Tractor Operator

These position are located in Blue Ridge Parkway in the Maintenance & Engineering Division.

This is an open continuous vacancy announcement. Applicants will be referred periodically throughout the announcement period. Final application disposition will be completed once all positions have been filled or the announcement reaches the end of the open period.

This Job Announcement is for a temporary position not-to-exceed 1039 regular hours with a FULLTIME work schedule.

Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

  12/15/2024 to 05/30/2025

• Salary
  
  

  $22.36 – $26.08 per hour
  Based on 2024 Wage Rate, May be Adjusted to 2025 Rate upon Onboarding

  
  
• Pay scale & grade
  

  XA 7

• Locations

  Many vacancies in the following locations:

  
  
• Remote job
  

  No

• Telework eligible
  

  No

• Travel Required
  

  Not required

• Relocation expenses reimbursed
  

  No

• Appointment type

  Temporary – Not to Exceed 1039 hours

• Work schedule
  

  Full-time

• Service
  

  Competitive

• Promotion potential
  

  None

• Job family (Series)
• Supervisory status
  

  No

• Security clearance
• Drug test
  

  No

• Position sensitivity and risk
• Trust determination process
• Financial disclosure
• Bargaining unit status
• Announcement number

  SE-1630-BLRI-25-12639458-DE

• Control number
  

  823998500

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Videos

Duties

The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period is April-October but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding.

Temporary positions not-to-exceed 1039 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 Facy 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

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must have sufficient knowledge and ability in the following job-related factors:

1. Ability To Perform The Duties Without More Than Normal Supervision (SCREEN OUT)
2. Ability to Drive Safely (Motor Vehicles)
3. Ability To Interpret Instructions, Specification, etc. (includes blueprints reading)
4. Ability To Operate Safely (Non-Motor Vehicle)
5. Operation of Motor Vehicles
6. Reliability and Dependability as a Tractor Operator
7. 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.

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).

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience for Wage Grade (WG) positions.

Additional information

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.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

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 1040 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 1040 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1040 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 1040 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1040 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.
Physical Demands: Applicant operates tractors in all types of terrain (steep and level) and along roadways. Incumbent must be able to do heavy to strenuous lifting (50 pounds), stooping, bending, climbing and working in cramped positions. The applicant frequently operates towed or attached equipment from the seat of the tractor through hydraulic or mechanical controls. Grade 6 tractor operators exert additional effort in operating equipment controls, making more frequent arm and leg movements.

Working Conditions: Work location is outside, potentially in extreme temperatures. Incumbent must be capable of sustained physical effort under these conditions. Dirt, dust and marginal ranges of air pollution are present. Operators at the grade 6 level primarily work outside and are exposed to all kinds of weather conditions. Some operators are exposed to chemical dust and sprays and may need to wear protective clothing and respirators.

• 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. .

  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.

  
  
  

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated ‘ineligible’, ‘not qualified’, or your score will be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions can affect your rating.Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran’s preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of three categories:

• Best Qualified – applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position
• Well Qualified – applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job
• Qualified – applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.

You will be evaluated on the following competencies and/or job elements:

• Ability To Do The Work Of The Position 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)

• 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. .

  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.

  
  
  
• Required Documents

  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have – whether you’re a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you’re eligible under their policies.

  The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/30/2025:

  
  
  1. Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
  2. A complete Occupational Questionnaire
  3. Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as:
     • :
       • If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the . If you don’t have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the .
       • If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
       • If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or , you must submit all additional proof required by the , and if applicable, a completed . You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
       
       
     • Applicants who are eligible to be considered based on a Noncompetitive or Special Hiring Authority (i.e. Schedule A, VRA, Peace Corps, Americorp Vista, former PLC member, certain Military Spouses, 30% or More Disabled Veterans, Pathways Interns who have met the eligibility requirements for noncompetitive conversion, etc.) must submit appropriate documentation to verify your eligibility.
     
     
  4. Documentation that you meet Selective Factors.
  5. Documentation for consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above 85 on the rating criteria for this position.
  
  

  Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials – you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.

  Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency’s staffing offices.

  
  
  

  If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

  
  

  Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from .

  
  
  

  Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

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