Engineering Equipment Operator (Fire) - Direct Hire Authority

Engineering Equipment Operator (Fire)

• Direct Hire Authority US Office of the Secretary of the Interior Vale, OR $34.97
• $40.08 an hour
• Seasonal $34.97
• $40.08 an hour
• Seasonal Summary This is a Direct-Hire advertisement.

Veterans preference is not applicable to this advertisement. Learn more about this authority at: Direct Hire Authority This Engineering Equipment Operator (Fire) position is with the US Wildland Fire Service, WG-5716-8 working in the following location(s): Vale, Oregon Learn more about this agency This job is open to The public U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S. Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL) Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants. Clarification from the agency Applications will be accepted from any U.S. Citizen.

DIRECT HIRING AUTHORITY

will be used to fill this position. Veteran's preference and traditional rating and ranking of applications do not apply. All qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration for this position. Duties As a Engineering Equipment Operator (Fire)

• Direct Hire Authority your duties will include but are not limited to the following: Operates road graders, bulldozers, etc.

, to suppress wildfires or reclaim burned over areas. Clears brush and other debris from fire lines and clears ground and otherwise operates equipment to reclaim sites. Operates a variety of heavy equipment on fire lines for the purpose of suppressing wildland fires. Operates lowboys or water tenders. Maintains and repairs heavy equipment used in firefighting operations. Requirements Conditions of employment Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Suitability for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation. Direct Deposit Required. You will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use. Selectees must pass a pre-employment medical examination and may be subject to post-employment medical examinations to determine if they are maintaining the fitness standards for this position. You must also pass the work capacity test for arduous positions. This position requires the incumbent to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of their official duties. Selectee must hold and maintain a valid state driver's license throughout their employment in this position. You will be required to operate a fire engine and various motor vehicles as part of your official duties; a valid Commercial Driver's License is required. If using a valid Driver's License with Firefighter endorsement to qualify, you will be required to obtain a Commercial Driver's License within 1 year of employment. You will be required to submit your Commercial Driver'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. A condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. Individuals assigned male at birth after 12-31-59 must be registered for the Selective Service. To verify registration visit SSS.gov. You must be 18 years of age or older to be assigned to a hazardous position. Must meet the maximum age requirement. See qualifications section for more information. You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work. Subject to frequent travel particularly during fire season, and you must obtain a government charge card for travel. You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority. Qualifications In order to qualify for this position you must possess the Minimum Qualification requirements listed below. Selective Placement Factor(s): This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. Those who do not provide evidence they possess the following selective factor(s) will be rated not qualified. 1.) This position is a Primary Firefighter position and is subject to a maximum entry age (MEA). The MEA is the date immediately preceding your 37th birthday. Applicants must not have reached age 37 at the time of appointment, unless proof is provided of prior Federal service in another primary covered position, or you are a preference eligible veteran. If you are a preference eligible veteran, you may be eligible for this position after your 37th birthday. You must supply a copy of your Defense Department Form 214 (DD-214) along with Standard Form 15 (if applicable) and any associated documentation in accordance with the instructions in this vacancy announcement. Failure to provide this documentation with your application may result in loss of consideration. Please refer to the Required Documents section for further guidance on what documentation is required to meet this requirement. If over the MEA and you are not a veteran, proof of prior covered service must be submitted prior to employment. Acceptable proof consists of SF-50s showing beginning and ending dates of covered/creditable appointments and copies of approved letters based on individual claims. 2.) You must have possessed all of the following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) incident management (qualifications to be considered eligible for this position (currency not required): Firefighter Type 1 (FFT1) In addition to the requirements described above, the following additional experience is required. Only experience and education obtained by 05/07/2026 will be considered. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. Please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience. OPM Job Qualifications System for Trades and Labor Occupations will be used in determining applicant's qualifications. There is no specific length of training or experience required; however, the applicant must be able to demonstrate through experience shown in the resume materials, that they possess the skill level that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of an Engineering Equipment Operator (Wildland Fire Dozer) without more than normal supervision.

WG Screen-out Element:

Ability to do the work of the position without more than normal supervision. This must be verifiable on your application.

Work is defined as:

operating a variety of heavy equipment such as road graders, bulldozers, lowboys and water tenders. 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. Applicants must meet all minimum qualification requirements for the position of interest by the closing date of the Job Announcement. This position is covered by the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336 (c) and 5 U.S.C. 8412 (d) as a Primary/Rigorous Firefighter. Applicants must be 18 years of age but not have reached their 37th birthday by the closing date of this announcement. These positions are covered by the special enhanced annuity retirement provisions for Federal Firefighters and Law Enforcement officers and have a mandatory retirement age of 57.

Two exceptions are allowed:

1) an applicant has prior Federal service in documented special retirement covered position(s) sufficient to count toward 20 years of covered service on or before the mandatory retirement age of 57; or 2) an applicant is a qualified veterans' preference eligible, in which case the MEA is waived and their corresponding retirement age may be higher than 57 after completing 20 years of service. Applicants must submit proof of their previous and/or current status in the Fire Fighter or Law Enforcement special enhanced annuity retirement system.

Physical Demands:

Heavy physical effort is used by the operator in constantly reaching, bending, turning, and moving hands, arms, feet, and legs to handle controls to operate the equipment and attachments. During fire suppression assignments, the operator is exposed to smoky conditions, fire burns, and other similar conditions.

Working Conditions:

Work is performed in all types of weather, often in an open driver's seat on hills, slopes, grades, rolling surfaces, and forests. The operator is subject to noise, vibration, dust, dirt, and fumes from the motor and exhaust and to smoke from wildfires. Education There is no substitution of education for experience for Wage Grade (WG) positions. Additional information Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Department of Interior (DOI) Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) procedures apply in filling this vacancy. These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements) for the position with a score of 85 or above on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Applicants claiming

CTAP/ICTAP

eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application.

For more information visit:

http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp. Reemployment Priority List (RPL): The RPL is the mechanism agencies use to give reemployment consideration to their former competitive service employees separated by a RIF or who have fully recovered from a compensable injury after more than one year. If you are currently on an RPL, you may be given priority consideration.

PCS INFORMATION

No PCS entitlements authorized If eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed.

Telework:

This position is not suitable for telework.

Additional Vacancies:

One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Wildland Fire Service offices in the local commuting area.

Reasonable Accommodation:

The USWFS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Please visit USAJOBS Help Center | Reasonable accommodation policy if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process.

Probation/Trial Period Con't:

Probationary period: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1 year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. Under completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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. 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. 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. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. 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. You will be evaluated based on how your application materials reflect the minimum qualification requirements of this position. Once the job opportunity announcement closes, your resume and all supporting documents will be reviewed by HR to determine if you are minimally qualified for the position. If an applicant's resume is incomplete or does not support the requirements for minimum qualifications or specialized experience a rating of "ineligible" or "not qualified" will be applied and no consideration for employment will be granted. Due to this vacancy being filled through OPM's Direct Hire Authority, Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to positions filled under this announcement. Applications received as a result of job fairs, recruitment events, and emergency hiring mechanisms in support of this hiring initiative will also be accepted during the duration of the announcement. All minimally qualified candidates will be referred for consideration. Please note that the hiring office may conduct interviews at their discretion. Interviews may be conducted on a pass/fail basis. The job elements below provide an overview of what this position entails once encumbered: Element 1

• Ability to do the work of the position without more than normal supervision (Screen out) Element 2
• Operation of Motor Vehicles Element 3
• Work Practices Element 4
• Ability to Interpret Instructions, Specifications, etc. Element 5
• Ability to Drive Safely Element 6
• Reliability and Dependability Required Documents You must submit a complete application package.

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/07/2026. Resumes must show relevant experience and other information. Your resume MUST list your education and work experience including (1) the dates (mm/yy) of each employment, along with (2) the number of hours worked per week, and (3) work experience duties listed under each job entry. In addition, Civil Service employees must provide their current OPM title, series, and grade. If experience is for a career ladder position, please ensure to clearly show how long you were working in each grade level. Your resume will be used to validate your responses to the assessment tool(s). Failure to provide required information will result in loss of eligibility. No assumptions will be made about your experience and/or education. You are welcome to submit a cover letter. Resumes must also include name and how to best contact you, including email address and phone number. Do not include the following types of information in your resume: Classified or government sensitive information Social Security Number (SSN) Photos of yourself Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc. Encrypted and digitally signed documents. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. Visit the USAJOBS Help Center for more information on What should I include in my federal resume and/or OPM Resume Writing Tips. In addition to the online application (resume and responses to the questionnaire), you are required to submit the following supplemental documentation as applicable:

NWCG Qualification:

You must provide a copy of your Incident Qualification and Certification System (IQCS) Master Record or other equivalent documentation which verifies you meet the required NWCG minimum qualifications for this IFPM position. Failure to provide this documentation will result in you being rated as not qualified.

CTAP/ICTAP

Documentation:

documentation verifying your

CTAP/ICTAP

eligibility

• this includes a copy of the agency notice and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level and duty location.

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.

Proof of Age:

As this is a covered primary fire position, your application package MUST include official government issued documentation (SF-50, driver's license, etc) indicating your date of birth. If over the maximum entry age (MEA), and you are not a Veteran, proof of prior covered service must be submitted (i.e. initial primary covered SF-50, copies of approved coverage letters based on individual claims, and any additional SF-50s showing beginning and ending dates of covered/creditable appointments if a break occurred). If over the MEA and you are a Veteran, you must supply a copy of your Defense Department Form 214 (DD-214) along with Standard Form 15 (if applicable) and any associated documentation. Failure to submit required documentation may result in loss of consideration. 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 Review the appointment eligibility criteria in the application preview linked below. The eligibility section of the application allows you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You will ONLY be considered for the eligibilities that you select "yes" to and submit the required supporting documentation, as listed in the Required Documents section or the application text. You may qualify for more than one eligibility, so please choose carefully. If you respond that you do not meet any of the eligibility criteria, you will not be considered for this position under this announcement. To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. See required documents section. Click 'Apply' to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire and upload required documents. To preview the assessment questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12944441. Please ensure you check the acknowledgement checkbox then click the Submit Application button to submit your application. Applications must be received by 05/07/2026, 11:59pm ET to receive consideration. Check application status by logging into your USAJOBS account, in Applications tab, click the position title you applied to for the status. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please refer to the contact information listed at the bottom of the announcement. 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. Agency contact information FA-HR-External-8 NIFC Phone 208-387-5942 Email blm_fa_nifc_hr_external@blm.gov Next steps Once you submit all the required documents and the online application in USAJOBS, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After the evaluation process is complete, you will be notified of your status and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted by the hiring official. You will be notified if this job is filled or canceled. Timelines for this process vary widely. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging in to your USAJOBS account as we will not be responding to inquiries about the status of applications as long as the system has been updated. If you were not referred and/or have questions or concerns regarding your rating determination or referral status, in the interest of time, please submit your inquiry in writing within seven (7) calendar days of receiving a Notice of Results and Referral notification email. Inquiries may be submitted to contact listed on this announcement. Be sure to include the announcement number to assist our team in reviewing your inquiry. Overview Accepting applications Open & closing dates 04/24/2026 to 05/07/2026 Salary $34.97

• $40.08 per hour Pay scale & grade WG 8 Location 1 vacancy in the following location: Vale, OR Remote job No Telework eligible No Travel Required Occasional travel
• Travel is required to attend training, conferences, workshops, and/or field visits. Frequent travel may be required during peak fire activity. Relocation expenses reimbursed No Appointment type Permanent
• This is a permanent seasonal appointment. You will be in pay status for at least 6 months; but less than 12 months in a calendar year. When work/funds are unavailable, you will be placed in non-pay status. Work schedule Full-time
• Career-Seasonal appointments are permanent positions and include the same benefits as Career appointments, but do not provide work on a year-round basis.

Service Competitive Promotion potential None Job family (Series) 5716 Engineering Equipment Operating Supervisory status No Security clearance Not Required Drug test Yes Position sensitivity and risk Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk Trust determination process Credentialing Suitability/Fitness Financial disclosure No Bargaining unit status No Announcement number

WFSDHA-26-12944441-LE

Control number 866577800