Utility Systems Repair Operator (FUL)

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Department of the Interior

North Carolina, USA

Posted on May 7, 2026

Summary

This position is located in Blue Ridge Parkway, in the Maintenance & Engineering Division. Career/Career-Conditional Full-time appointment. This job announcement is open to receive applications from the first 100 applicants. The job announcement will remain open until either the quota of 100 applicants, or 05/16/2026 is reached. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration, even those that exceed the 100-applicant limit.

Major Duties

The position is a Utility System Repairer-Operator (USRO) for the Blue Ridge Parkway, with a vacancy in Balsam NC. The primary purpose of this position is to install, maintain, test, troubleshoot, repair, and calibrate potable water and wastewater utility systems that require intermediate to journey level skills. Area/Duty Station Information The Blue Ridge Parkway extends 469 miles along the crest of the southern Appalachian Mountains through North Carolina and Virginia between two eastern national parks - Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains. For more park information, log on to: http://www.nps.gov/blri. Duties at WG/XA-4742-07 This position serves as a trainee Utility Systems Repairer-Operator The primary purpose of this position is to work under a grade 09 or higher journey-level position to maintain, test, troubleshoot, repair, and calibrate utility systems that require intermediate level skills in various utility related trades such as electrical equipment repair, plumbing, wastewater treatment operation, and water treatment operation. The work increases in difficulty, complexity, and responsibility as the incumbent gains experience and demonstrates a full comprehension of the target level position of Utility Systems Repairer-Operator, WG/XA-4742-09. Duties at WG/XA-4742-09 This position serves as a Utility Systems Repairer-Operator to install, maintain, test, troubleshoot, upgrade, repair, and calibrate a variety of utility systems that require fully developed or journey level skills in various utility related trades such as electrical equipment repair, plumbing, wastewater treatment operation, water treatment operation, and air conditioning equipment operation.

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience for Wage Grade (WG) positions.

Requirements

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 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. 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 may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle. 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, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work. You must be able to obtain and maintain a Class B (or higher) Commercial Driver's License (CDL) with in 12 months of appointments. XA -07: Must be able to obtain and maintain a North Carolina wastewater class 1 and North Carolina C-well water license within 12 months of appointments. Must be able to obtain and maintain a NPS Sawyer within 12 months of appointment XA-09: Must already possess and maintain a North Carolina wastewater class 1 and a North Carolina C-Well water or other state equivalents. XA-09: Must be able to obtain and maintain a North Carolina Wastewater class 2 with in 12 months of appointment You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 2 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes. Government Charge Card: You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority. *Additional Requirements located under qualifications*

Evaluations

Applicants will be evaluated based on how well they meet the qualification requirements for the position. Upon receipt of a completed application package, the Servicing Human Resources Office will review your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements described in this announcement. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages. Resumes longer than two pages will not be reviewed. Applicants may submit only one resume. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine qualifications and eligibility. If more than one resume is submitted, only the most recent submission will be reviewed. This position is being filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority. Under this authority, competitive rating, ranking, and veterans' preference procedures do not apply. The Servicing Human Resources Office will determine whether applicants meet the qualification and eligibility requirements described in this announcement. Applicants who meet these requirements may be referred to the selecting official on a certificate of eligibles for consideration. Applicants must certify that they maintain a permanent and exclusive residence within the defined vicinity of the field unit(s) listed in this announcement. Residency eligibility will be verified during the hiring process. If your resume is incomplete or does not demonstrate that you meet the qualification requirements or specialized experience described in this announcement, you may be determined ineligible or not qualified for further consideration. Providing false or misleading information on your resume or supporting documentation may result in removal from consideration or other action consistent with applicable federal hiring regulations. You will be evaluated on the following competencies and/or job elements: 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

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. To receive consideration, your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/16/2026. You must provide documentation to support your eligibility and qualification claims. Please review the required documentation listed in the eligibility sections to ensure you submit the appropriate information. You will only be considered for eligibilities for which you have provided the required supporting documentation. Applications may be submitted through USAJOBS or through other authorized methods identified by the agency (e.g., third-party platforms or local outreach efforts) to support targeted recruitment under this authority. Applicants submitting materials outside of USAJOBS must: Submit a complete application package by the closing date of this announcement, and Ensure all materials are formatted and consistent with the application instructions outlined in this announcement, including resume requirements and supporting documentation. All applications, regardless of submission method, will be evaluated using the same criteria and requirements to ensure a fair and equitable hiring process. Applications received after the closing date, or that do not meet the requirements outlined in this announcement, will not be considered. USAJOBS Application Instructions Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account. Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application." Click here for USAJobs Help with "How to create an application" To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12949924 Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS. Select documents you want included in this application. Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed. Select if you want to include your demographic information. After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site." Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown. Upload any missing required documents or optional documents. Review and Submit Application. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position. 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. Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application.

What to Expect Next

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.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/16/2026: Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, dates specified in month and year format, and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount qualified specialized experience. 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. 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. Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP/CTAP) 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 well qualified. ICTAP/CTAP eligibles will be considered well qualified if they exceed minimal qualifications for this position (i.e. Resume supports substantial possession of stated competencies) for the position. Proof of residence (e.g. mortgage or property deed, lease/rental agreement, utility bill, insurance policy). 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.

Other Information

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate. This position will be filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority. Eligibility is limited to applicants who reside within the defined local commuting area at the time of application. For this announcement, the local commuting area is the area from which individuals can reasonably commute to the duty station under normal conditions. The defined vicinity for this position is within 50 miles of each respective duty location. Residency will be verified during the hiring process. Field Unit Local Hiring for Balsam NC is defined as 50 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway Maintenance Balsam Gap Sub District Office located at 67 Ranger Dr, Balsam, NC 28707 Physical Demands: Work assignments require moderately heavy physical effort to lift, carry, or otherwise handle items typically weighing up to 40 pounds. Duties require the trainee to maneuver into and out of specific locations while dismantling and assembling utility related equipment. The incumbent may make repairs from ladders, scaffolding, and platforms where the parts of systems worked on are in hard-to-reach places. Frequent standing, walking, bending, crouching, reaching, and stooping is typical. Occasionally, climbing and work in high places may be required, as well as the use of hoists, holders, and pulleys when handling large equipment. Working Conditions: Work is both indoors and outdoors where the incumbent may be subject to prevailing weather conditions. The trainee may be exposed to biological hazards or diseases while cleaning equipment or shoveling sludge, and hazardous gases such as methane, chlorine, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon monoxide. The incumbent may also be subject to electrical shock, loud noises, acids, and hydraulic fluids while working around motors and pumps. There is exposure to shock, burns, and strains. The incumbent follows prescribed safety practices and uses safety equipment such as face shields, gloves, hard-toe shoes, goggles, rubber mats, hard hats, respirators, and protective clothing that may be uncomfortable to wear. The incumbent is required to attend and participate in safety meetings and trainings and review and follow safety regulations and policies prior to using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The incumbent may be required to operate motor vehicles.