Maintenance Mechanic.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS); Rockland (ME); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Uniform allowance

Job summary

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Rockland, ME seeks a skilled maintenance and operations specialist to support land, habitat, and facility operations. You will operate watercraft, perform mechanical repairs, and help with vegetation control while following safety rules.

You must hold required licenses, pass background checks, and maintain certifications for equipment. The role involves outdoor work in all weather, heavy physical demands, and adherence to federal regulations.

Qualifications

• Must meet the SCREEN OUT criteria and have hands-on experience in equipment operation and maintenance.
• Ability to read and interpret instructions, blueprints, and specifications.
• Ability to work with watercraft, vehicles, and heavy machinery in field conditions.

Responsibilities

• Operate watercraft and other vehicles to support land and habitat operations.
• Perform maintenance on buildings, systems, and equipment per drawings and blueprints.
• Repair vehicles and engines, diagnose issues, and conduct routine preventive maintenance.
• Lead safe work practices and train others in proper operation of tools and equipment.
• Support with vegetation control, fencing, and sign repairs as needed.
• Adhere to safety policies and maintain detailed records of maintenance work.

Skills

Watercraft operation

Facilities maintenance

Vehicle maintenance

Heavy equipment operation

Safety leadership

Field operations support

Tools

Electrical tools

Plumbing tools

Diesel engines knowledge

Blueprint reading

Job description

Duties

The major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following. You must include in your resume that you possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform these duties.

• Operate watercraft and be required to possess knowledge and skills needed to safely operate watercraft; have familiarity with state-of-the-art watercraft safety equipment and other gear; and adequate grasp of motorboat handling techniques and knowledge to safely operate a motorboat.
• Maintain and repair buildings and facilities by completing electrical fixes, carpentry projects, plumbing work, heating and cooling system repairs, welding tasks, painting, and structural improvements using common tools, materials, and drawings or blueprints.
• Service and repair vehicles, heavy equipment, and machines by diagnosing issues, replacing worn parts, conducting tune-ups, and performing routine preventative maintenance on diesel, gasoline, and small engines.
• Operate heavy equipment and motor vehicles such as bulldozers, excavators, tractors, trucks, and trailers to complete land management, earthwork, road work, hauling needs, and vegetation control while following safety rules and legal requirements.
• Lead safe work practices by training others, demonstrating proper operation of tools and equipment, keeping detailed maintenance and equipment records, and ensuring projects are completed safely and efficiently.
• Support land, habitat, and facility operations by performing general maintenance tasks, managing water control structures, repairing fences and signs, assisting with habitat restoration, applying herbicides or insecticides when certified, and operating boats or off-road vehicles as needed.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Must provide proof of U.S. citizenship.
• 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 possess and maintain a valid State driver's license prior to operating Government-owned vehicles.
• Must have and maintain a valid State Commercial Driver's License (CDL) or obtain one year of appointment; positions requiring a CDL are subject to Department of Transportation physical exam and drug and alcohol testing requirements.
• 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 wear the official Service uniform and comply with uniform policy requirements; a uniform allowance is provided.
• Must maintain certifications for all equipment operated, including heavy equipment, specialized machinery, and watercraft when required.
• May be required to obtain and maintain a Pesticide Applicator's License depending on assigned duties.
• You will be assigned to operate watercraft.
• You are required to obtain, by completing the Department's Motorboat Operator Certification Course, and maintain a Motorboat Operator Certification Course (MOCC).
• May serve in collateral duty roles such as wildfire suppression or prescribed burning and must meet physical readiness requirements if assigned these duties.
• You may be required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with purchase authority.
• Must be at least 18 years of age or older to operate government vehicles.
• Additional Requirements located under Additional Information*

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-09/16/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

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)
• Knowledge of Equipment Assembly, Installation Repair, etc.
• Technical Practices (theoretical precise, artistic)
• Use of Measuring Instruments
• Ability to Interpret Instructions, Specification, etc. (includes blueprints reading)
• Ability to Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment
• Knowledge of Materials

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. Your resume must support your response to the assessment questionnaire, and if it does not, your application will be marked as not eligible. 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.

You must meet at least 2 points on the screen-out element(s) and obtain an average of at least 2 points on all of the job elements to be considered qualified for this position.

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

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

Required

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. 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;
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Physical Demands

Considerable physical effort is required to operate and maintain facilities, equipment, and attachments. Work involves confined or elevated spaces, rough surfaces, and awkward or strained positions. Duties require extensive standing, climbing ladders or scaffolding, bending, stooping, kneeling, and working in tiring, cramped areas. Occasional unassisted lifting of 50-100 pounds is required using proper procedures.

Working Conditions

Work occurs in an office (5%) and outdoors (95%), in all weather conditions. Outdoor work involves running water, fumes, dust, grease, dirt, ladders, scaffolding, electricity, and moving equipment parts. Terrain is steep, uneven, rocky, and slippery, with frequent temperature extremes. Exposure includes energized circuits, shocks, burns, rotary devices, chemicals, cuts, and abrasions. Risks include bites, scrapes, bruises, falls, falling material, and injury from power equipment or hazardous materials. Strict safety compliance and use of PPE; protective clothing, hardhats, hearing protection, eye protection, gloves, steel-toe boots, respirators, and related gear is required. Serious injury may result from operating equipment or working near public roads.

All Department of Interior (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,

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.