About the Position: As a Master, Tender with the Illinois Waterway Maintenance section you will serve as the operator of a diesel-powered towboat supporting land and floating plant units engaged in the construction and maintenance of shore protection and channel control work.
NOTE: This position is dual-rated to the position of Master, Towboat, XH-5784-13, on an as needed basis as determined by management.
Summary
About the Position: As a Master, Tender with the Illinois Waterway Maintenance section you will serve as the operator of a diesel-powered towboat supporting land and floating plant units engaged in the construction and maintenance of shore protection and channel control work.
NOTE: This position is dual-rated to the position of Master, Towboat, XH-5784-13, on an as needed basis as determined by management.
Operate and oversee the operation of a single or twin-screw pusher-type towboat.
Support combined land and floating plant units engaged mainly in the maintenance and repair of lock and dam structures.
Tow barges and other floating plants up to and including 1500 tons on both short and long range tows, shift/move/spot plants on location, and transport personnel/supplies/equipment.
Pilot the boat and controls the operation of engines by means of pilot house controls.
Exercise care for the safe operation of the boat and have working knowledge of the river, navigation aids, and currents in order to successfully pilot boat, either light or with tow, by day or night.
Oversee and direct subordinate personnel in their operations and activities. Make assignments, resolve problems, and train personnel to maintain a safe and efficient organization.
Maintain boat and engines in operating condition. Perform routine maintenance and troubleshooting on the equipment operated.
If qualified, during the absence of the Towboat Master you may be assigned to perform the duties of Towboat and Tender Master in a dual rated capacity.
Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
A pre-appointment physical examination is required.
This position requires annual physicals.
Must comply with Drug Abuse Testing Program requirements.
Must possess and maintain a valid stateside driver's license.
Must possess or be able to obtain (within the first 12 months of employment) a Master of Towing Vessels upon Western River Merchant Mariners License and maintain the license.
Qualifications
Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities.
30 Percent or More Disabled Veterans
Current Department of Army Civilian Employees
Domestic Defense Industrial Base/Major Range and Test Facilities Base Civilian Personnel Workforce
Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan
Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act
Military Spouses, under Executive Order (E.O.) 13473
Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible
Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible
Priority Placement Program, DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability Retirement
Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible
Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998
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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
There is no specific length of training or experience required. However, you must be able to demonstrate, through experience shown in your written application materials that you possess the sufficient knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the work of this position without more than normal supervision.
Minimum Qualifications (Screen Out Element): Ability to do the work of a(n) Master, Tender (Dual Rate) without more than normal supervision. To meet the screen out element applicants should document experience and/or show the ability to; operate a towboat to maneuver floating plant on short and long range tows to move and position plant units engaged in maintenance and repair activities and assist in making repairs to machinery and equipment. I work under close supervision of a work leader or journey-level employee who observes tasks in progress and upon completion to make sure they are properly performed. - Failure to meet this Screen Out Element will result in an ineligible rating.
You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency (knowledge, skills, abilities) in the following job element areas:
Ability To Do The Work Of The Position Without More Than Normal Supervision
Ability To Interpret Instructions, Specifications, etc. (related to mobile equipment operation)
Ability To Operate Safely (Non-Motor Vehicle)
Operation of Motor Vehicles
Reliability and Dependability as a Towboat Operator
Work Practices (includes keeping things neat, clean, and in order)
Physical Effort: You will exert continual effort in pushing, pulling, and depressing the various levers and controls required for boat operation and be subject to strain caused by vibrations plus the jerking and jolting motions of the vessel. Occasionally, you may be required to lift and carry items or material weighing in excess of 50 pounds.
Working Conditions: Boat operation is normally within the confines of a pilot house which protects you from the elements and can be heated. However, you will be exposed to all weather conditions, traffic hazards, unpleasant heat, fumes, noise, and injuries associated with boat operating and decking, working around heavy equipment, etc., such as equipment overturn, falling into hazardous water, etc., for which prescribed safety gear and practices such as hard hat, life preserves, etc., are required.
Education
This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
Additional information
Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
One year trial/probationary period may be required.
Appointment is subject to the completion of a favorable suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a background investigation.
Direct deposit of pay is required.
This is a(n) Transportation and Distribution Management Career Field position.
Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.
If you are a current federal employee duty located 50 miles or more outside of the area for this recruitment, you "may" be considered for a relocation incentive. This incentive option is not applicable to new to federal government employees.
If you are a current federal employee who has received (and can provide a copy) of a job offer outside of federal service and plan to separate from federal service, you "may" be considered for a retention incentive. This incentive option is not applicable to new to federal government employees.
If you are new to federal service and meet the criteria, you "may" be considered for a recruitment incentive. This incentive option is not applicable to current federal employees.
Position requires employees to wear and use protective clothing and equipment.
Normally stand a regular 10-hour watch but are on call at all times.
When serving aboard towboats, may be required to quarter and subsist aboard the vessels when other lodging and food facilities are not readily or conveniently available.
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.
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.
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.
Your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.
You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.
You may claim Military Spouse preference.
You may claim Priority Placement Program (PPP) preference.
Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position. To receive selection priority, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria (2) be rated well-qualified for the position and; (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. To be considered well-qualified and receive selection priority applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a score of 90 or above. Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.
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.
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.
The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc). Please review the following links to see which documents you need to provide to prove your eligibility to apply: Applicant Checklist for Internal/Merit Promotion Announcements.
As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
1. Your resume:
Your resume may be submitted in any format and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement.
If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.e., HRS per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application will be marked as incomplete and you will not receive consideration for this position.
Proof of Eligibility to Apply: Your application must include the documents which prove you are eligible to apply for the vacancy. The Proof of Eligibility document describes authorities commonly used in merit promotion recruitment and what document(s) are required to prove you meet the requirements of the authority. You must meet the requirements of at least one of the authorities listed in the Who May Apply section above to receive further consideration.
NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 08/08/2025 to receive consideration.
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 (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12772448).
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. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), 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://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
RG-W2R905 US ARMY ENGINEER DISTRICT-ROCK ISLAND
DO NOT MAIL
Rock Island, IL 61204
US
Next steps
If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc). Please review the following links to see which documents you need to provide to prove your eligibility to apply: Applicant Checklist for Internal/Merit Promotion Announcements.
As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
1. Your resume:
Your resume may be submitted in any format and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement.
If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.e., HRS per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application will be marked as incomplete and you will not receive consideration for this position.
Proof of Eligibility to Apply: Your application must include the documents which prove you are eligible to apply for the vacancy. The Proof of Eligibility document describes authorities commonly used in merit promotion recruitment and what document(s) are required to prove you meet the requirements of the authority. You must meet the requirements of at least one of the authorities listed in the Who May Apply section above to receive further consideration.
NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 08/08/2025 to receive consideration.
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 (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12772448).
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. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), 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://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
RG-W2R905 US ARMY ENGINEER DISTRICT-ROCK ISLAND
DO NOT MAIL
Rock Island, IL 61204
US
Next steps
If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
