Journeyman Furniture Specialist

Mark Arnold

Well-known member
Title: Journeyman Furniture Specialist

Company: U.S. House of Representatives

Posted: 11/24/2009

Discipline: Cabinet & Furniture Making

Discipline description:

Pay Type: Depending Upon Experience

Pay Range: $40,092+

Job Type: Full Time

Job Type Description: Benefits: Health, Dental, Vacation, College Reimbursement, etc.

Description: Job Summary The incumbent serves as a Journeyman Furniture Specialist and performs service calls, complex furniture construction, repair, and the installation of newly constructed furniture as required. The incumbent utilizes and follows internal practices, procedures and management controls to effectively carry out all responsibilities consistently and in compliance with the policies and procedures adopted by the Committee on House Administration (CHA) and the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). The incumbent must exercise caution, safety, and care when handling materials, working on furniture, furnishings, and with all trade related tools. The incumbent must work independently on assigned projects and utilize good judgment in handling and prioritizing work. The incumbents pay grade and compensation level are determined based on applicable professional experience, job knowledge, past performance, and assigned level of responsibility, in comparison to local market rates of pay for equivalent criteria within the applicable discipline. The position does not have supervisory/managerial responsibilities. Major Duties: * Ability to construct high-end cabinetry from complex and detailed blueprints. * Skilled at the use of all types of woodworking equipment and stationery machinery. * Proficient in the use of all tools to include hand and power tools. * Capable of demonstrating safe and effective methods for furniture repair, disassembly, reassembly, and construction both on site and in the shop. * Adept at cabinet construction with professionalism and respect to the finishing process. * Responsible for providing quality products, striving for perfection in repairs and construction. * Must have a complete knowledge in all aspects of the cabinet trade to include intricate and complicated cabinet design and construction from start to finish. * Has a complete knowledge of different types of woodworking materials and machinery. * Learn and apply safe and effective techniques for cabinetry trade. * Applicant must adhere to all policies, procedures and Performance Characteristics set forth by CAO/AFL. * Willing to work various shifts, extended hours, or weekends to fulfill the House of Representatives needs. * Learn House campus layout and work in a team environment. * Comprehend and follow Labels, Warnings, Material Data Sheets and Product Data Sheets. * Must maintain professional appearance and demeanor. * Must meet physical requirements and wear all necessary personal safety equipment to include safety shoes, and ear/eye protection when needed. * Capable of safely moving bulky, heavy and breakable material. * Attends related training and retains information. * Performs other official duties as assigned. Requirements: * Preferred: BA, Fine Woodworking/ Furniture Design * Minimum 10 years of relevant experience * Minimum 5 years in fine woodworking and high-end cabinetry * Preferred: provide work portfolio Applicant Instructions: Qualified candidates please submit your resume online at www.house.gov (see employment opportunities, ref. announcement# AFL-001-09). If you are unable to submit your resume online, please fax a cover letter and resume to 202-226-7514. Disclaimer: All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including marital or parental status), disability, or age. Title 1 of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, as amended (5 U.S. C app§ 101 et seq.) requires certain House employees, to file Financial Disclosure Statements, for information please visit http://clerkhouse.house.gov/forms/findisc.html.
Contact Information 

First Name: Larry

Last Name: Carter

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 202-225-6921

Fax: 202-226-7514

Address1: U.S. House of Representatives

Address2:

City: Washington

State: DC

Zip: 20515
 
Are you freaking kidding me!!!
  Why don't they just add in there that you need to be able to perform open heart surgery, and be able to land the space shuttle if needed, 40,000 dollars?  where do people get the idea that you should have that kind of skills and qualifications and then do it for nothing.  I'm no master furniture specialist, I'm just a lowly finish carpenter who loves to work with wood,  I don't have half those qualifications but I expect to make almost twice that this year in this bad economy.  Hanging doors and running baseboard, anyone can do that, what they are asking for is someone way better than me and they should compensate accordingly.

Wow, that feels better,  Mark I hope you don't feel like that was directed at you,  I just keep seeing things like this where true craftsmen are not compensated for their abilities.  just because you don't have a doctorate or a masters from some high faluten college doesn't mean you haven't paid the price or have a viable skill.

"It's just one board at a time."
 
Don't jump to conclusions. This is a job at the House of Representatives. That pay rate might be weekly and include under the table money (make your own table while on the job), or it could actually be the annual salary. Keep in mind, you only work 2-3 hours a week, and get summers and winters off. Either way, $40k+ might not be so bad.
 
Thanks for posting this Mark, I never would have seen it otherwise. Hard to believe I was working in a shop that made 900 chairs and at least a hundred mirrors for there shortly after high school in the early 90's. I still have the machines and the tooling we used and even some of the "seconds" parts as examples sitting in that warehouse I've mentioned in other posts. Not that it will ever do me any good, I guess I'm just a pack rat that likes to reminisce.
 
I posted the job description as a PSA--I didn't know it would generate a response. I also don't know if 40k is a livable wage in the DC area. In my neck of the woods, it's middle class. I think most trim carpenters would consider it pretty good compensation, especially considering the benefits package. Since I don't know too many skilled trades that would offer college reimbursement, that perk alone would be worth a so-so salary.
 
Thanks for posting it Mark. Unless the significant other had a really good job, or the candidate lived with his Mother near DC, on $40k, the employee would need to live two hours away and spend $5k commuting. DC rush hour starts at 5AM and ends at 8PM. Wouldnt have time to take classes. I guess it might be a perfect job for a local retiree with a few good years left and there are a lot of retired Military nearby, many with hobbyist woodworking skills.

After reading the Washington writings that Jeff posted, I kinda felt bad about having a negative slant about our Representatives in DC.  I was just funnin'.
John
 
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