Clarification from the agency

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

• As a journeyman lock and dam operator at a Corps of Engineers navigation facility, operate electrically, electronically, and/or hydraulically controlled lock or lock and dam gates, required for passage of a variety of private and commercial traffic.
• During shift operation exercises primary authority overuse of lock through issuance of instructions to tow boat captains and other craft operators, setting of precedence of entry, and through maintaining proper procedural operation.
• Perform diagnosis, maintenance, repair, testing, and installation of electrical equipment and systems, including highly complex equipment and systems.
• Responsible for operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of the electrical systems for operating various equipment on the floating plant.
• Disassemble interlocking and interrelated electrical, mechanical systems, subsystems, standby and related equipment to determine extent of repairs, overhaul and/or replacement parts needed.
• Provide technical expertise to other journeyman level wage grade employees involved in the repair, maintenance, and use of a wide range of standard and complex industrial equipment that operates based on electrical/electronic systems.
• Perform other installation repair and maintenance tasks requiring application of trade skills and knowledges.
• Operate electric gate controls to open or close miter gates and culvert/stone gate valves at each end of the lock chamber(s).
• Operate electrically controlled tow haulage unit to move barges into and out of lock chambers on River projects.

Conditions of employment

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• Schedules will vary based on site specific work requirements. Typical schedules may consist of 1, 2, or 3 specific shift schedules. May be required to alternate working hours on all shifts and on weekends, as well as weekdays.
• Position requires that you must refrain from the use of illegal drugs and submit to drug testing when directed.
• This may be a Mission Essential position and is not subject to administrative dismissal in emergencies based on inclement weather conditions, or other emergency situations, as appropriate.
• Incumbent may be required to maintain an American Red Cross Standard First Aid card, CPR, and/or AED in good standing and/or wear prescribed uniform based on site specific requirements.
• Incumbent of this position will be required to complete refresher training to maintain certification.
• Employees are required to observe established safe working procedures. Appropriate protective clothing and/or equipment is provided to minimize or eliminate hazardous conditions, and its use is mandatory.
• Position requires standing, stooping, bending, and lifting in excess of 50 pounds, stretching, working in cramped positions, handling or maneuvering bulky items or equipment, and general continuous moderate to arduous physical activity.
• Incumbent is required to take a pre-employment physical.
• This position may require a valid State motor vehicle operator's license prior to appointment and maintain the license for the duration of employment.
• This position requires work in all types of weather from sub-zero to extreme heat.
• Incumbent may also be required to have a valid state driver’s license based on job-related, site-specific requirements.

Qualifications

This job announcement will fill multiple vacancies at the full performance levels (FPLs) of WY-08 AND WY-09. Applicants selected at the FPL level are not eligible for promotion to a higher grade without competition or a valid non-competitive eligibility. This is not a developmental job announcement.

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities.

• Current Department of Army Civilian Employees
• Current Department of Defense (DOD) Civilian Employee (non-Army)
• Domestic Defense Industrial Base/Major Range and Test Facilities Base Civilian Personnel Workforce
• Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan
• Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act
• Military Spouses, under Executive Order (E.O.) 13473
• Non-Department of Defense (DoD) Transfer
• Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Interchange Agreement Eligible
• Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible
• Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible
• Priority Placement Program, DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability Retirement
• Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible
• Reinstatement
• Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998

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.

FOR ALL FPLs: Minimum Qualifications (Screen Out Element): Ability to do the work of a(n) Lock and Dam Operator without more than normal supervision. Level of experience must show that you have the ability to perform the full range of journeyman lock operator tasks which includes operating lock and dam gates and control valves that are electrically or hydraulically controlled or where the dam is a movable wicket-type structure; providing locking instructions to others, determining whether a craft desiring lockage can be locked safely; reading, interpreting, and following operating instructions for most equipment without supervisory assistance, recognizing and avoiding potential work hazards, and performing repairs necessary to keep the lock in operation, working on own initiative under general supervision subject to occasional inspection. - 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
• Ability to Interpret Instructions, Specification, etc.
• Dexterity and Safety
• Knowledge of Equipment Assembly, Installation, Repair, etc.
• Operation of Equipment and Machinery
• Technical Practices (theoretical, precise, artistic)
• Use of Measuring Instruments

• PHYSICAL EFFORTS: Eye and hand coordination for operating various controls and handling lines while observing traffic and personnel, during crane lifting operations, lifting dam gates, etc. There is standing, stooping, bending, occasionally lifting in excess of 50 pounds, stretching, working in cramped positions, handling or maneuvering bulky items or equipment, and general continuous moderate to arduous physical activity.
• WORK SCHEDULES: This position is located at an IMTS facility. Days of operation and typical daily schedules will vary based on site specific work requirements. Typical schedules may consist of 1, 2, or 3 specific shift schedules. Operators may be required to alternate working hours on all shifts and on weekends, as well as weekdays. Sites with limited commercial use may operate on reduced work schedules. In all cases, work schedules and hours of operation are locally determined based on work requirements

IMTS Lock and Dam Operator Training and Certification Program: These positions fall under the USACE Inland Marine Transportation System (IMTS). Employees at WY-05 and WY-07 will participate in a formalized training and development program for Lock and Dam Operators involving on-the-job training, classroom instruction, and related correspondence courses. Trainee positions at WY-05 afford the opportunity for career progression to the intermediate grade of WY-07; and final grade of WY-08 after successful completion of training and certification requirements. Newly Appointed Lock and Dam Operators (LDOs) must successfully complete certification requirements before promotion to the full performance level may be affected. Certification is not a condition of employment. However, failing to meet certification requirements could result in adverse consequences. Certification is voluntary for Current LDOs. Although not required, current LDOs are encouraged to obtain certification as it may be helpful when seeking advancement through competitive or noncompetitive opportunities. IMTS-Certified LDOs must successfully complete refresher training, as required, to maintain certification.

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.

You may claim Military Spouse preference.

Military Spouse Preference (MSP) applicants will receive preference consideration and will be placed (if selected) at the highest grade for which they have applied and are determined best qualified, up to and including the full performance level.

You may claim Priority Placement Program (PPP) preference.

DoD Priority Placement Program (PPP) Applicants will receive preference consideration at the full-performance grade level only.

Only MSP/PPP applicants currently occupying a formal training program position are entitled to exercise their priority status.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position. To receive selection priority, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria (2) be rated well-qualified for the position and; (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. To be considered well-qualified and receive selection priority applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a score of 90 or above. Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.

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.
• This position requires a job-related license or certification. You MUST submit a copy of your license or certification with your application package or you will be rated ineligible. See: Transcripts and Licenses (include hyperlink to attachment). See: Transcripts and Licenses

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.

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