Small Craft Operator Job in Savannah, GA

Vacancy No. CEDB-26-12911460-DHA Department U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Salary $31.07 to $36.33 Grade 10 to 10
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 3/20/2026 Close Date 4/10/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Savannah, GA


Summary

This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Personnel of DoD Workforce to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service.

About the Position: Ever dreamed of making the historic Savannah coastline your office? We're scouting Elite Hydrographic Surveyors to command the most advanced fleet in Georgia. This isn't just a career-it's a mission. Your expedition begins in Savannah!

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Duties

  • Operate a variety of hydrographic survey vessels, skiffs, and work boats, ranging in size from 17 to 35 feet.
  • Maintain operational capability of assigned vessels, maintenance records, and recommends major/minor repairs.
  • Monitor weather radio for changes in weather, which could affect safe operation of the vessel.
  • Perform operational repairs and general maintenance to the Engineer Depot as directed by the Supervisor of the Engineer Depot.
  • Operator is required to maintain a constant watch for ship/boat traffic during sounding operations.
  • Drive and back the truck with boat/trailer in traffic, over highways and uneven roads and grounds, and in narrow or crowded areas.
  • Transport the survey vessel by trailer from one port to another using a government truck.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
  • This position requires a United States Coast Guard issued Master of motor vessels of at least 100 gross tons, near coastal.
  • A valid State issued Driver's License is required.
  • Pre-placement and random Drug testing is required.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a USACE small boat operator's license for boats/vessels less than 26 feet in length in accordance with ER 385-1-91 within twelve months of entry into the position.
  • Must obtain CPR and Basic First Aid certificates within twelve months of entry into the position.
  • Incumbent is required to wear protective equipment and/or clothing (e.g., PFD, hard hat, coveralls, gloves, safety footwear, hearing protection) as appropriate.
  • Incumbent is required to be able to swim and to participate in a fitness for duty medical monitoring program.
  • Incumbent requires a pre-employment and annual physical.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens

In order to qualify, you must meet the experience requirements described below. 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. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

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 Small Craft Operator XF- 5786-10 without more than normal supervision. Operate vessels less than 65 feet in length, Conduct maintenance and repair of a vessel, Maneuver a vessel independently in situations with limited visibility in confined narrow channels with commercial traffic present, Troubleshoot and resolve mechanical and technical vessel issues. Skilled in Interpreting charts of local area to determine: shallows, channels, shore conformation, buoys, beacons and landmarks, Plotting positions of own and intruder vessels, Interpreting tide tables, interpolating for depth correction to charted depths in order to calculate when it is safe to cross shallows and when to avoid them, Evaluating weather and sea conditions and determining if it is appropriate to use modified procedures, which are to be used in case of bad weather.- Failure to meet this Screen Out Element will result in an ineligible rating.

PHYSICAL EFFORT
: Incumbent may carry/lift equipment weighing up to 50 pounds. Assistance may be obtained from other employees on heavier items. Moderate effort is required during general maintenance work. Employee may be required to stand for prolonged periods and climb narrow, steep stairways and ladders.

WORKING CONDITIONS: Works inside, outside, and aboard moving vessels in all types of weather. Subject to water traffic hazards and danger of injury and drowning by falling overboard in collisions. Physical effort is involved in operating controls and guiding and maneuvering vessels in close proximity to structures and other vessels. Subject to injury and falls from ladders and scaffolds, cuts and bruises from band or power tools, and danger from flying splinters and chips. Operators are exposed to the possibility of falling overboard, thus a life jacket shall be available at all times while underway.

Additional information

  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
  • One year trial/probationary period may be required.
  • Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
  • Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
  • If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
  • This is a(n) Career Program (CP) 17 - Material Maintenance Management Career Field position.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
  • When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction.htm for more information.
  • A relocation incentive may be authorized, if found to be in Government Best Interest by the Organization.

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. 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.

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.

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.

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public 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.
  • 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
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.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 04/10/2026 to receive consideration

  • To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12913251).
  • Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. As a reminder, 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 additional information, refer to the 'Required Documents' section.
  • You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
  • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. Your resume selected in USAJOBS will be included, but you must re-select other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application may be incomplete.
  • It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
  • Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/applicant/profile/dashboard/), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Website
https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
Address
RL-W2SR05 US ARMY ENGINEER DISTRICT-SAVANNAH
DO NOT MAIL
Savannah, GA 31402
US

Next steps

If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking (as applicable) for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.