Locksmith
Veterans Health Administration
Posted: March 11, 2026 (3 days ago)
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Veterans Health Administration
Department of Veterans Affairs
Location
Bedford, Massachusetts
Salary
$35.40 - $41.31
per hour
Type
Full-Time
More Maintenance & Trades jobs →Closes
This job involves working as a locksmith at a Veterans Affairs medical facility in Bedford, Massachusetts, where you'll repair, install, and maintain locks on doors, safes, desks, and other secure areas to keep the facility safe and operational.
It's hands-on work that requires good physical coordination and patience, often in tight or awkward spaces.
A good fit would be someone with practical experience in lock systems, strong attention to detail, and the ability to handle frustrating or complex tasks without losing focus.
This position is located at an assigned Veterans Administration medical facility performing work involved with repairing, overhauling, modifying, testing, and installing a variety of locking devices typically found on doors, desks, compartments, mobile equipment, safes, vaults, and other secured locations.
PHYSICAL EFFORT: Locksmithing seldom requires lifting or carrying of items weighing in excess of 15 pounds, but not to exceed 50 pounds.
Is frequently required to stand, stoop, bend, kneel, and work in an awkward position when installing and opening locks and emergency exit hardware on-site.
Excellent hand and eye coordination is required in servicing locks. Periods of intense concentration are often necessary when working with delicate and/or complex locking situations.
Must be very thorough and have a high degree of patience and tolerance for frustration.
Light physical effort is used in reaching, bending, turning, or moving hands, arms, feet, and legs to operate hand and foot controls of vehicles.
Observes safety procedures to prevent damage to property and injury to self and others. WORK CONDITIONS: Locksmithing work is normally done inside in well-lighted, heated, and ventilated areas.
Occasionally works outside in bad weather or in areas that are drafty and poorly lighted. The incumbent is exposed to the possibility of cuts, scrapes, noise, dust, dirt, and bruises.
Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualifications.
For this position, the job element method is used to match what you, the applicant, can do against what the work calls for.
Your knowledge, skills and abilities will be compared to the knowledge, skills and abilities (called job elements) needed for success.
Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element (WG-2 and higher only; screen-outs are not applicable to WG-1).
Applicants who appear to meet the screen out element are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated from consideration.
The potential eligibles are rated against the remainder of the job elements.
While a specific length of training and experience is not required, your responses to the questionnaire must be supported by detailed descriptions of your experience on your resume.
You will be rated on the following Job Elements as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Equipment Assembly, Installation, Repair Interpret Instructions, Specifications (includes blueprint reading) Special Aptitude - Food Service Work Technical Practices (Electrical Electronic) Troubleshooting Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week.
All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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.
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. Major Duties:
*******THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***** Provides technical assistance and guidance to remote customer locations and to lower graded/less experienced locksmithing personnel.
Performs the full range of work in the installation, repair, maintenance and modification of a wide variety of commercial locking devices with varying makes and models found in doors, desks, safes, vaults, compartments, mobile equipment, and secured areas.
Disassembles repairs, cleans, reassembles, and reinstalls a large variety of moderate to extremely complex locking devices.
Provides expert advice and recommendations to management on the most appropriate locks/systems for specific security requirements.
Where appropriate, suggests the use of a master key system to preclude the overuse of keys and to provide offices with a more effective. As requested, designs and installs such master key systems.
Designs and installs locks and integrated locking systems (e.g., including electronic panic button interfaces, etc.) to meet special security requirements and management needs.
Increases the level of key control and security by modifying keyways and key blanks to create local-unique combinations.
Attends seminars and carefully reviews trade journals, catalogs, regulations and manuals to maintain expert knowledge of locks and associated hardware, new products, and regulatory requirements affecting work.
Maintains required records.
Troubleshoots to determine malfunctioning components and repairs by reworking existing parts based on knowledge of internal structure plus the operating characteristics of a wide range of models and of their working interrelationship with related components.
Determines precise locations and angles for drilling without harming the contents or causing irrevocable damage to the locking mechanisms or containers.
Carefully examines all locks worked on for evidence of attempted neutralization and, if found, takes the steps necessary to decertify the lock and/or container.
Uses a large variety of intricate tools to perform this work and provides maintenance on same. Installs new parts as needed and fabricates repair items such as locking bolts and special screws.
May also fabricate parts necessary to repair locks no longer in production, requiring careful determination of dimensions/specifications and the use of a variety of hand and power tools.
Attempts to preclude neutralization of items worked on by repairing them to higher than original strength by the addition of harder steel at critical access points.
Makes operational tests to assure devices function properly.
Performing other related duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday to Friday; 6:30am to 3:00pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized
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