Seasonal Ranch Worker Job in Deer Lodge, MT

Vacancy No. IM-1540-GRKO-25-12701006-DE Department National Park Service
Salary $24.60 to $28.71 Grade 5 to 5
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 2/24/2025 Close Date 2/28/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Deer Lodge, MT


Summary

The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period is April, but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: 04/28/2024.

Duties

The major duties of the Ranch Worker position include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Assist with the care of cattle and horses including feeding, watering, vaccinating, treating minor injuries and sickness, calving, branding, maintaining herd records, shoeing, and grooming.
  • Assist with hay production and harvesting, reseeding, and harrowing pastures and meadows as necessary.
  • Assist with pasture use activities such as checking fence line, fixing fences and gates, setting up temporary electric fencing, and moving cattle.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males
  • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required. You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's License and Driving Record. You must also submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that disclose all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.
  • You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • You may be required to work on-call, weekends, holidays, and overtime.
  • Applicants must be at least 18 years old at time of application.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must have sufficient knowledge and ability in the following job-related factors:
  1. Ability To Do the Work of the Position Without More Than Normal Supervision (SCREEN OUT)
  2. Ability To Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment
  3. Knowledge of materials
  4. Technical Practices (theoretical precise, artistic)
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 Wage Grade (WG) positions.

Additional information

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations.

Physical Demands: The incumbent must be in good physical condition. This position requires periods of sustained major exertion, including activities such as handling baled hay, each bale weighing as much as 100 lbs., handling feed sacks and fencing materials weighing up to 75-100 lbs., and bending over to lift or pull squirming calves weighing up to 100 lbs. At times, major physical exertion is required to control and handle horses and cattle. The incumbent must be able to: move quickly and nimbly to move livestock and avoid aggressive cattle; walk across uneven surfaces including slopes, hummocks, ice, mud, gravel, ruts and burrows; stand and walk for extended periods of time; kneel and crawl on occasion; use vision to perform gross and fine motor skills work.

Working Conditions: Work is performed both inside and outdoors. The majority of work is performed outside. Temperatures range from 100 degrees above zero for short periods in the summer to lows of 30 degrees below zero. Work outside is in all types of weather and in greasy, noisy, dirty, drafty, or otherwise unpleasant conditions. Other environmental factors such as stinging and biting insects and exposure to pollens and dust derived from haying operations can be common. The incumbent is also exposed to dangerous or serious accidents while operating motor vehicles. There is a requirement for calving checks every 3 to 4 hours around the clock during the 6 to 8 week calving period. Special safety precautions and personnel protection equipment may be required.

ICTAP/CTAP Clearance:
Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the OPM qualification standards for the position; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level on all competencies. Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(2) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP.

Benefits

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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score will be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions can affect your rating.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of three categories:

  • Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position
  • Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job
  • Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 02/28/2025:

  1. Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
  2. A complete Occupational Questionnaire
  3. Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above 85 on the rating criteria for this position.
Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.

Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.

How to Apply

To apply for this position: You must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 02/28/2025.You must provide documentation to support your claim for each eligibility selected. Please review the required documentation listed in the eligibilities language to ensure you submit the appropriate information. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation.WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES.

  1. Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account.
  2. Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application."
  3. Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS.
  4. Select documents you want included in this application.
  5. Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed.
  6. Select if you want to include your demographic information.
  7. After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site."
  8. Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.
  9. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown.
    • Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.
  10. Review and Submit Application.
  11. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.
  12. You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement.
    • To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job.
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Agency contact information

Savannah Springer
Address
Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site
266 Warren Lane
Deer Lodge, MT 59722
US

Next steps

Once the Occupational Questionnaire is received you will receive acknowledgement that your submission was successful. If you are among the most qualified candidates and your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly for a possible interview. You will be notified of the status of your Application Package at the time candidates are referred for consideration, and when the selection process is complete.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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