Metrology Job Standard Discussion

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Has anyone ever heard of a GS-1670 Equipment Specialist(Electronics & TMDE)?

From reading on here it looks like most of you are Contractors, but everyone seems like they have been around the block much less the expressway.  LOL

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This is the part I don't understand.


DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN GENERAL SCHEDULE AND FEDERAL WAGE SYSTEMS WORK
This section provides guidance to determine the appropriate pay category of positions (i.e., General Schedule or Federal Wage System) based on the official record of duties and responsibilities assigned to a position or group of positions.
1. 5 U.S.C. 5102 (c)(7) exempts from coverage under the General Schedule those "employees in recognized trades or crafts, or other skilled mechanical crafts, or in unskilled, semiskilled, or skilled manual-labor occupations, and other employees including foremen and supervisors in positions having trade, craft, or laboring experience and knowledge as the paramount requirement...."
2. The "paramount requirement" of a position refers to the essential, prerequisite knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the primary duty or responsibility for which the position has been established. Whether particular types of positions are trade, craft, or manual-labor occupations within the meaning of title 5 depends primarily on the facts of duties, responsibilities, and qualification requirements; i.e., the most important, or chief requirement for the performance of a primary duty or responsibility for which the position exists. If a position clearly requires trade, craft, or manual-labor experience and knowledge as a requirement for the performance of its primary duty, and this requirement is paramount, the position is under the Federal Wage System regardless of its organizational location or the nature of the activity in which it exists.
a. A position is under the Federal Wage System if its primary duty involves the performance of physical work, which requires knowledge or experience of a trade, craft, or manual-labor nature.
b. A position is under the General Schedule System, even if it requires physical work, if its primary duty requires knowledge or experience of an administrative, clerical, scientific, artistic, or technical nature not related to trade, craft, or manual-labor work.
The special capabilities or qualifications of an employee do not influence pay category determinations. You will find more detailed information in Section IV of the Introduction to the Position Classification Standards.

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So then I read down a little further and find this....


6. Analyzing, maintaining, modifying, repairing, calibrating, and installing precision electronic medical equipment with sophisticated circuitry and providing technical support to correct equipment/system malfunctions.
Appropriate job grading standard in the Federal Wage System such as:
2604, Electronics Mechanic or 4805, Medical Equipment Repairing

Now from what I am reading order of operations, why does it only apply to Medical Equipment?  Maybe there is more.  I will keep digging.

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Wow I am really torn on this.

Now I am going through the 1910 job classification.  I don't understand why the guys up on the front of the depot are Wage Grade.  I also don't understand the application of the WG title to the Metrology/Calibration world inside the Federal Government.

I mean crap, the way it looks the PMEL/TMDE Coordinators for their orginzation are GS but the guys on the floor actually calibrating the instrument are Wage Grades.  That seems asinine to say the least.

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A small excerpt.

Maintenance and manufacturing quality assurance - This function is concerned with the quality of products manufactured, maintained, overhauled, or modified in Government-owned and operated activities, such as Army depots, shipyards, and aircraft rework facilities. Major quality functions include:
- Participation with production, engineering, and other activities in developing plans and procedures for assuring quality and reliability of products;
- Reviewing work instructions, technical data to identify characteristics critical to product acceptability, and providing inspection and test procedures;
Quality Assurance, GS-1910 TS-67 March 1983
- Monitoring quality of materials and supplies required to support production activities;
- Conducting audits of products and processes for conformance to specifications and to detect processing and technical documentation deficiencies and recommending corrective action, including establishment of acceptable quality levels and statistical techniques;
- Verifying product quality using sampling inspection or, when appropriate to the characteristics involved or pertinent quality history, more intensive product inspection techniques;
- Investigating customer complaints and deficiency reports, and providing identification of causes to appropriate activities;
- Monitoring programs for controlling the accuracy of test and measuring equipment;
- Evaluating procedures for maintaining control of drawings and technical data;
- Coordinating the disposition of nonconforming material; and
- Analyzing quality data to detect unsatisfactory trends or conditions and weaknesses in the quality system.

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GS 856 Electronics Tech

ELECTRONICS TECHNICAL, 0856
Qualification Standard
Series Definition
This series covers technical positions supervising, leading, or performing work involving applying:
•
knowledge of the techniques and theories characteristic of electronics, such as a knowledge of basic electricity and electronic theory, algebra, and elementary physics;
•
knowledge of electronic equipment design, development, evaluation, testing, installation, and maintenance; and
•
knowledge of the capabilities, limitations, operations, design, characteristics, and functional use of a variety of types and models of electronic equipment and systems related to, but less than, a full professional knowledge of electronic engineering.
Titling
The basic title for positions under the General Schedule at grade 3 and below is Electronics Aid.
The basic title for other positions in this occupation is Electronics Technician.
Occupational Information
General Occupational Information
Electronic equipment may be used in the fields of communication, television, telemetry, radar, radio, sonar, medical equipment, computers, and many others. The fundamental electronic components of the systems and devices used in each field are the same.
When technicians develop, test, or perform other work on an unfamiliar piece of electronic equipment they apply their knowledge of electronic theory, circuit design, and the operating characteristics of more familiar equipment. They refer to diagrams, troubleshooting procedures, operating guides, and technical literature; seek information from other technicians and from engineers; and may take manufacturers' training courses to become more familiar with the equipment. This ability to apply general knowledge of electronics and to transfer experience and knowledge from one kind of equipment to another characterizes electronics technicians.
Electronic equipment may work perfectly in the laboratory or under test conditions; however, external factors, such as interconnection with other devices, geographical and climatic conditions, and interference from other electronic equipment, may have an unforeseen effect on its functioning. As a result, electronics technicians develop knowledge about of how external forces affect the functioning of electronic devices and what methods may have been used successfully to correct such problems in similar circumstances.
Electronics technicians assist in many work situations including:
•
Maintenance. Developing maintenance standards and procedures for use by others. Analyzing repair practices and developing procedural instructions for use by others on methods and steps to repair equipment.
•
Installation. Planning and directing the installation of complex systems and associated facilities, particularly where there are site selection and construction problems, dealings with contractors and public utilities, and the possible need to modify equipment for novel site characteristics.
•
Fabrication. Designing and analyzing circuits, determining design feasibility, evaluating equipment performance under varying environmental conditions, and collecting performance data. Designing or modifying designs to achieve performance and cost objectives. Evaluating the adequacy of equipment for such purposes as repair, calibration, and testing.
•
Testing and Evaluation/Research and Development. Developing or evaluating new or modified electronic systems. Completing testing, evaluating data, and determining acceptability of equipment modifications, validity, test procedures and data, or legality of operation. Technicians support professional engineers in performing experiments, research, and developmental activities requiring an in-depth knowledge of technical engineering methods, applications, practices, and principles to work on concepts, prototypes, and experimental projects that are without precedent and support state-of-the-art research.
(continued)
Technical Work in the Engineering and Architecture Group, 0800 May 2007
U.S. Office of Personnel Management 15
Electronics Technical, 0856 (continued)
Occupational Information (continued)
•
Sustainment. Developing, performing, evaluating, or modifying calibration and test equipment, systems, and procedures. Reporting, analyzing, and archiving test data. Performing complex calculations and manipulations of test data to improve performance of systems, instrumentation, measurement standards, techniques, and procedures.
•
Troubleshooting. Analyzing and diagnosing faults in the operational configuration of electronic systems and equipment. Interpreting circuit wiring, logic cable diagrams, drawings, specifications, and schematics of complete systems and equipment to understand the function and interconnections of the various assemblies and troubleshoot the system.
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WG 2602 Job Description

WG-10 Level

At this level the mechanics work independently on routine assignments or as a member of a team on more difficult tasks. They apply a working knowledge of electronic principles and a knowledge of how the circuits and assemblies function together. For example, the items serviced at this level usually contain circuits that are designed to generate, receive, modify, amplify, measure, or display an electronic signal and transform it into measurable units, as compared to the limited functions performed by devices serviced at the lower grade levels. The mechanics at this level perform functional tests in accordance with cyclic inspection requirements and repair of disclosed operating deficiencies and defective parts.

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The mechanics at this level use a variety of precision measurement standards and instruments such as generators, oscilloscopes, and analyzers to perform functional test and calibration of electronic test equipment serviced. They work with published technical directives and equipment specifications which outline specific alignment and calibration procedures. They use drawings, prints, schematics, and wiring diagrams to locate defective components and perform repairs. The mechanics at this level work under general supervision, and complete assignments in accordance with established techniques and procedures.

I don't understand how here I am studying for the CCT in December and all the books are going on and on about TQM and how calibration is a tool to maintain quality.  And they treat it like its just some functional test...some arbitrary check like pressing a button on the front of your TV that degausses your screen.

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Then to tie into all of that every single job announcement I have read so far on USAJOBS for 2602 is either not electronically based whatsoever or maybe at best half and half electronic and physical dimensional.

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LOL now I am rambling...

I'm just going through some documentation and trying to get it all straight in my head.

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Some more info...

Responsibility: The grade 12 mechanics exercise significantly more judgment and independence in determining the methods and techniques required to solve unusually complex maintenance and repair problems. They independently judge the impact that modifications and use of special test devices may have on tracing malfunctions, achieving test objectives, and assuring proper alignment of integral devices contained in the highly complex equipment serviced at this level. They determine the work sequence, special or nonstandard trade techniques required, and prescribe methods, materials, and procedures to be performed by lower graded workers. For example, they develop detailed schematics, drawings, and calibration procedures for use by lower graded workers in the repair and maintenance of equipment which has been modified to detect, measure, record, or generate one-time test parameters.
The grade 12 mechanics are responsible for applying significantly greater judgments and decisions than described at the grade 11 level which contribute toward more precise accuracies and efficient repair and maintenance operations. They must keep abreast of technological
US Office of Personnel Management 9
Electronic Measurement Equipment Mechanic, WG-2602 TS-34 September 1974
changes in the occupation and provide technical guidance and assistance to lower graded workers. The grade 12 mechanics coordinate their efforts relating to project objectives with technical and professional personnel and completed projects are often accepted as prototype, experimental devices, or for manufacture as a standard item.

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Physical Effort: The work assignments require light to moderate physical effort. The mechanics frequently lift, carry, or other wise handle items weighing from 5 to 18 kilograms (10 to 40 pounds) and occasionally in excess of 18 kilograms. They work in a sitting position for extended periods of time, and frequent standing, walking, bending, reaching, and stooping is required.

Working Conditions: The mechanics normally work in well lighted, heated, and ventilated areas. They may be required to work at remote user locations under variable conditions or within clean room environments where special garments including head coverings, shoe coverings, and gloves are required. The mechanics are subject to injuries such as cuts, bruises, and burns caused by electrical shock, RF energy, and soldering irons.

So this is why its a WG...because you gotta sit in a chair and do physical work?  What a load of crock.  I understand this has probably been hashed through time and time again, and I am by no means the most intelligent person I know.  Heck I consider myself dumb sometimes even.  But come on, Who wrote this up some angry POP TART.  Crap I haven't used that term in like 12 years.

[flew-da-coup]

We feel your pain. It is stupid.

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I know there was another post in this forum about the Department of Labor or whoever does the classifications turning down the NSCLi reccomendations?

Is this still true, I was thinking they were trying to appeal it.

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Well to bad there isn't a million of us maybe we could do a march...

I wish there was something more that we could do.