Engineering Equipment Operator

Full Job Description

This position is located at the San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery in Santa Nella, California.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement,02/26/2026.

Candidates must demonstrate the potential to operate equipment such as graders, tractors with bulldozer or angledozer blades, front-end loaders, backhoes, trench diggers, and large industrial tractors with pan or scraper attachments.

Evidence of this potential can be shown through work, training, or education that establishes proficiency in operating this type of equipment.

EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required, but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position.

Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume.

Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Qualification Standard Handbook X-118C ( www.opm.gov/qualifications/x-118c).

SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire.

Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated.

The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements. The screen-out element(s) for this position are/is: Ability to do the job without more than normal supervision.

Must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license.

JOB ELEMENTS: Those who meet the minimum level of experience and training for the screen-out element will then be evaluated in each of the following job elements: Motor Vehicles Interpret Instructions Operate Safely Without more than normal supervision Work Practices 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; religions; 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: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week.

Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities.

Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: This position requires heavy physical effort with reaching, bending, turning, and moving hands, arms, feet and legs to operate the different sets of controls while operating the equipment and attachments.

The Incumbent may be subjected to considerable strain caused by vibration, jerking, and jolting of the equipment over rough surfaces and the need to operate controls in awkward positions.

Heavy effort is frequently exercised when performing duties such as tamping, carrying caskets/urns, lifting/moving grave planks, setting headstones, etc.

Incumbent must be able to walk on hilly, flat, or rolling terrain. This position requires the employee to life weights up to 50 lbs.

Occasionally items weighing more than 50 lbs are lifted with assistance from co-workers. Employee may be exposed to noise levels exceeding 85 dBA for up to eight (8) hours per day.

This exposure may adversely affect hearing. Working Conditions: Work must be performed outdoors, and incumbent will be exposed to all types of weather throughout the year.

Incumbent will be exposed to the sun, noise, extreme hear, and humidity, cold, snow, rain, wind, and is subject to dirt, dust, fumes (from motor and exhaust) mud, and water.

Work is performed in areas where pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers are applied. Appropriate protective equipment will be worn.

The operator is exposed to injury from mishaps that may be involved in the operation of grounds maintenance equipment. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.

All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drugs use prior to appointment.

Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.

In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may 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.

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. Major Duties:

The incumbent is responsible for operating a variety of gasoline and diesel-powered engineering equipment in a variety of terrains to push, pull, pile and load sand, gravel, earth, topsoil, rock, and other materials.

Equipment used included wheeled and track excavators, front end loaders, backhoes, bull dozers, vibratory rollers, trench diggers and large industrial tractors with a vary attachments.

Also operates dump trucks, road sweepers and similar type equipment. Operates heavy engineering equipment to excavate, backfill, grade and level earth to exact specifications.

Specifically, the incumbent excavates first and second interment gravesites and backfills said graves to ensure proper compaction to exacting tolerances.

Wheeled and track excavators as will as large backhoes are used. In many instances interred human remains are inches apart from new burial sites, requiring total attention to detail.

Damage to existing burial vaults or caskets are unacceptable.

Electric and irrigation water lines are present throughout grave sections, and the incumbent must possess skill and knowledge in reading cemetery maps so electric and irrigation water lines are not compromised.

Also, the incumbent must possess skill and knowledge in performing gravesite layout while understanding the Interment Layout Plan when opening new and existing gravesites and measuring distance between headstones/markers.

Work schedule: May be required to work Monday through Friday to include occasional weekends.

Due to the mission of the National Cemetery, the cemetery cannot be closed for more than 2 consecutive days at any given time.

Additionally, when a Federal holiday falls on a Monday or Friday, staff may be required to work on that holiday or a Saturday. All staff is required to work Memorial Day each year.

Staff will be required to work overtime, weekends and holidays when necessary to meet the needs of the cemetery.

Occasionally staff may be called back to the facility to perform emergency overtime work.

Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not Available Position Description Title/PD#: Engineering Equipment Operator/ PD1614622 The full performance level of this position is WG - 10 Relocation Expenses: Not Authorized Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required If interested in applying for this position you may preview the online application: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12893751