Deckhand

Clarification from the agency

See "Who May Apply" in the "Qualifications" section for more information on who is eligible to apply for this position.

• Perform duties on floating platforms such as towboats, barges, and loading docks.
• Duties include handling lines and moorings to ensure that boats, barges or equipment are tied securely.
• Make soundings, set gangplanks, and attach/remove hoisting and hook lines.
• Operate deck equipment such as power winches, water pumps, and cables.
• Assist with minor repairs and painting of floating plant and working equipment.
• Operate motor vehicles on land weighing 22,000 lbs or more, and operate motorboats up to 26 feet in length on rivers and lakes.

Conditions of employment

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• You will work a full time schedule with potential for extended hours and overtime depending on mission requirements
• This is a random drug and alcohol testing position under the Department of Army Drug-Free Workplace Program as supplemented by USACE ER 690-1-1218.
• Works on a floating plant and directs movement of tow boat and barges to tie tow together, dock, and position for work.
• Required to lift up to 60 lbs.
• Must possess or be able to obtain and maintain and valid state-issued driver's license, a Class 1 motorboat license, and a Commercial Driver's License (CDL).
• Must complete a pre-employment, periodic, and/or pre-termination medical examination.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: All US Citizens 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

There is no specific length of training or experience required. However, you must be able to demonstrate, through experience shown in your written application materials that you possess the sufficient knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the work of this position without more than normal supervision.

Minimum Qualifications (Screen Out Element): Ability to do the work of a(n) Deckhand without more than normal supervision. I have the ability to perform common operational duties on deck and engine room machinery and equipment; operating small watercraft with a length of 26 ft and less; operating various vehicles such as pickup trucks with trailers and dump trucks. I work under normal supervision of a work leader or journey-level employee who observes tasks in progress and upon completion to make sure they are properly performed. - Failure to meet this Screen Out Element will result in an ineligible rating.

• Ability To Do The Work Of The Position Without More Than Normal Supervision

• PHYSICAL EFFORT - Employee is exposed to frequent physical exertion such as in lifting and pulling ropes and cables. Employee is required to walk on wet, slick, icy decks and rough and uneven terrain.
• WORKING CONDITIONS - Work outside under all weather conditions and over water on decks of boats, barges, and around moving machinery and equipment. There is a danger of falling or slipping into the river and drowning; being struck by falling, rolling, or swinging piling stone and other objects, or lines parted under strain; becoming entangled in moving cables and lines; and cuts and bruises from tasks performed.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position.

Veterans and Military Spouses will be considered along with all other candidates.

The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc). Please review the following links to see which documents you need to provide to prove your eligibility to apply: Applicant Checklist for Internal/Merit Promotion Announcements.

As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

1. Your resume:

• Your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.
• For each relevant work experience, make sure you include the employer's name, job title, start and end dates (include month and year), for qualifications purposes, the number of hours worked per week, and a brief description that show you can perform the tasks at the required level listed in the job announcement. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you may not receive consideration for this position.
• Use plain language. Avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood. The hiring agency will not make assumptions about what's in your resume.
• If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations, and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
• For additional information, to include formatting tips, see: What to include in your resume.

2. Other supporting documents:

• Cover Letter, optional
• Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
• Proof of Eligibility to Apply: Your application must include the documents which prove you are eligible to apply for the vacancy. The Proof of Eligibility document describes authorities commonly used in merit promotion recruitment and what document(s) are required to prove you meet the requirements of the authority. You must meet the requirements of at least one of the authorities listed in the Who May Apply section above to receive further consideration.

NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.

Next steps