Seasonal Maintenance Worker (Trails)

Full Job Description

These temporary positions are located in Shenandoah National Park, Trails and Backcountry Facilities Branch.

The primary purpose of these positions is to maintain, repair, and construct Park trails and structures. This announcement has an early cut-off date (see Duties section for more information).

To qualify for this position, you must have sufficient knowledge and ability in the following job-related factors: Ability to do the work of the position without more than normal supervision (SCREEN OUT) Knowledge of equipment assembly, installation, repair, etc.

Technical practices Use of measuring instruments Ability to interpret instructions, specifications, etc.

Ability to use and maintain tools and equipment Knowledge of materials SCREEN OUT: Skilled in at least two of the trades (carpentry, masonry, landscaping, painting, etc.) related to trail construction and rehabilitation work including repair of trail tread and drainage structures; constructing walls, turn piking, cribbing, and foot bridges; removing windfalls, felling trees, and utilizing block, tackle, and winches for moving and placing heavy objects; installed water bars, rock and wood, turn piking, and repair trail tread through leveling with fill; operating utility vehicles (Bobcat, UTV, 4x4, etc.).

Experience includes the use and maintenance of proper tools to complete the task.

Able to perform the strenuous work required by this position such as carrying heavy objects weighing up to 100 pounds and hiking mountainous terrain up to 20 miles per day.

Considered an expert and work with a high degree of independence. 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.

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/ICTAP: 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). Major Duties:

Initial Cut-off Date: This is an open continuous announcement, in which applications are collected over several months, and have multiple cut-off dates.

Applications will be considered throughout the open period of the announcement.

** The first cut-off date for early referral is January 11, 2026.** Referral certificates will be issued when a hiring official exhausts current certificate and/or additional vacancies need to be filled.

These positions perform routine and complex trail maintenance, rehabilitation and construction of graded foot, mountain bike, horse trails, and trail structures.

Work includes: Building, repairing, and maintaining erosion control structures, retaining walls, tread surfaces, and re-blazing of trails. Park boundary line maintenance.

Removal of vegetation growth and fallen rock and tree obstructions from trails.

Maintain ADA accessible trails with special surfaces, trails in high visitor use areas, foot and horse use trails in remote backcountry areas and trails in designated Wilderness areas.

Trail work is performed with a variety of hand tools including shovels, picks, fire rakes, swing blades (grass whip), McLeods, pulaskis, rock bars, cross-cut saws, wheelbarrows, grip hoist, etc.

and small power equipment such as chainsaws, weed trimmers, rock drills and jack hammers.

Operates vehicles in the performance of assigned duties for transportation of self and other employees to and from worksites.

Typical vehicles include pickup trucks (including 4WD operation), utility body trucks, crew cab pickup/utility trucks, automobiles, panel vans, light mower and utility tractors, all-terrain vehicles, and small towed equipment or trailers.

The position requires frequent strenuous activity. Selectees are required to hike up to 10 miles over steep, rough and uneven mountainous terrain into backcountry worksites while carrying work tools.

At least ninety percent of work is performed in an outdoor setting.

These positions will be duty stationed at either Park Headquarters Maintenance Area near Luray, VA or Big Meadows Maintenance Area near mile-marker 51 on Skyline Drive.

These positions may be filled at either the WG-05 grade level or the WG-07 grade level.

POSITION LOCATION: Shenandoah National Park preserves and protects more than 300 square miles of nationally significant natural and cultural resources, scenic beauty, and congressionally designated wilderness within Virginia's northern Blue Ridge Mountains; and provides a broad range of opportunities for public enjoyment, recreation, inspiration, and stewardship.

Within just 90 miles of Washington D.C. the Park provides visitors the ability to explore mountain peaks, hidden hollows, cascading streams, accessible wilderness, and stunning natural beauty.

Approximately 40% of the Park is designated wilderness with over 500 miles of hiking trails and the iconic Skyline Drive, SHEN was established as an eastern Park that provided a "western Park experience".

Due to the Park's easy accessibility to D.C and other highly populated areas along the east coast, visitation exceeds 1.4 million visitors annually which results in significant resource protection and visitor management issues and incidents.