Engineering Equipment Operator

U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Department of the Interior

Multiple locations

Posted on Jul 16, 2026

Summary

Explore a new career with the Bureau Land Management - where our people are our most precious resource.You will serve as a Engineering Equipment Operator. Pay will vary based on grade level and/or duty location for which you're selected. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate. We expect to fill 10 vacancies at this time; however, additional positions may be filled from this announcement if they become available.

Major Duties

Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Operate engineering and construction equipment such as road graders, tractors with bulldozer or angle dozer blades, front end loaders, excavators, backhoes, wheel loader or trench diggers in all types of terrain. Complete minor maintenance projects such as cleaning culverts and ditches, clearing brush and other debris from roads and/or firelines, installing cattle guards, culverts, signs, and/or fences, removing snow, etc. Operate equipment and machinery efficiently and safely as prescribed in technical manuals, safety standards, and regulations. Operate motor vehicles such as light and heavy duty pick up trucks, vans, dump trucks, flatbeds, water tanker tucks, semis, lowboys, etc. to transport earth, sand, stone water, equipment, supplies, and people. Perform lower graded carpentry work such as measuring, cutting, constructing, installing, repairing and modifying wood and composite items such as signs, fences, frames, etc. Service and perform light maintenance and minor repairs on gasoline or diesel powered engineering and construction equipment and/or motor vehicles.

Education

This position falls under the Job Element standards for the WG-5700 - Transportation/Mobile Equipment Operation Family occupational series. There is no education required for this position. There is no substitution of education for experience for Wage Grade positions.

Requirements

Must provide proof of U.S. citizenship. 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 www.dhs.gov/EVerify/. Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment. Must possess and maintain a valid Commercial Driver's License (CDL) with Class A endorsement. Pre-employment and random drug testing are required. You will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received. As 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.This probationary 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 1 year probationary your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Evaluations

You will be evaluated based on how your application materials reflect the qualification requirements of this position. Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made. Your responses to the online questionnaire will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. Qualified applicants will be placed in one of three predefined categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified and Qualified. However, your resume must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Candidates placed in the Best Qualified category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be contacted for an interview.Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following job elements required to do the work of this position: Operation of Motor Vehicles Work Practices (includes keeping things neat, clean, and in order) Ability to Interpret Instructions, Specification, etc. (related to mobile equipment operation) Ability to Drive Safely (Motor Vehicles) Ability to Operate Safely (Non-Motor Vehicle) Reliability and Dependability as an Engineering Equipment Operator In the evaluation process, due weight will be given to job related experience, education, training, incentive awards and performance appraisals. Applicants must have a performance rating of at least the equivalent of fully successful to be eligible for promotion or placement. Applicants may provide a copy of a performance appraisal of record dated within the last 18 months. If the applicant is unable to provide a performance appraisal of record dated within the last 18 months, the applicant may provide a written explanation as to why.

How to Apply

THIS IS AN ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESS THROUGH USAJOBS. Your application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time by 07/29/2026. If you need assistance in applying on-line, please contact the HR Office at deborah_puentes-gonzalez@ios.doi.gov or 775-861-6619. If applying on-line poses a hardship for you (i.e. you do not have access to the Internet) you must contact us prior to the closing date of the announcement for an alternative method of applying. PLEASE NOTE: If you have access to a public library, State Job Service Office, etc., you should use these resources to apply online. You must follow the steps described below to complete the application process: YOU MUST HAVE OR CREATE A PROFILE IN USAJOBS. Your profile must contain a current resume for submission. See Required Documents section for what to include in your resume. INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION COULD RESULT IN AN INELIGIBLE RATING. The USAJOBS Resume Builder was designed to ensure that your resume includes the standard information needed. The Resume Builder is an available tool when you login to your USAJOBS account. Review the Appointment Eligibility Criteria: The eligibility section of the application process is designed to allow you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You will ONLY be considered for the appointment eligibilities that you selected. You must provide proof of your eligibility to be considered. You must submit a resume and also complete the online application and assessment questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. 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. Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. 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. The eligibility portion of the application process is designed to allow you to choose how you wish to be considered for this announcement. You may choose more than one eligibility. You must provide proof of your eligibility and will only be considered for the questions that you answer "yes". Please note, your eligibility will be based solely on the selections you have indicated in this section. You must provide the supporting documentation to support your claim to be considered. You may choose more than one eligibility in this section. To view the assessment questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13004047 To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (Welcome | Login.gov), 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. FOLLOW UP. Check your application status before the announcement closes. It is your responsibility to ensure that a complete application (including a resume, on-line questionnaire, and applicable supplemental documentation) is received by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on 07/29/2026. NOTE: Technical problems may take at least 1 business day to resolve; therefore, you are highly encouraged to complete the application process prior to the closing date.

What to Expect Next

You can track the progress of your application package via your USAJobs account. You will receive an acknowledgement email from USAJobs that your submission was successful once we have received your online questionnaire, resume, and any supporting documentation. You will be notified of the status of your application and/or referral to the hiring official via your USAJobs account after the evaluation process is complete. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required. More than one position may be filled from this announcement, at the discretion of Federal hiring officials. Department of the Interior may share the list of eligible candidates with other Federal agencies/departments, authorized to appoint new employees under the same hiring procedures if the position is in the same: job series, grade level, promotion potential, and in the same geographic locations (including the same metro/commuting area) provided herein. You will have the opportunity to "opt-in" to appear on a shared list. "Opt-in" does not guarantee your application will be shared, but you will be contacted in the event your application is shared.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 07/29/2026: Two Page 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). 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. Your 2-page resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements. Note: Current and former Federal employees should include pay plan, series, and grade level for relevant federal experience. If experience is for a career ladder position, please ensure to clearly distinguish the job duties for each grade level and how long you were working in each grade level. Resume Builder: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include Veteran Documentation, if applicable, such as: DD-214, SF15, letter from Veteran Affairs, etc. All college transcript(s), if qualifying based on education. Please submit both undergraduate and graduate level transcripts, as applicable. 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. Current or prior federal employees who hold or have held a non-temporary appointment in the federal competitive or excepted service within the previous 52 weeks must submit official documentation (i.e. SF50s) proving they meet time-in-grade requirements to be eligible for the grade level of this announcement. Must possess and maintain a valid Commercial Driver's License (CDL) with Class A endorsement. 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. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from all documents. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.

Other Information

DOI uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit E-Verify. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): 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, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information: CTAP or ICTAP This position is not eligible for Telework. Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid by the Department of the Interior. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee. Physical Demands: Heavy physical effort is required in constantly climbing in and out of different machines, and pushing and pulling levers continuously while machine is in operation. Work is strenuous because of the large equipment operated, the adjustments made, and the adverse operation conditions. Considerable strain is caused by the constant vibration of the equipment and the jerking and jolting from operating over rough surfaces. The incumbent is required to lift and carry items weighing up to 50 pounds and often puts forth similar effort when pushing, pulling, turning and positioning parts, assemblies, equipment and tools. Work Environment: The operation of large and complicated gasoline or diesel powered engineering and construction equipment in difficult circumstances increases exposure and risk of injury. The incumbent works both inside and outside and is exposed to hot and humid weather and/or extremely cold weather with temperatures ranging from below 0 to above 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Ice, road oils, and other items such as loose gravel and rocks may create hazardous conditions. The operator is subjected to noise, vibration, dust, dirt, oils, solvents, and fumes from motors and exhausts. When working inside, the incumbent must ensure proper ventilation to minimize fumes caused by equipment or vehicles. The incumbent is frequently exposed to the possibility of receiving cuts, abrasions, bruises and strains while servicing and operating equipment. The incumbent is required to follow all prescribed safety practices and use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as protective hearing devices and hard hats to prevent injury.