Engineering Equipment Operator Helper

Job description

Summary This position is located within a National Forest.The position is located on a fire crew as a crewmember within the fire management organization.

This position is located on a Forest Unit to assist the fire dozer operator with initial attack, fire, and fuels management activities.

Responsibilities Assists journeyman equipment operator in equipment operation and operates equipment under close supervision.

Supports journeyman engineering equipment operators in operating heavy equipment, such as large industrial tractors, loaders, backhoes, graders, dump trucks, and soil compactors.

Services and performs operator maintenance on equipment being performed.

Receives training and learns the common and typical duties associated with operating heavy engineering equipment.

Learns to operate controls and adjust equipment attachments.

Performs maintenance and makes minor repairs and adjustments to equipment operated.

Reports major mechanical problems to supervisor.

Assists engineering equipment operator in maintaining equipment for emergency use in fire suppression.

Ensures that work is performed safely and efficiently in accordance with established standards.

Receives and follows detailed instructions for new or difficult assignments.

Under close supervision, performs service and operator maintenance on equipment being operated.

Performs manual tasks that require prior work experience or training and some degree of manual skill and very heavy physical effort.

Such as installation of culverts or drainage structures, installation of water sources and associated pipelines, and water capture and storage structures.

Assignments may also include repairing various types of equipment such as house or equipment trailers.

Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement.

For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's Federal Wage System Qualifications Standards.

Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements.

Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education.

Provide course descriptions as necessary.

Applicants will be evaluated on their ability to perform the duties of the position rather than length of experience.

Eligibility will be determined by the relevance, scope and quality of all experience and training, regardless of where or how acquired.

Applicants will be ranked and rated based on their knowledge of the job elements identified in this announcement.

Ability to do the work of the position without more than normal supervision.

Operation of Motor Vehicles Work Practices (includes keeping things neat, clean, and in order) Ability to Interpret Instructions, Specifications, etc.

(related to mobile equipment operation) Ability to Drive Safely (Motor Vehicles) Ability to Operate Safely (Non-Motor Vehicle) Selective Placement Factors Position may be required to drive vehicles that require a Class A or Class B Commercial Driver's License, based on type or kind of equipment being operated.

This is a testing designated position which requires a negative test result for illegal drug use prior to appointment and randomly thereafter.

Incumbent is subject to medical screening and must meet the Federal Wildland Firefighter Medical Qualification Standards for moderate level duty wildland firefighting.

There is no substitution of education for this position.

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.

To receive consideration for this position, you must provide updated required documents and meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education Additional Information PLEASE NOTE: This vacancy is being used to fill positions for FY2026 Temporary Employment Hiring season.

The expected start date for this position will be between April 19, 2026 to June 14,2026..

By selecting the Location Negotiable option during the application process, implies your willingness to be considered for any official duty location listed on this announcement and/or those duty locations not listed for this Regional announcement.

Pay rates vary depending on location.

The salary shown is for the Rest of the U.S. See OPM.gov for additional information on pay rates.

This position is temporary, has a Not-to-Exceed date and will be filled for up to 6 months or as a not to exceed (NTE) 1 year, however an extension of the appointment may be possible without further competition.

The appointment may also end early due to lack of work or lack of funds.

Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other groups within the Region who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in any of the geographic location(s) listed on the announcement.

Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.

The duty station for this position will be at one of the duty locations listed in this announcement.

Please visit the Office of Personnel Management's website for additional information on pay rates in your duty location State.

The USDA Forest Service has legislative authority to recruit and fill Permanent (Career/Career-Conditional), Temporary, and Term Appointments under the USDA Demonstration Project.

Under this authority, any U.S. citizen may apply.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors.

CTAP/ICTAP eligible must meet the agency's definition for a quality candidate as provided in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of this announcement to be considered.

If you are retired from the Federal Government and are selected for this vacancy, your retirement annuity may be offset from your pay.

This position is not eligible for telework.

Availability of government housing and federal day care facilities will vary by location.

Positions filled from this announcement may be a bargaining or a non-bargaining unit position represented by either NFFE, AFGE or NAGE.

Required Skill Profession

Other General