Field Unit Local Hiring Authority (FUL) - Seasonal Tractor Operator

Summary These Positions are located in Blue Ridge Parkway, in the Maintenance & Engineering Division. This Job Announcement is for a temporary position not-to-exceed 1559 regular hours with a FULLTIME work schedule. This position is being filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority (FUL). See below under Additional Information for further eligibility guidance. Learn more about this agency Duties Temporary positions not-to-exceed 1559 regular hours in a service year may be terminated sooner or extended depending on management needs. Please see more information under the requirement section. Incumbent's primarily performs a variety of tasks associated with roadside mowing and landscape maintenance. May also be involved in performing minor and non-recurring repair of buildings, structures, facilities, and roads. Operates farm type tractors and Power Take-Off (PTO) driven implements, riding mowers, and associated hand machinery associated with mowing operations. Removes trash and debris from roadway and road sites; operates heavy riding and walking-type lawn mowers, cuts trees with chainsaw. Area/Duty Station Information: The Blue Ridge Parkway extends 469 miles along the crest of the southern Appalachian Mountains through North Carolina and Virginia between two eastern national parks - Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains. For more park information, log on to: http://www.nps.gov/blri. Duty locations for these vacancies are located in the four Interpretive Districts of the Blue Ridge Parkway. RIDGE (District Office, Vesuvius VA) - MP 0 (Junction of Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive) to MP 106 near Roanoke, VA, traverses through six counties: Nelson, Augusta, Rockbridge, Amherst, Bedford, and Botetourt. Duty locations include James River (Bedford Co.), Peaks of Otter (Bedford Co.) and Montebello (Augusta Co). PLATEAU (District Office, Floyd, VA) - MP 106 (near Roanoke, VA) to Milepost 217 (Rt. 18 access to the Parkway in NC) traverses through eight counties in VA: Roanoke, Botetourt, Bedford, Franklin, Floyd, Patrick, Carroll, and Grayson. Duty locations include Fancy Gap (Carroll Co), Rocky Knob (Floyd Co.), and Vinton (Roanoke Co.). HIGHLANDS (District Office, Laurel Springs, NC) - MP 217 (Rt. 18 access to the Parkway) to MP 305 (near Grandfather Mountain State Park) traverses through seven counties: Ashe, Alleghany, Caldwell, Watauga, and Wilkes. Duty locations include Benge (Ashe Co.), Bluffs (Alleghany Co.), Cumberland Knob (Watauga Co.), and Sandy Flat (Watauga Co.). PISGAH (District Office, Oteen, NC) - MP 305 (at St. Rt. 221 access to the Parkway) to MP 469 at Cherokee, NC traverses through seven counties: McDowell, Mitchell, Yancey, Buncombe, Henderson, Haywood, Transylvania, Jackson, and Swain. Duty location include Balsam (Jackson Co.), Gillespie Gap (Mitchell Co.), Linville Falls (Avery Co.), Oteen (Buncombe Co.) and Water Rock Gap (Haywood Co.).and building upkeep duties. Requirements Conditions of employment U.S. Citizenship required. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males. Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program. You may be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties. Prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year thereafter (or more frequently if management determines such need exists), you will be required to sign an affidavit certifying to your possession of a valid State issued driver's license that is current and has not been revoked, suspended, canceled, or otherwise disqualified in any way to prohibit your operation of a motor vehicle. You will also submit a photocopy of your valid State issued driver's license prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year, or more frequently if management determines such need exists. Lastly, you may be required to submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that discloses all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you. Please indicate in your application whether you possess a valid State driver's license. You may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle. You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided. You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work. Occupancy of government quarters may be available. Applicants must be at least (1) 18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program Must have the ability to lift 50lbs. *Additional Requirements located under qualifications* Qualifications A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay. To qualify for this position, you must have sufficient knowledge and ability in the following job-related factors: Ability To Perform The Duties Without More Than Normal Supervision (SCREEN OUT) Ability to Drive Safely (Motor Vehicles) Ability To Interpret Instructions, Specification, etc. (includes blueprints reading) Ability To Operate Safely (Non-Motor Vehicle) Operation of Motor Vehicles Reliability and Dependability as a Tractor Operator Work Practices (including keeping things neat, clean, and in order) 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. The incumbent must have experience that demonstrates ability to perform work as a tractor operator. This experience must have included: Operate a variety of tractors under a variety of environmental conditions; Skill in manipulation of equipment controls to perform a variety of tasks (e.g. mowing, earth moving, etc.); Ability to compensate for changing surface conditions (e.g. steep slopes, wet and/or slick hillsides, etc.); Knowledge of the operating characteristics of a variety of tractors, attachments and equipment controls; Skill in the manipulation of towed or attached equipment to perform specific tasks; Knowledge of equipment to be able to make multiple connections from equipment to tractor (e.g. connecting mechanical drift shafts and hydraulic lines); Ability to perform preventative and minor corrective maintenance on a variety of tractors and attachments. 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. Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1559 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (NPS). If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1559 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1559 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility. The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1559 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1559 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM. Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations. ICTAP/CTAP: Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level on all competencies. Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(2) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating, and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP/ICTAP eligible. If you are selected for Federal employment, you will be required to fill out a Declaration of Federal Employment, OF-306, prior to being appointed to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. Failing to answer all questions truthfully and completely or providing false statements on your application may be grounds for not hiring you, or for firing you after you begin work. Also, you may be punished by fine or imprisonment (U.S. Code, Title 18, section 1001). This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate. Education There is no substitution of education for experience for Wage Grade (WG) positions. Additional information This position will be filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority. Eligibility is limited to applicants who reside within the defined local commuting area at the time of application. For this announcement, the local commuting area is the area from which individuals can reasonably commute to the duty station under normal conditions. The defined vicinity for this position is within 50 miles of each respective duty location. Residency will be verified during the hiring process. Field Unit Local Hiring for Asheville, North Carolina is defined as 50 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway Maintenance Oteen District Office located at 51 Ranger Drive Asheville, NC 28805. Field Unit Local Hiring for Balsam NC is defined as 50 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway Maintenance Balsam Gap Sub District Office (MP 442.9) located at 67 Ranger Dr, Balsam, NC 28707 Field Unit Local Hiring for Bedford, VA is defined as 50 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway Maintenance Peaks of Otter Office (MP 85.9) located at 85919 Blue Ridge Parkway Bedford VA 24523. Field Unit Local Hiring for Big Island, VA is defined as 50 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway Maintenance James River Office located at 1184 Bellamy Creek Lane Big Island, VA 24526. Field Unit Local Hiring for Blowing Rock, North Carolina is defined as 50 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway Maintenance Sandy Flat District Office (MP 294.6) located at 5580 Shulls Mill Road, Blowing Rock, NC, 28605. Field Unit Local Hiring for Fancy Gap, VA is defined as 50 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway Maintenance Fancy Gap Maintenance Area (MP 199.1) located at 134 Ranger Road, Fancy Gap, VA. 24328. Field Unit Local Hiring for Floyd VA is defined as 50 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway Maintenance Rocky Knob Maintenance Area located at 1670 Blue Ridge Parkway Floyd, VA, 24091. Field Unit Local Hiring for Laurel Springs, North Carolina is defined as 50 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway Maintenance Bluffs Maintenance (MP 245.5) located at 49800 Blue Ridge Parkway, Laurel Springs, NC, 28644. Field Unit Local Hiring for Montebello, VA is defined as 50 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway Maintenance Ridge District Office (MP 29) located at 29132 Blue Ridge Parkway Vesuvius, VA, 24483. Field Unit Local Hiring for Spruce Pine, North Carolina is defined as 50 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway Maintenance Gillespie Gap Sub District Office (330.9) located at 214 Parkway Maintenance Road, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777. Field Unit Local Hiring for Vinton, VA is defined as 50 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway Maintenance District Office for Plateau (MP 167.1) located at 2551 Mountain View Road, Vinton, VA 24179. Physical Demands: Frequent arm and leg movements are required to operate the tractor and manipulate equipment controls in difficult terrain. In addition, the work involves bending and heavy lifting (up to 50 pounds) in handling supplies and materials. Working Conditions: Work is primarily performed outside, and the incumbent is exposed to all types of weather conditions. Because the work is often performed on steep slopes and in rough terrain the incumbent may be subject to injury from falls or overturned tractors and equipment. Expand Hide  additional information Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Benefits A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.