Engineering Equipment Operator

U.S. Department of the Interior; Wyoming; On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Yellowstone National Park, part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, seeks an Engineering Equipment Operator to operate gasoline- or diesel-powered heavy equipment across diverse sites including construction areas and refuse sites.

You will perform earthmoving tasks and support maintenance, with emphasis on safety and proper vehicle operation. The role requires compliance with federal hiring processes, background checks, and drug testing.

Qualifications

• Operates gasoline- or diesel-powered heavy engineering and construction equipment.
• Performs earthmoving tasks including pushing, pulling, excavating, grading and leveling.

Responsibilities

• Operates heavy equipment on varied terrain, refuse sites, and construction areas.
• Conducts routine operational checks and reports mechanical issues to supervisors.
• Transports and positions equipment to carry out assigned tasks while following safety guidelines.

Skills

Heavy Equipment Operation

Safety Procedures

Equipment Maintenance Checks

Job description

Summary

You will serve as a Engineering Equipment Operator with Yellowstone National Park. Operates gas or diesel heavy equipment on varied terrain, refuse sites, and construction areas. Equipment includes dozers, backhoes, loaders, excavators, trenchers, skid steers, snow groomers, and large tractors with pan or scraper attachments..

Major Duties

Career-Seasonal appointments are permanent positions and include the same benefits as Career appointments, but do not provide work on a year-round basis. You will work for approximately January to mid-September and late September to December and you will be in a non-pay status for the remainder of the year. Non-pay time period will be 9/12/27-9/25/27.

• Operates gasoline- or diesel-powered heavy engineering and construction equipment such as bulldozers, angledozer tractors, backhoes, front-end loaders, excavators, wheel loaders, trench diggers, skid steers, and large industrial tractors with pan or scraper attachments.
• Performs earthmoving tasks including pushing, pulling, piling, excavating, backfilling, grading, and leveling on flat or rolling terrain, refuse dumps, or construction sites with simple terrain challenges.
• Uses assigned machinery safely and effectively to support construction, maintenance, and operational needs across a variety of work environments.
• Conducts routine operational checks to ensure equipment is functioning properly and reports any mechanical issues to supervisors.
• Transports, positions, and operates equipment to carry out assigned engineering or construction tasks while adhering to all safety guidelines and procedures.

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 https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• DOT Drug Testing: 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.
• Uniform: You are required to wear a uniform and comply with uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• Minimum Age Requirement: You 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.
• Age Restriction: You must be at least 18 years of age or older to operate government vehicles.
• Probationary Period: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year Probationary Period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest. 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.
• *Additional Requirements located under qualifications*

Evaluations

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. Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. Only the document submitted as the 'Resume' under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed. All qualified non-competitive applicants and all qualified Merit Promotion applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration or your score may be lowered. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in your application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position. Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) 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. Current or former displaced Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP). To be considered under CTAP, you must be well-qualified, score at least 85 (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors, experience and/or physical requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) -10/22/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement: Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. Your 2-page resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the qualification requirements. More information on how to write a Federal Resume: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include Complete All Required Assessment(s). Performance Appraisals and Awards: You must submit your most recent performance appraisal showing the official rating of record and signed by a supervisor dated within the past 18 months. If unavailable, a written explanation is required (including if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level). Performance awards dated within the past 5 years may also be submitted for due weight consideration. Documentation that you possess a Class B CDL, (no photographs). Eligibility Documentation: Current and former Federal employees must submit latest SF-50 (i.e. Promotion, Separation, Within Grade Increase (WGI)) showing tenure 1 or 2 in block 24, grade, and if applicable, an additional SF-50 showing the highest grade or promotion potential held. Time in grade will be determined by reviewing your resume and required SF-50s. If your SF-50 showing highest permanent grade held has an effective date within the past year, your resume must clearly show that you held that grade for one year. Do not submit award SF-50s. Veterans Preference Documentation: Veterans eligible under VRA (GS-11 & below only), VEOA, 30% or more Disabled, or Disabled Veterans Enrolled in a VA Training Program must submit the most recent Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions (e.g. DD-214) as listed on the SF15. If you are a Parent or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all documentation as listed on the SF15. You may request a copy of the VA letter from https://www.va.gov/records. 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. Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA): If you are applying under LMWFA, you must submit ALL Appointment AND Termination SF-50s for EACH appointment verifying the Position Occupied code 1-Competitive Service (block 34); AND Documentation of satisfactory performance for each period of temporary employment claimed, such as, performance evaluations, memorandum of record, whereas the supervisor(s) documented an acceptable performance level for a specified rating/employment period. Interagency Career Transition (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): You MUST submit proof of eligibility including a copy of the agency notice, most recent performance rating, and most recent SF-50 showing your position, grade level, and duty location. For more information visit: USAJOBS Help Center - Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL). Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Do not submit photographs with your application package. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents.

Other Information

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate. All DOI employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, DOI Ethics Prohibitions | U.S. Department of the Interior. Physical Demands: Heavy physical effort is required in constantly reaching, bending, turning, and moving hands, arms, feet, and legs to handle different sets of controls to operate the equipment and attachments. Considerable strain is caused by the constant vibration of the equipment and the incumbent is frequently required to work in awkward or strained positions. The incumbent may frequently required to lift and carry items weighing 50 pounds and put forth similar effort when pushing, pulling, turning, and positioning parts, assemblies, equipment, and tools. Working Conditions: This position is required to perform work both inside and outside with most of the work performed outside. When working outside, the incumbent is frequently exposed to inclement weather. The incumbent works in rain, mud, snow, and in hot/cold temperatures and is frequently exposed to irritation or discomfort from noise, vibration, dust, dirt, fumes, exhaust, oils, heat, cold, and dampness. The incumbent is exposed to the potential of injury due to the possibility of the equipment overturning, and may also be subject to receiving cuts, abrasions, bruises, and strains. While operating equipment, the incumbent is required to follow prescribed safety practices and use safety equipment such as protective hearing devices and hard hats.