Summary
Reclamation is seeking a career professional looking for an opportunity to capitalize on their expertise as a Utilityman. Make a difference in the West by assisting with managing, developing, and protecting water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
DOI Wide - This is a Merit Promotion announcement for competitive career and career conditional Department of Interior employees, Career Transition eligibles (CTAP), Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (DOI ICTAP), Current or former time-limited employees eligible under Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) and those who are eligible under the hiring paths listed above. Refer to Required Documents section for more information.
Duties
Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:
- Assists journeymen on disassembly and assembly of machinery and associated equipment such as air tuggers, small pumps, power hacksaws, impact wrenches, sandblasting equipment/paint spraying equipment; also includes cleaning and degreasing parts
- Performs janitorial duties cleaning up workshops and office; may need to assist in performing general grounds maintenance to include sprinkler repairs and operation of lawn mowers and power tools to maintain camp housing lawns and parks, responsible for the use and maintenance of tools and equipment, conducts work in a safe manner.
- Assists journeymen on minor rigging; operates trucks, forklifts, heavy equipment and unloading equipment; may operate boats, waterway, and water flow control equipment in the performance of duties, including utilization of lockout/tagout procedures
- Prepares written job plans and/or hazard analyses including updates; interprets, applies, manufacturer's instructions; utilizes a personal computer to maintain maintenance schedules and costs utilizing various software programs
- Work is performed in and around dams, power plants, and related facilities with exposure to high levels of noise, moving parts, hazardous materials, and electrical hazards. Work is also conducted outside under prevailing weather and terrain conditions. Some work assignments are performed in confined spaces, close and restricted quarters, above water and at substantial heights over 100 feet.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
- 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 https://www.e-verify.gov/.
- Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
- Applicants must obtain and maintain State of Montana Water Operator and Wastewater Operator certifications as a condition of employment. The Water Operator Certification must be obtained within one (1) year of entry on duty, and the Wastewater Operator Certification must be obtained within two (2) years of entry on duty. Both certifications must be maintained throughout employment.
- You are required to complete a pre-employmnet physical examination.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1 year probation or 2 year trial period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest.
This probationary or trial 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; and 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 or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Qualifications
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-10/18/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.
For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience.
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
- Vehicle Operation
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.
All 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, DOI Ethics Prohibitions | U.S. Department of the Interior.
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.
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.
Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed.
You will be assessed in the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
- Ability To Do The Work Of The Position Without More Than Normal Supervision (SCREEN OUT)
- Ability To Interpret Instructions, Specification, etc. (includes blueprints reading)
- Ability To Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment
- Knowledge of Equipment Assembly, Installation Repair, etc.
- Knowledge of materials
- Technical Practices (theoretical precise, artistic)
- Use of Measuring Instruments
- Vehicle Operation
All qualified non-competitive applicants and the qualified Merit Promotion applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration.
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration or your score may be lowered. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.
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 following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; 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.
Current or former displaced Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified, score at least 85 (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors, experience and/or physical requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry.
Required Documents
The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) -10/18/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement:
- Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. Your 2-page resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the qualification requirements. More information on how to write a Federal Resume: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include
- Complete All Required Assessment(s).
- Performance Appraisals and Awards: You must submit your most recent performance appraisal showing the official rating of record and signed by a supervisor dated within the past 18 months. If unavailable, a written explanation is required (including if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level). Performance awards dated within the past 5 years may also be submitted for due weight consideration.
- Eligibility Documentation:
- Current and former Federal employees must submit latest SF-50 (i.e. Promotion, Separation, Within Grade Increase (WGI)) showing tenure 1 or 2 in block 24, grade, and if applicable, an additional SF-50 showing the highest grade or promotion potential held. Time in grade will be determined by reviewing your resume and required SF-50s. If your SF-50 showing highest permanent grade held has an effective date within the past year, your resume must clearly show that you held that grade for one year. Do not submit award SF-50s.
- Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA): you must submit ALL Appointment AND Termination SF-50s for EACH Competitive time-limited appointment (block 34, code 1); AND Documentation of satisfactory performance for each period of temporary employment claimed, such as, performance evaluations, memorandum of record, whereas the supervisor(s) documented an acceptable performance level for a specified rating/employment period. If not currently employed by agency, you must have been most recently separated by the hiring Bureau.
- Interagency Career Transition (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): You MUST submit proof of eligibility including a copy of the agency notice, most recent performance rating, and most recent SF-50 showing your position, grade level, and duty location. For more information visit: USAJOBS Help Center - Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL).
Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
Do not submit photographs with your application package. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents.
How to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the 10/18/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement to receive consideration. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation.
The application process is as follows:
- Click the Apply Online button.
- Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13079965
- Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click
Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To view the announcement status or your application status, visit https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.
Next steps
Please refer to your USAJOBS account for application status; the Human Resources Office cannot respond to individual status inquiries.
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
You can find your path with the Department of Interior at https://careers.doi.gov/.
Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background checks, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the Human Resources Office posting this announcement.