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Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service

Summary

This position is located on the Santa Catalina Ranger District within the Coronado National Forest. For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Don Delmastro at Donato.Delmastro@usda.gov.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
04/21/2026 to 04/29/2026
Salary
$27.58 - $32.16 per hour
Pay scale & grade
WG 8
Location
Few vacancies in the following location:
Tucson, AZ
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—A recruitment or relocation incentive, or reimbursement of relocation expenses may be authorized at the discretion of management 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
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes
Announcement number
26-SVA-12926054-FS
Control number
865692000

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted only from current permanent Forest Service (FS) employees with competitive status; Land Management eligible candidates whose last appointment was with the FS; and CTAP/RPL eligible candidates.

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Duties

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  • Operate the primary and secondary sewage disposal systems without supervision.
  • Use plant equipment to collect, treat, and dispose of waterborne domestic waste, and related domestic water system.
  • Uses secondary filtration processes and equipment such as biological filters, oil separators, holding tanks, sand filters, aeration tanks, and oxidation ponds ensuring compliance with state, federal and municipal regulations prior to discharge.
  • Perform preventive maintenance and repairs on equipment.
  • Measure and introduce chemical agents and compounds into a water system in accordance with current regulations, established procedures, formulas, and other related guidance.
  • Maintain documents related to operations in accordance with established procedures.
  • Apply safe practices prescribed for use with materials, chemical agents, and compounds in performing sewage treatment plant systems work.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served. Refer to the Next Steps section for more information.
  • Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov
  • Must possess and maintain a valid state driver’s license.
  • This position requires the incumbent to obtain and maintain applicable wastewater and water treatment licenses and/or certifications from the State where the position is located.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's Federal Wage System Qualifications Standards.

Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Applicants will be evaluated on their ability to perform the duties of the position rather than length of experience. Eligibility will be determined by the relevance, scope and quality of all experience and training, regardless of where or how acquired.

Conditions of Employment:

  • Must have a valid state driver's license.
  • Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a Wastewater and Water Treatment licenses and/or certifications from the state of Arizona.
  • Must have the ability to do the work of a Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator without more than normal supervision.
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 are no educational requirements for this position.

Additional information

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Reemployment Priority List (RPL): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.

Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) provides current or former temporary and term employees the opportunity to compete for permanent competitive service positions. Individuals must have more than 24 months of service without a break between appointments of two or more years and the last temporary or term appointment must have been with the Forest Service. Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better. Part-time and intermittent service will be credited only for time actually worked. Non-pay status such as leave without pay is credited for up to six months in a calendar year; anything beyond six months is not credited. Applicants are responsible for providing sufficient information/documentation to determine if the 24 month criteria is met.

The Forest Service may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract highly qualified candidates. Additional Information is available on the OPM Website.

Transfer of station may be authorized. Final determination will be made at time of official job offer.

This is a bargaining unit position and is represented by either NFFE, AFGE, or NAGE.

Forest Service daycare facilities may be available.

Government Housing may be available.

We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.

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.

You will be evaluated based on your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the experience and training you described in your application package, as well as the responses to the Assessment Questionnaire.

Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet minimum qualification requirements. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position.

If you meet the qualification requirements and are determined to be among the best qualified, you will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Noncompetitive candidates and applicants under some special hiring authorities must meet minimum qualifications to be referred.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered to more accurately reflect the submitted documentation. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action.

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12926054

Forest Service

A career with the Forest Service will challenge you to manage and care for more than 193 million acres of our nation's most magnificent lands, conduct research through a network of forest and range experiment stations and the Forest Products Laboratory, and provide assistance to State and private forestry agencies.

It's an awesome responsibility - but the rewards are as limitless as the views.

Agency contact information

HRM Contact Center
Phone
1-877-372-7248 X2
Email
HRM_Contact_Center@usda.gov
Address
USDA Forest Service HRM Contact Center
DO NOT MAIL IN APPLICATIONS, SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT.
Albuquerque, NM 87109
US

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