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Seasonal Laborer (Motor Vehicle Operating)

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Pacific West Region (Interior Regions 8,9,10,12) - Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Summary

The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period is April through October but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding.

Anticipated Entry on Duty: June 2026

Please provide supporting evidence/documentation (e.g. mortgage or property deed, lease/rental agreement, utility bill, insurance policy) as proof that you are a resident and reside in the local commuting area defined as Hawaii County/Island of Hawaii/The Big Island.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
05/18/2026 to 05/28/2026
Salary
$26.28 - $30.65 per hour
Pay scale & grade
WG 5
Location
2 vacancies in the following location:
Hawaii National Park, HI
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
25% or less - Traveling within park grounds is expected.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Temporary - Not to exceed 1039 Hours
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
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
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
PW-1547-FUL-26-12958528-DE
Control number
868809100

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This position is being filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority and is open to U.S. citizens and nationals who meet all eligibility requirements, including permanent and exclusive residency within the defined vicinity of the field unit as described in this announcement. Under this authority, veterans' preference and traditional rating and ranking procedures do not apply.

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Duties

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The Pacific West Region is recruiting for TEMPORARY Summer seasonal positions not to exceed 1039 hours work in a service year.

Location: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park - Hawaii County/Island of Hawaii/The Big Island

Duties:

  • Perform laboring duties that require moderately heavy physical effort requiring the use of common hand tools and power equipment to maintain trails, roads and visitor use facilities.
  • Performs janitorial duties for buildings and grounds when required.
  • Perform various duties and operates light duty motor vehicles weighing up to 10,000 pounds such as pickup trucks, panel trucks, flatbed truck, four-wheel and two-wheel drive etc.
  • Operate motor vehicles over Federal, state, and county roads and city streets in all traffic conditions.
  • Operates large, complex riding lawn mowers that have multiple or independently controlled cutting decks, and/or specially designed mowers that operate on slopes; lawn and garden tractors with various specialty attachments such as gardening attachments, trenchers, snow plowing or removal equipment.
  • Operates other types of equipment (e.g., lawn edging equipment, trimmers, brush cutters, brush chippers, etc…) and hand tools (e.g., shovels, picks, pulaskis, digging bars, rakes, etc…), to maintain buildings, grounds, roads, and trails.
  • Laying sod, planting flowers or shrubs, and using drawings to establish a planting pattern and/or design, or similar labor endeavors which require the knowledge and ability to complete various steps, phases or procedures.
  • Loads and unloads supplies and materials from trucks, trailers, dollies, etc.
  • Moves furniture, removes and sets signs, paints picnic tables and signs, rakes and waters lawns, trims trees and shrubbery, picks up litter, and cleans and repairs fire pits.
  • Digs ditches and trenches with pick and shovel where soil is hard and compact and must grade or slope; occasionally breaks up pavement, soil, or concrete; mixes and pours concrete, asphalt, and hot/cold mix; fills and levels holes in damaged roads.
  • Cuts trees and heavy vegetation with axe, chainsaw or powered brush cutters; stacks heavy logs, lumber, and sacks of cement.

Physical Demands: The work performed requires the exertion of moderate to very heavy physical effort. The work involves lifting and moving objects over 50 pounds, and in some cases, carrying 80-100 pounds (or more) with assistance.

Working Conditions: Outside work is usually performed under all kinds of weather conditions. Indoor work is often accomplished in office buildings or in well-lighted, heated, and ventilated areas such as warehouses, loading docks, or trade shops. Frequently exposed to weather and temperature extremes, drafts, noise, dust, and dirt and the possibility of bruises, muscle strains, cuts and scrapes. Work requires the employee to follow proper safety procedures and use standard safety equipment such as gloves, ear protectors, safety glasses, and steel-toe shoes to avoid possible hazards in the work area.

The Park is in an area of active volcanism and seismic activity, with frequent earthquakes, volcanic activity in visitor use areas and a tropical environment experiencing 20-150 inches of rain a year. Caustic fumes are present in varying concentrations and are known to be hazardous to persons with respiratory or heart conditions, infants and pregnant females. The long-term effects to healthy persons are unknown. When responsibilities require working in an environment where such gases cannot be avoided, the incumbent may be required to use a respirator in compliance with the park's Respirator Use Program.

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 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.
  • Travel, transportation & relocation expenses will not be paid. Relocation expenses will be the employee's responsibility.
  • 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

To qualify for this position, you must have sufficient knowledge and ability in the following job-related factors:

  • Have the ability to do the work of a Laborer (Motor Vehicle Operator) without more than normal supervision (Screen out)
  • Providing laboring assistance to journey level operators in the maintenance of grounds, and roads.
  • Performing manual Labor work which requires frequent lifting and moving of objects and materials weighing up to 50 pounds;
  • Using a wide variety of light hand and power tools.
  • Operating heavy power equipment such as chainsaws, lawnmowers, string trimmers, weed whackers, brush cutters, chippers, etc.).
  • Erecting signs, barriers, dig ditches, shovel dirt and asphalt, loads/unloads heavy supplies; performing vehicle maintenance on trailers and equipment; performing general landscaping and grounds maintenance;
  • Operating and maintaining motor vehicles up to 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight, driving and towing equipment over Federal, state, and county roads and city streets in all traffic conditions; assisting higher level journeymen trades people in maintenance related tasks.
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.

Additional information on the specific qualification requirements for this position are found in the Job Qualification System for Trades and Labor Occupations. It is available for review on OPM's web site at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/federal-wage-system-qualifications/#url=WG-3500

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.

CTAP Statement: Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) 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 eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(2) for CTAP. 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.

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

For additional information contact:
Stacey Torigoe, Ecologist,
Email: stacey_torigoe@nps.gov

Government housing may be available to local islanders, if needed.

This position will be filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority. Eligibility is limited to applicants who reside within the defined local commuting area at the time of application. For this announcement, the local commuting area is the area from which individuals can reasonably commute to the duty station under normal conditions.

For the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority: You must currently reside in the local commuting area defined as Hawaii County/Island of Hawaii/The Big Island. Please provide supporting evidence/documentation (e.g. mortgage or property deed, lease/rental agreement, utility bill, insurance policy) as proof that you are a resident; a drivers license will NOT be accepted as proof. Review the Required Documents section & How To Apply section to understand exactly what documentation is required to upload with your application.

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

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.

A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR 575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.

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.

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

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.

Applicants will be evaluated based on how well they meet the qualification requirements for the position.

Upon receipt of a completed application package, the Servicing Human Resources Office will review your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements described in this announcement.

Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages. Resumes longer than two pages will not be reviewed. Applicants may submit only one resume. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine qualifications and eligibility. If more than one resume is submitted, only the most recent submission will be reviewed.

This position is being filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority. Under this authority, competitive rating, ranking, and veterans' preference procedures do not apply. The Servicing Human Resources Office will determine whether applicants meet the qualification and eligibility requirements described in this announcement. Applicants who meet these requirements may be referred to the selecting official on a certificate of eligibles for consideration.

Applicants must certify that they maintain a permanent and exclusive residence within the defined vicinity of the field unit(s) listed in this announcement. Residency eligibility will be verified during the hiring process.

If your resume is incomplete or does not demonstrate that you meet the qualification requirements or specialized experience described in this announcement, you may be determined ineligible or not qualified for further consideration.

Providing false or misleading information on your resume or supporting documentation may result in removal from consideration or other action consistent with applicable federal hiring regulations.

Your resume will be reviewed for evidence of the following competencies:

  • Ability To Do The Work Of The Position Without More Than Normal Supervision (SCREEN OUT)
  • Ability To Interpret Instructions, Specifications, etc. (other than blueprints)
  • Ability To Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment
  • Dexterity and Safety
  • Work Practices (including keeping things neat, clean, and in order)

National Park Service

Please visit find a park for additional park information.

Agency contact information

Samantha Pafko
Email
samantha_pafko@ios.doi.gov
Address
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
PO Box 52
Hawaii NP, HI 96718
US

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