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Utility Systems Repairer-Operator

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Dry Tortugas National Park

Summary

This position is located in Dry Tortugas National Park, in the Maintenance Division.

This is a required occupancy position. The incumbent of this position is required to reside within government housing.

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

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
12/17/2025 to 12/31/2025
Salary
$33.40 to - $38.96 per hour
Pay scale & grade
WG 10
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Monroe County, FL
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
SE-1628-DRTO-26-12844303-IM
Control number
852603900

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Duties

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Duties

  • Serves as the senior Utility Systems Repairer Operator at Dry Tortugas National Park, responsible for the operation, monitoring, and maintenance of the park's critical water and wastewater treatment systems.
  • Position requires work at the journeyman level, serving as the 'operator in charge' over a.) an entire wastewater treatment facility and its plant processes, and b.) water treatment facilities (reverse osmosis desalinators) and their plant processes.
  • Operates and maintains desalination plants, water storage/distribution systems, and wastewater treatment facilities, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and NPS standards for health, safety, and environmental protection.
  • Conducts daily testing, calibration, and adjustments of chemical feed systems, pumps, filters, and monitoring equipment to maintain potable water quality and proper wastewater discharge.
  • Troubleshoots and repairs utility system components including piping, pumps, motors, float switches, valves, electrical controls, HVAC, and other associated infrastructure to ensure continuous and safe operations.
  • Maintains preventive maintenance schedules and performs corrective maintenance on mechanical and electrical systems supporting water and wastewater operations, including emergency backup power systems.
  • Keeps accurate logs, records, and compliance reports for regulatory agencies, ensuring documentation of water quality testing, effluent discharge, and system performance.
  • Occasionally performs duties in a variety of other trades, including plumbing, electrical, carpentry, air conditioning, and general facility support, to sustain overall park infrastructure.
  • Assists in emergency response operations, including tropical storm recovery and other incidents that impact water, wastewater, or other essential park utilities.
  • Provides training, guidance, and oversight to lower graded staff working on utility systems, ensuring adherence to safety protocols and environmental regulations.
  • Performs administrative functions such as ordering supplies, preparing work orders in the Facility Management Software System (FMSS), and developing maintenance records and standard operating procedures.
Area Information: This position is duty stationed within Dry Tortugas National Park (DRTO) on Garden Key, located 68 miles west of Key West, Florida in the southeastern Gulf of America. Garden Key is a remote 16-acre island with few services. The island does have employee housing, a small recreation room, and limited internet. There are no groceries stores, banks, parts and supply outlets, etc. available on island. Employees must travel to Key West via park supply ship, commercial ferry, or seaplane to access most services. For information about this National Park unit, please visit www.nps.gov/drto.

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 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.
  • Occupancy of government quarters is required.
  • You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 5 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.
  • You must possess and maintain a current Wastewater Treatment Operators Certificate, and you must be able to secure and maintain a valid Florida Class C Wastewater Treatment Operators Certificate. Please indicate the level of certification you currently possess.
Additional Requirements located under "Qualifications" below.

Qualifications

Requirements Continued...
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.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 year probationary 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 probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

The following Conditions of Employment are also required for this position:
  • You must have and maintain the ability to lift up to 50 lbs.
  • You must have the ability to operate small water craft less than 26 ft. in length.
  • You must pass the Department of the Interior Motorboat Operator Certification Course (MOCC) within 3 months of Entrance on Duty and maintain certification for the duration of employment.
  • If you do not possess a Florida Class C Wastewater Treatment Certification at the time of appointment, you must be able to obtain a Florida Class C Wastewater Treatment Certification by transferring your current Class C Wastewater Treatment Certification to the state of Florida within 30 days of Entrance on Duty. You must maintain a Florida Class C Wastewater Treatment Certification for the duration of employment.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must have sufficient knowledge and ability in the following job-related factors:
  1. Ability to do the work of the position without more than normal supervision. (SCREEN OUT)
  2. Knowledge of equipment assembly, installation, repair, etc...
  3. Technical practices (theoretical, precise, artistic)
  4. Use of measuring instruments
  5. Ability to interpret instructions, specification, etc. (includes blueprint reading)
  6. Ability to use and maintain tools and equipment
  7. Knowledge of materials
This position also has a Selective Factor of possession of a current Florida Class C Wastewater Treatment Certification or comparable state issued wastewater treatment certification. Applicants must submit documentation of their current Florida Class C Wastewater Treatment Certification or comparable state issued wastewater treatment certification at the time of application in order to receive consideration. Those not submitting documentation of holding a current Florida Class C Wastewater Treatment Certification or comparable state issued wastewater treatment certification at the time of application will receive no further consideration.

If your knowledge and ability in the SCREEN OUT 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.

Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level on all competencies. Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(2) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating, and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP/ICTAP eligible. If you are selected for Federal employment, you will be required to fill out a Declaration of Federal Employment, OF-306, prior to being appointed to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. Failing to answer all questions truthfully and completely or providing false statements on your application may be grounds for not hiring you, or for firing you after you begin work. Also, you may be punished by fine or imprisonment (U.S. Code, Title 18, section 1001).

Education

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

Additional information

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.

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: Work assignments typically require moderate to heavy physical effort to lift, carry, or otherwise handle items typically weighing up to 50 pounds. Duties require the incumbent to maneuver into and out of specific locations while dismantling and assembling utility related equipment. The incumbent makes repairs and installations 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 for extended periods where the incumbent may be subject to prevailing weather conditions. The incumbent 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, respirators, and protective clothing that may be uncomfortable to wear. The incumbent is required to attend and participate in safety meetings and training and review and follow safety regulations and policies prior to using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as goggles, rubber mats, gloves, hard hats and respirators as the jobs require. The incumbent may be required to operate motor vehicles and heavy engineering equipment.

The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

Documentation for the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) eligibility, submission of ALL SF-50s and performance information for each period of temporary/term employment that qualifies for LMWFA. Performance documentation can be obtained by contacting the supervisors for the positions you served in during your 24 months. If they did not complete performance appraisals ask them to provide a statement of performance for each period of service. The statement must specify the dates for each employment period and your level of performance (dates should match the dates on the SF-50s).

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.

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 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.

Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. You may only submit one resume. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of additional assessments, including a panel resume review. These assessments evaluate the critical elements listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.

Candidates who apply under Competitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are highly qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Best qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

Candidates who apply under Noncompetitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are minimally qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

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


Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process.

If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.

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