Engineering Equipment Operator - FUL

You will serve as an Engineering Equipment Operator - FUL at the Southwest Louisiana National Wildlife Refuge Complex, with your primary duty station located in Hackberry, Bell City, or Lake Arthur, Louisiana. In this role, you will operate and maintain heavy equipment and perform a wide range of maintenance tasks in support of wildlife habitat management and refuge infrastructure needs across all refuges within the Complex. Continued in Duties Section...

Major duties

Continued from the Summary section - Potential primary duty locations for this position: Bell City, LA (Cameron Prairie NWR) Hackberry, LA (Sabine NWR) Lake Arthur, LA (Lacassine NWR) You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work. Pay will vary based on grade level and/or duty location for which you're selected. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate. As a Engineering Equipment Operator (WG-08) your duties may include but are not limited to the following: Operates bulldozers, excavators, graders, skid steers, backhoes, loaders, farm tractors, ORUVs, and other heavy equipment to support land-management projects such as culvert replacement, levee repair, ditch cleaning, trail construction, mowing, and maintaining refuge roads and parking areas. Performs preventive maintenance and repairs on heavy equipment, agricultural tractors, vehicles, small engines, and attachments, including replacing hoses, belts, chains, filters, radiators, hydraulic components, tracks, bucket teeth, and diagnosing issues using test lamps, multimeters, onboard computers, and electronic analyzers. Works daily with refuge staff, volunteers, and small project teams to complete land-management, earth-moving, and habitat restoration projects; provides mentoring or serves as a safety instructor in equipment operation. Performs building and facility maintenance including electrical repairs, HVAC servicing, plumbing system installation/repair, masonry, carpentry, welding, concrete work, roofing, painting, and general structural maintenance across refuge facilities. Ensures safe operation of equipment and compliance with safety regulations by conducting inspections, maintaining a clean and orderly work area, using appropriate PPE, handling and disposing hazardous materials properly, and developing safe work approaches for land-management projects. Maintains equipment logbooks and input service, repair, and maintenance records into the Service's approved maintenance database; keeps written documentation current for all operated equipment. Applies herbicides and insecticides for pest management using trailer, backpack, and hand sprayers; follows product labels, regulatory requirements, and proper disposal procedures for surplus chemicals and containers. Performs additional refuge operational duties including operation of water control structures, installing fences and gates, posting boundary signs, habitat restoration activities, simple manual labor, and serving as a collateral-duty firefighter if desired.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must have sufficient knowledge and ability in the following job-related factors: Ability to do the work of the position without more than normal supervision (Screen out) If your knowledge and ability in the SCREEN OUT factor above is not sufficient, you will receive no further consideration. In preparing your application, describe in detail the experience and training which you have had that specifically prepared you for this job and to perform the duties described for this job. Experience should be clearly described and documented in your resume. The qualifications reviewer will not assume performance of such duties by Job Titles alone. Address your knowledge, skills and/or abilities in the areas shown in the job-related factors. Volunteer Experience: 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. Additional Information section: Entitlements for payment of basic moving expenses, as required and to the extent allowed by the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) 302-3.101, are authorized for eligible applicants changing duty station when the change meets the distance tests as provided in FTR 302-1.1 and 302-2.6. All moving expenses are taxable. In addition, relocation discretionary entitlements May be authorized for this position excluding contractor-provided home sale.

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience for Federal Wage System (FWS) positions.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. Direct Deposit participation required. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/. Pre-employment and random alcohol and drug testing are required. You will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive test is received. Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment. Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a valid Class A Commercial Driver's License (CDL) within 6 months of hiring. You are required to wear a uniform and comply with the uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided. Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a Pesticide Applicators License. You must be at least 18 years of age or older to operate government vehicles. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.