may count toward qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Installs, modifies, and reworks locking devices; maintains, repairs, or replaces locks on doors, windows, narcotic boxes, file cabinets, and other secure areas.
• Repairs or replaces worn lock parts, machining or handcrafting obsolete components.
• Adds or removes key combinations to meet hospital service needs, keeping keying within the approved system.
• Establishes new lock combinations.
• Collaborates with management to select suitable locks throughout the medical center.
• Opens jammed locks when mechanisms fail or are damaged, minimizing property damage.
• Disassembles locks and inspects for wear, marks, abrasions, or misaligned parts suggesting break-ins.
• Ensures lock work is precise for smooth operation.
• Services and repairs safes, vault doors, hinges, and locking arms.
• Calibrates dials, changes combinations, and services tumbler nests.
• Tests to ensure safes operate properly.
• Cuts and codes keys for hospital personnel and maintains key duplicating equipment.
• Maintains electronic prox card locks for medications, computer rooms, pharmacy, warehouse, and other secure areas.
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4pm.

Job description

Summary

Incumbent is assigned to the Durham VA Medical Center System Facility Maintenance Unit. Perform various duties incidental to the maintenance - repair and installation of lock hardware. Assignments include the performance of visual examinations and operational tests to determine the need for - and the performance of - repair work on a level of difficulty and responsibility within the locksmith trade.

Summary

Incumbent is assigned to the Durham VA Medical Center System Facility Maintenance Unit. Perform various duties incidental to the maintenance - repair and installation of lock hardware. Assignments include the performance of visual examinations and operational tests to determine the need for - and the performance of - repair work on a level of difficulty and responsibility within the locksmith trade.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 10/01/2026. EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is required - and a Certified Registered Locksmith (CRL) certification - 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: Equipment Assembly - Installation - Repair Measuring Instruments 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. Physical Requirements: Work assignments involve standing - climbing - bending - and occasional work in cramped and awkward positions. Work frequently requires stooping - stretching - bending - working off ladders - and kneeling for long periods of time. The incumbent must have necessary finger dexterity to effect necessary repairs and work with hand tools. He/she must have good color discrimination to build complex cores for locksmith. Working Conditions: Work assignments may be outside or inside - on elevated structures - and in cramped areas. The incumbent may occasionally work in contaminated areas where exposure to infectious disease is possible - such as patient rooms - exam - surgical and procedure rooms. The incumbent is subject to discomfort from use of face masks and personal protective equipment. Other work hazards include the possibility of electrical shock/burn - injuries to skin - eyes - and lungs (from refrigerants - chemicals - and solvents) - cuts - scratches - and bruises. Most work is done inside well-lighted - heated - or air conditioned areas. But work might be performed in dimly lit - unheated and un-air-conditioned areas.

Duties

• Duties include but not limited too: The incumbent installs - modifies and reworks locking devices - maintains - repairs - or replaces locks to doors - windows - narcotic boxes - medicine and file cabinets - lockers - laundry chutes - electric panels - padlocks - burglar alarms - special locks used in detention areas - x-ray developing areas - and other areas where due to unusual conditions the area must be made secure temporarily or for an indefinite length of time
• Repairs or replaces broken or worn lock parts often by machining or handcrafting the part if it is obsolete
• adds or removes key combinations to meet the needs of each of the hospital services - making certain to keep all keying within approved hospital system
• and establishes new combinations
• The incumbent works closely with management to determine the most suitable locks to be used in throughout the medical center
• The incumbent opens jammed locks when mechanisms malfunction or have been forcibly damaged or tampered with by picking or whatever method that does the lease amount of damage to government property
• The incumbent disassembles locks while closely inspecting them for took marks - abrasions - and misaligned parts which would indicate the possibility of an attempted \"break in\"
• All lock work must be precision done for smooth
• operation
• The incumbent services and repairs safe and vault doors - hinges - and locking arms
• Calibrates dials - changes combinations - services tumbler nest - etc
• and tests to be sure safe is operating properly
• The incumbent cuts all keys for use by hospital personnel - codes them for identification and services key duplicating machine to keep it in good operating condition
• Maintains electronic prox card locks for medication rooms - computer rooms - pharmacy - warehouse and other secure areas
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday
• 7:30am-4pm Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not Available Position Description Title/PD#: Locksmith/PD558-06626A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized