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Park Guide (Blacksmith)

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period for Herbert Hoover National Historic Site is April-May, but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: April 2023.

Open to the first 50 applicants or until 02/08/2023 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

Overview

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Job canceled
Open & closing dates
01/31/2023 to 01/31/2023
This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$37,696 to - $49,009 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 5
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
West Branch, IA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Temporary - 1039
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
5
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
MW-1543-HEHO-23-11822471-DE
Control number
703391600

Videos

Duties

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The incumbent will present interpretive talks at the blacksmith shop using 1870's blacksmithing tools and techniques. Use of a coal fired forge with bellows is required to heat and forge various metal objects. Incumbent must be familiar with various smithing techniques, such as blooming, drawing out, annealing, quenching, axial rolls, along with numerous techniques used in the farrier trades. Knowledge of various metal properties and the metallurgy concepts that enable a blacksmith to design and shape complex and sometimes delicate objects is required. Interpretive talks range from large groups (including school groups) to families and individual visitors and will include the interpretation of the Hoover story, particularly that of the future President's father, Jesse Hoover. The incumbent will assist with the operation of visitor contact stations, provide basic orientation, safety messages and respond to questions.

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.
  • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • 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 wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • You may be required to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and overtime.
  • You will be required to work in a reconstructed blacksmith shop at a brick forge with manually operated bellows. You will be exposed to a hot forge, coal dust, dirt and high temperature extremes.
  • You will be required to stand for long periods of time and perform physical lifting of hammers and pulling forge bellows, smoke from burning coal, and handling hot iron with forging tools.
  • 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

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-02/08/2023-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), 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 of qualified specialized experience.

SELECTIVE FACTOR: This position performs 1870's blacksmithing demonstrations, and experience of blacksmithing skills is required. You MUST document your skills in detail in your resume to demonstrate that you meet the Selective Factor of Blacksmithing Skills. If the resume does not clearly document this experience, you will be found not eligible or qualified. The applicant must have skills in the following areas:

1). Experience using 1870's blacksmithing tools and techniques to design and fabricate period corrected farm machinery parts, repair tools, items in the shop, and create various forged items sold in the Park's gifts shop.
2). Experience presenting interpretive talks to large groups (including school groups) while simultaneously demonstrating various blacksmithing techniques from the 1870's.
3). Experience using a coal fired forge with bellows to heat and forge various metal objects.
4). Has in-depth knowledge of various metal properties and the metallurgy concepts that enable a blacksmith to design and shape complex and sometimes delicate objects, yet still maintain strength and function.

Candidates who do not meet the blacksmithing requirement by close of this announcement will receive no further consideration for this position.

- AND -

To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: experience that involved oral presentation of historical, scientific, or program information to groups; or developing and/or revising technical, historical, or scientific information for oral presentation to groups. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to, Park Guide or tour leader; naturalist; environmental educator or teacher; or other similar work. You must include years, months and hours per week worked.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least four years of education above high school (120 semester hour or 180 quarter hours) leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, such as American history, science, public speaking, parks and recreation, education, or communications. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. You must include transcripts.

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

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

Additional information

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1040 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (NPS).

If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1040 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1040 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility.

The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1040 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1040 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM.

Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations.

Physical Demands: Requires long hours of standing and talking. Performs physical lifting, pulls forge bellows, loads and unloads supplies, endures smoke from burning coal, and handles hot iron with forging tools during cultural craft demonstrations.

Working Conditions: Works in reconstructed blacksmith shop at a brick forge with manually operated bellows. At times, will be exposed to hot forge, coal dust, dirt, noise, drafts, humidity, and temperature extremes. The shop is outdoors and in not heated or cooled.

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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessments required for this position. 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. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions can 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 three categories:

  • Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position
  • 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.
You will be evaluated on the following competencies:
  • Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
  • History and Archaeology
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Oral Communication
  • Technology Application


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