Engineering Equipment Operator (Seasonal) (FUL).

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS); Bell City (LA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeks a skilled operator to manage and maintain heavy equipment across refuge projects in Louisiana.

The role involves operating various machinery, performing preventive maintenance, and ensuring safety standards are met while supporting land-management tasks. Responsibilities include building and facility upkeep, repairs, water control tasks, fencing, habitat restoration, and potential collateral firefighting duties.

Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. citizen or National.
• Background investigation and favorable adjudication required.

Responsibilities

• Operates heavy equipment (bulldozers, excavators, graders, skid steers, backhoes, loaders, farm tractors, ORUVs) to support land-management projects.
• Performs preventive maintenance and repairs on heavy equipment and vehicles, including diagnostics with test lamps and onboard computers.
• Performs building and facility maintenance (electrical, HVAC, plumbing, masonry, carpentry, welding, roofing, painting).
• Ensures safe operation and compliance with safety regulations; conducts inspections and proper PPE use.
• Performs additional refuge operational duties including water control structures, fencing, signs, habitat restoration, and potential firefighting duties.

Skills

Independent work

Job description

Duties

Some of the major duties you will perform 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Conditions of employment

• 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
• Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
• You are required to wear a uniform and comply with the uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• You must be at least 18 years of age or older to operate government vehicles.

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 (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.

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience for Federal Wage System (FWS) 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 75 miles of 1428 Highway 27, Bell City LA 70630

You must provide proof of residency within the defined vicinity (e.g. mortgage or property deed, lease/rental agreement, utility bill, insurance policy, etc.). See the Required Documents section for information on how to verify current residence.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies.

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.

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.