Engineering Equipment Operator (Seasonal) (FUL)

U.S. Department of the Interior; Louisiana; On-site; USD 30,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of the Interior seeks an Engineering Equipment Operator for the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge, based in Bell City, Louisiana. This temporary role may last up to two years depending on agency needs and funding.

Primary duties include operating heavy equipment and performing facility maintenance across refuge sites. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or nationals, possess a CDL Class A, and pass pre-employment and random drug testing.

Qualifications

• U.S. citizen or national; background investigation required.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Valid driver's license and CDL Class A with endorsements required.
• Pre-employment and random alcohol and drug testing required.
• Uniforms required; uniform allowance provided.

Responsibilities

• Operate heavy equipment (bulldozers, excavators, graders, skid steers, backhoes, loaders) to support land-management projects.
• Perform preventive maintenance and minor repairs on heavy equipment and vehicles.
• Carry out building and facility maintenance (electrical, HVAC, plumbing, masonry, carpentry, welding).
• Ensure safe operation and regulatory compliance by inspections and proper PPE use; safely dispose of hazardous materials.
• Support refuge operations including water control, fence installation, boundary posting, and habitat restoration.

Job description

Summary

You will serve Engineering Equipment Operator - FUL at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge, with your primary duty station located in Bell City, Louisiana. This is a temporary position expected to last Not to Exceed 1 (one) year but may be extended up to maximum of two years based on agency needs and potential funding.

Major 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.

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 www.dhs.gov/EVerify/. 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. Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment. Must possess and maintain a valid Commercial Driver's License (CDL) with Class A endorsement. 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.

Evaluations

This position is being filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority. Under this authority, competitive rating, ranking, and veterans' preference procedures do not apply. The Servicing Human Resources Office will determine whether applicants meet the qualification and eligibility requirements described in this announcement. Applicants who meet these requirements may be referred to the selecting official on a certificate of eligibles for consideration. You must certify that you will maintain a permanent and exclusive residence within the defined vicinity of the field unit(s) listed in this announcement. Upon receipt of a completed application package, the Servicing Human Resources Office will review your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements described in this announcement. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages. Resumes longer than two pages will not be reviewed. Applicants may submit only one resume. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine qualifications and eligibility. If more than one resume is submitted, only the most recent submission will be reviewed. If your resume is incomplete or does not demonstrate that you meet the qualification requirements or specialized experience described in this announcement, you may be determined ineligible or not qualified for further consideration. Providing false or misleading information on your resume or supporting documentation may result in removal from consideration or other action consistent with applicable federal hiring regulations. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

What to Expect Next

Please refer to your USAJOBS account for application status; the Human Resources Office cannot respond to individual status inquiries. Once your Occupational Questionnaire has been received, you will receive an acknowledgment confirming your submission was successful. Applicants who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. Under this authority, all applicants determined to be qualified may be referred. If your name is referred, you may be contacted directly by the hiring official for a possible interview. You will be notified of the status of your application at key stages in the process, including when candidates are referred for consideration and when the selection process has been completed. You can find your path with the Department of Interior at https://careers.doi.gov/ Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background checks, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the Human Resources Office posting this announcement.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 11/10/2026 unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement: Two Page Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed. 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. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. 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. Proof of residence (e.g. mortgage or property deed, lease/rental agreement, utility bill, insurance policy). SF-50 cannot be accepted as proof of residence. Veteran Documentation, if applicable, such as: DD-214, SF15, letter from Veteran Affairs, etc. Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from all documents. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.

Other 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.