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Small Engine Mechanic (Fire Support)

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located within a National Interagency Support Cache (NISC).

This position works to ensure maintenance and repair of powered support equipment included in the National Fire Equipment System (NFES) inventory, as well as other small engine powered equipment used in support of incident activity.

For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Nathan Lancaster at nathan.lancaster@usda.gov or Marcus Medina at marcus.medina@usda.gov.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
07/08/2025 to 07/18/2025
Salary
$24.24 to - $28.27 per hour

Pay rates vary depending on location and may be higher or lower than the amount shown. See Additional Information Section.

Pay scale & grade
WG 8
Locations
Few vacancies in the following locations:
Prescott, AZ
Ontario, CA
Redding, CA
Lakewood, CO
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Travel may be required for site visits and for meeting/training attendance.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time - Positions may be filled as permanent full time, or permanent seasonal. See Additional Information.
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
Announcement number
25-EHT-CACHE3-2FS061-8DP
Control number
839632300

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to the Public.

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Duties

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  • Performs at a journeyman level to accomplish a full range of maintenance, diagnostic testing, and repair work on a variety of small engine equipment.
  • Performs major and minor overhauls and repairs following standards established by manufacturers and agency.
  • Uses various techniques, such as failure analysis techniques, to diagnose problems and determines required repairs.
  • Uses tools and equipment such as power tools, compression gauges, ammeters and voltmeters, computerized engine analyzers, and other diagnostic equipment to locate faulty parts and tune engines.
  • Maintains dimensional accuracy using precision instruments such as vernier calipers, inside and outside micrometers, surface gauges, height gauges, squares, and dial indicators.
  • Performs repair work on equipment used in refurbishment operations, and in support of various other departments.
  • Follows safety regulations in accordance with OSHA and agency policies and/or guidelines, shop safety practices and hazardous materials handling procedures.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service or exempt.
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
  • 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.

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.

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.

Note on Experience: Your resume must clearly document the following for each block of work experience; the beginning day, month and year the work assignment started and ended; the hours worked per week; position title, and series and grade if applicable; and description of duties performed. This information must be provided for each permanent, temporary or seasonal appointment/work assignment or volunteer work and should be clearly documented as a separate block of time. Incomplete, inaccurate or conflicting work history may not be credited for qualifications purposes. This can result in an applicant not being considered for the position.

Applicants will be evaluated on their ability to perform the duties of the position rather than length of experience.

Eligibility will be determined by relevance, scope, and quality of overall experience and training, regardless of where or how acquired. Applicants will be ranked and rated based on their knowledge of the job elements identified below:

Screen-out Job Element: Applicants must show the Ability to do the Work of the Position Without More than Normal Supervision. Applicants who do not meet the screen-out job elements will not be further evaluated.

In addition to the above requirements, applicants will be ranked and rated based on their knowledge of the job elements identified below:

  • Knowledge of Equipment Assembly, Installation, Repair, etc.
  • Technical Practices (theoretical, precise, artistic)
  • Use of Measuring Instruments
  • Ability to Interpret Instructions, Specification, etc. (Includes blueprint reading)
  • Ability to Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment
  • Trouble Shooting
To receive consideration for this position, you must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

Pay rates as shown are reflective of the El Paso, TX (RUS) Wage Area. Pay rates vary depending on location and may be higher or lower than the amount shown. Please visit the Office of Personnel Management website for additional information on pay rates.

Final determination of duty station will be made by the selecting official at the time of job offer.


The USDA Forest Service has legislative authority to recruit and fill Permanent (Career/Career-Conditional), Temporary, and Term Appointments under the USDA Demonstration Project. Under this authority, any U.S. citizen may apply.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must meet the agency's definition for a quality candidate as provided in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of this announcement to be considered.

Physical Effort: You may be required to push, lift, and carry up to 60 pounds.

Work Environment: May be exposed to weather elements, noise, fumes, dust, and other hazards associated with warehouse operations.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Employees may be required to wear personal protective equipment and/or clothing. while performing duties associated with their field of work.

Work Schedule: This announcement may be used to fill positions with a seasonal work schedule where full-time work is guaranteed for 13 or 18 pay periods and when not working, you will be placed in non-pay/non-duty status.

The work may require long hours on short notice, callback in evenings or on weekends, work shifts of 12 hours for extended periods, holiday shifts, and/or receiving telephone calls after regular hours. The employee may be subject to fire or detail assignments in logistic support roles.

This position is not eligible for telework.

Positions filled from this announcement may be a bargaining or a non-bargaining unit position represented by either NFFE, AFGE, or NAGE.

Government housing and federal day care facilities may be available. Availability as it relates to this be position may not be determined until time of selection.

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

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 in accordance with the category rating procedure as defined in the USDA Demonstration Project Plan. Applicants who meet the basic minimum qualification requirements established for the position will be placed in the Eligible category. You will be further evaluated against criteria for placement in the Quality category. This evaluation is based on the level of your experience, education, and/or training as determined by your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire. Individuals with veterans' preference are listed ahead of applicants who do not have veterans' preference within each category.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. 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 up to including removal from the Federal service.

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12752753

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