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Posted: April 3, 2026 (1 day ago)

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Field Unit Local Hiring Authority (FUL) - Seasonal Tractor Operator

National Park Service

Department of the Interior

Fresh

Salary

$22.79 - $26.59

per hour

Closes

April 10, 2026More NPS jobs →

Job Description

Summary

This seasonal job involves operating tractors and attachments for maintenance tasks like mowing and earth moving along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.

It's a temporary full-time role limited to about 1559 hours per year, ideal for someone with hands-on experience in machinery who enjoys outdoor work in varying weather and terrain.

A good fit would be a reliable, safety-focused individual comfortable working independently in a national park setting.

Key Requirements

  • Ability to perform duties with minimal supervision (screen-out factor)
  • Safe driving skills for motor vehicles
  • Ability to interpret instructions, specifications, and blueprints
  • Safe operation of non-motorized equipment
  • Reliability and dependability as a tractor operator
  • Experience operating tractors in diverse environmental conditions, including steep or wet terrain
  • Knowledge of tractor characteristics, attachments, and equipment controls for tasks like mowing and earth moving
  • Skills in connecting equipment (e.g., mechanical shafts, hydraulic lines) and performing basic maintenance

Full Job Description

These Positions are located in Blue Ridge Parkway, in the Maintenance & Engineering Division.

This Job Announcement is for a temporary position not-to-exceed 1559 regular hours with a FULLTIME work schedule. This position is being filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority (FUL).

See below under Additional Information for further eligibility guidance.

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.

To qualify for this position, you must have sufficient knowledge and ability in the following job-related factors: Ability To Perform The Duties Without More Than Normal Supervision (SCREEN OUT) Ability to Drive Safely (Motor Vehicles) Ability To Interpret Instructions, Specification, etc.

(includes blueprints reading) Ability To Operate Safely (Non-Motor Vehicle) Operation of Motor Vehicles Reliability and Dependability as a Tractor Operator Work Practices (including keeping things neat, clean, and in order) 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. The incumbent must have experience that demonstrates ability to perform work as a tractor operator.

This experience must have included: Operate a variety of tractors under a variety of environmental conditions; Skill in manipulation of equipment controls to perform a variety of tasks (e.g.

mowing, earth moving, etc.); Ability to compensate for changing surface conditions (e.g.

steep slopes, wet and/or slick hillsides, etc.); Knowledge of the operating characteristics of a variety of tractors, attachments and equipment controls; Skill in the manipulation of towed or attached equipment to perform specific tasks; Knowledge of equipment to be able to make multiple connections from equipment to tractor (e.g.

connecting mechanical drift shafts and hydraulic lines); Ability to perform preventative and minor corrective maintenance on a variety of tractors and attachments.

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.

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 1559 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 1559 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply.

However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1559 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 1559 hours.

The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1559 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.

ICTAP/CTAP: 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).

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

Temporary positions not-to-exceed 1559 regular hours in a service year may be terminated sooner or extended depending on management needs. Please see more information under the requirement section.

Incumbent's primarily performs a variety of tasks associated with roadside mowing and landscape maintenance.

May also be involved in performing minor and non-recurring repair of buildings, structures, facilities, and roads.

Operates farm type tractors and Power Take-Off (PTO) driven implements, riding mowers, and associated hand machinery associated with mowing operations.

Removes trash and debris from roadway and road sites; operates heavy riding and walking-type lawn mowers, cuts trees with chainsaw.

Area/Duty Station Information: The Blue Ridge Parkway extends 469 miles along the crest of the southern Appalachian Mountains through North Carolina and Virginia between two eastern national parks - Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains.

For more park information, log on to: http://www.nps.gov/blri. Duty locations for these vacancies are located in the four Interpretive Districts of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

RIDGE (District Office, Vesuvius VA) - MP 0 (Junction of Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive) to MP 106 near Roanoke, VA, traverses through six counties: Nelson, Augusta, Rockbridge, Amherst, Bedford, and Botetourt.

Duty locations include James River (Bedford Co.), Peaks of Otter (Bedford Co.) and Montebello (Augusta Co). PLATEAU (District Office, Floyd, VA) - MP 106 (near Roanoke, VA) to Milepost 217 (Rt.

18 access to the Parkway in NC) traverses through eight counties in VA: Roanoke, Botetourt, Bedford, Franklin, Floyd, Patrick, Carroll, and Grayson.

Duty locations include Fancy Gap (Carroll Co), Rocky Knob (Floyd Co.), and Vinton (Roanoke Co.). HIGHLANDS (District Office, Laurel Springs, NC) - MP 217 (Rt.

18 access to the Parkway) to MP 305 (near Grandfather Mountain State Park) traverses through seven counties: Ashe, Alleghany, Caldwell, Watauga, and Wilkes.

Duty locations include Benge (Ashe Co.), Bluffs (Alleghany Co.), Cumberland Knob (Watauga Co.), and Sandy Flat (Watauga Co.). PISGAH (District Office, Oteen, NC) - MP 305 (at St. Rt.

221 access to the Parkway) to MP 469 at Cherokee, NC traverses through seven counties: McDowell, Mitchell, Yancey, Buncombe, Henderson, Haywood, Transylvania, Jackson, and Swain.

Duty location include Balsam (Jackson Co.), Gillespie Gap (Mitchell Co.), Linville Falls (Avery Co.), Oteen (Buncombe Co.) and Water Rock Gap (Haywood Co.).and building upkeep duties.

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Posted on USAJOBS: 4/3/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 4/4/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: SE-BLRI-26-12925536-FUL