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Tree Worker (MVO)

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in Yosemite National Park, in the Facilities Management Division. Please visit find a park for additional park information.

Area Information: Yosemite National Park, California, known worldwide for its spectacular natural beauty is the backdrop for this position. Sitting astride the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the park covers 1,182 square miles of varied wilderness ecosystems, from river valleys to alpine meadows to lofty 13,000 foot high peaks. Yosemite Valley is located 208 miles from San Francisco, 81 miles from Merced, and 94 miles from Fresno. Shopping, medical, postal and laundry services are available in the park. Elevation at the Valley floor is approximately 4,000 feet and 2,200 feet in El Portal. The park is open year-round with the majority of activities occurring during the busy season March through October.

This is a Career/Career-Conditional Full-Time appointment.

Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will be paid if the selectee lives outside of the local commuting area and is otherwise eligible for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulation.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
05/18/2018 to 06/01/2018
Salary
$24.76 to - $28.88 per hour
Pay scale & grade
WG 9
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Yosemite National Park, CA
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Announcement number
PW-1548-YOSE-18-10212537-DE
Control number
499983100

Duties

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- Incumbent climbs and performs tree hazard removal work in a variety of broadleaf and coniferous trees. Uses specialized equipment and techniques developed for tree work to perform these tasks.
- Recognizes tree defects, species characteristics, and other environmental conditions that may affect or compromise climber safety.
- Uses chainsaw to take down trees of all sizes and complexity with accuracy in developed and non-developed areas. Uses tree felling cuts and specialized tools to fell trees in desired direction.
- Recognizes tree species, defects, wood characteristics and environmental hazards that may alter desired felling results.
- Designs, installs, utilizes, and maintains complex material handling gear and rigging systems. Uses rigging gear to catch, lower, or move large sections of trees in very limited spaces, such as above or between buildings, without causing damage to property or equipment.
- Operates heavy equipment to maneuver logs, trees, and slash around standing trees and buildings on uneven terrain without damaging property or equipment. The operator uses equipment to move trees and load trucks. Drives loaded trucks on steep mountainous roads in muddy, icy, or snow conditions.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males
  • You must possess and maintain a valid Class A CDL with Air Brake endorsement.
  • 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. If selected, 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 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.
  • If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
  • Occasional travel away from home may occur when assisting other areas. The duration of these assignments can last from a few days up to a 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.
  • Applicants must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.

Qualifications

Applicants must be physically fit and, as required in Office of Personnel Management Qualifications Handbook X-118C, must possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the elements listed in Section 25 of the Online Occupational Questionnaire to perform the duties of the position at the level for which they are applying. A specific length of time and experience is not required. Qualification requirement emphasis is on the quality of experience, not necessarily the length of time. You must meet the 2 point level on the screen out factor/element and an average of level 2 on all factors/elements listed.

1. Ability to do the work of the position without more than normal supervision. (SCREEN OUT)
2. Technical Practices
3. Use of Measuring Instruments
4. Ability to Interpret instructions and specifications (other than blueprints)
5. Ability to Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment
6. Knowledge of Materials
7. Dexterity and Safety

In addition to the qualification requirements listed, the following Selective Placement Factor applies and must be met:
  • Possess and maintain valid Class A Commercial Driver's License (CDL) with Air Brake endorsement and current medical examiners certificate.
If your knowledge and ability in the SCREEN OUT factor and Selective Placement 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. 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.

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 Wage Grade (WG) positions.

Additional 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.

Physical Demands: Incumbent must be in good physical condition to lift and operate the different types and sizes of power chainsaws used when topping or felling trees. Chain saws can weigh from 20 pounds up to 55 pounds. Employee is required to climb trees, often up to heights in excess of 150 feet. When climbing trees, incumbent uses various tree climbing gear and methods to ascend the tree. This type of climbing requires a high degree of physical and mental effort and muscular tension to maintain balance and position to properly cut tree limbs and tree tops without severing the safety ropes (lifeline). Climbing tasks may require long durations of physical exertion, often 4 to 6 hours, while secured in the tree with safety ropes, climbing belts, and saddles. The climber is also required to pull moderate to heavy loads such as cables, metal snatch blocks, bull ropes, etc., up to tree top heights. When loading trucks by hand on work site cleanup, incumbent lifts, pulls, and carries limbs, small logs, or wood chunks from 10 to 60 pounds.

Working Conditions: Works in all types of weather conditions to accomplish assigned tasks. Outside temperatures vary from over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, to fog, rain, snow, wind, and temperatures below freezing. Works in a variety of vegetation types and elevations from woodlands at 1900 feet through middle elevation forests to near tree line at elevation above 9000 feet. Footing is often slippery at work sites due to ice, snow, mud, loose rocks, or combinations of factors. Operates and works near equipment that produces exhaust, vibrations, dust, and noise, requiring head, hand, ear, and eye protection. May walk long distances over uneven ground carrying heavy loads and may temporarily reside in spike camps under primitive conditions to accomplish work assignments. May be required to work during adverse conditions and during emergency situations such as strong winds, rock slides, snow and rainstorms, floods and wildfires.

Nongovernment housing: may be available for rent in the local communities of Groveland, Mariposa, Midpines, Bootjack, Oakhurst, and Catheys Valley. El Portal is a small community bordering the west side of Yosemite National Park and 15 miles west of Yosemite Valley

The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document that you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application. Click the following link for more information, https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information.

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 Occupational Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Occupational Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions may affect your rating.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of two categories:

  • Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job
  • Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.

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