Summary

This position is a Small Craft Operator, WG- 5786-9 working in Lodi, California for the R8-Lodi Fish and Wildlife Office.

The Small Craft Operator and Marine Mechanic Team plays a vital role in supporting all projects within the Lodi Fish and Wildlife Office (LFWO), with a primary focus on two collaborative programs: the Delta Juvenile Fish Monitoring Program (DJFMP) and the Enhanced Delta Smelt Monitoring (EDSM) Program.

This is a re-announcement of TS-26-12835846-KC-DE.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Clarification from the agency

Open to all U.S. Citizens. ICTAP/CTAP eligibles.

Duties

This is a temporary appointment intended for seasonal work that is less than 6 months or 1040 hours from the date of appointment/service year. It is expected this position will be terminated upon completion of the seasons work. The agency may non-competitively rehire an eligible temporary seasonal worker in subsequent years who works less than 6 months or 1040 hours in their service year.As a Small Craft Operator your duties will include but are not limited to the following:

Regularly operates navigates, dock/cast-off, and fuel inboard, outboard, and inboard/outboard (I/O), powered vessels, including but not limited to: a variety of small craft vessels (primarily aluminum, with one fiberglass vessel), prop boats, jet boats, from 3 to 13 meters in length (occasionally larger) to facilitate biological sampling of the San Francisco Estuary.
Maintains, services, tracks, and performs minor repairs on all vessels and attached or associated equipment, including sampling gear, vessels, marine diesel and gasoline engines, drive systems and boat trailers.
Assures adherence to safety protocols by all personnel on board and assists in the training of vessel operators and other personnel.
Load and unload cargo from small craft, launches, etc.
Support fish monitoring and conservation projects+

Work Schedule:

Full-time, typically Monday through Friday
Regular overtime and occasional weekend work required
Approximately 80% field work, 20% shop-based tasks

Requirements

Conditions of employment

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation.
Drug Testing Position: Selectees tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment.
Driver’s License: This position requires the incumbent to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of their official duties. Selectee must hold and maintain a valid state driver’s license throughout their employment in this position.
MOCC Certification: Must be able to obtain and maintain USFWS approved Motorboat Operator Certification (MOCC).
Individuals assigned male at birth after 12-31-59 must be registered for the Selective Service. To verify registration visit SSS.gov.
Forklift Certification: Must be able to obtain and maintain USFWS approved Forklift Operator Certification
Swimming: Swimming in ponds, lakes, moving water, and/or coastal aquatic environments is a requirement of this position.
You may be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Qualifications

By the closing date of this announcement, you must meet the requirements of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Handbook X118C, Job Qualification System for Trades and Labor Occupation.

http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/x-118c/

Although no specific amount of experience, education or training is required, applicants must meet a minimum level of ability in relation to the position and the Assessment Questionnaire in order to be rated qualified for consideration. To be qualified candidates must meet any screen out element(s) listed at an "acceptable" level, and must achieve an average rating of at least "acceptable" on all of the elements. Only education, training, or experience acquired before the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

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 for this position is:Ability to perform the duties of a Small Craft Operator without more than normal supervision. This experience may include: the ability to perform the following tasks without more than normal supervision: regularly operate, navigate, dock/cast-off, and fuel inboard, outboard, and inboard/outboard (I/O), powered vessels, including but not limited to: prop boats, jet boats, from 3 to 13 meters in length (occasionally larger) simultaneously operating hydraulic winch controls to deploy, fish, and retrieve sampling gear, including maintenance to hydraulic equipment; and trailering and launching vessels.

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.

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience for Wage Grade (WG) positions.

Additional information

PCS INFORMATION:

No PCS entitlements authorized

-Telework: This position is suitable for telework and may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval.

Additional Vacancies:One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service offices in the local commuting area.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Department of Interior (DOI) Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) procedures apply in filling this vacancy. These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements) for the position with a score of 85 or above on the rating criteria for this position., and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application.
For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp.

Reasonable Accommodation: The USFWS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Please visit USAJOBS Help Center | Reasonable accommodation policy if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process.

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.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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 for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications outlined above.

Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you meet the qualifications your resume and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. Note: If, after reviewing your resume and supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications which resulted in you being listed in the highest quality category, you may lose consideration, or be assigned to a lower quality category for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following Job Elements:

Operation of Motor Vehicles and vessels
Reliability and Dependability as a Small Craft Operator
Work Practices (includes keeping things neat, clean, and in order)
Ability To Interpret Instructions, Specification, etc. (related to mobile equipment operation)
Ability To Operate Safely (Non-Motor Vehicle and vessels)

All qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. The category ratings for this position are: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified

The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three" but protects the rights of Veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category. Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category.

Required Documents

You must submit a complete application package. We will not make assumptions about your experience and/or education.

Required Documents:

1. Resume: You may only submit one resume. Only the resume submitted under the "Resume" "Document Type" will be used to determine your qualifications and for rating purposes. Your resume must describe your job-related qualifications (paid and non-paid work experience) that includes job title, beginning and ending dates (month and year), hours worked per week, and description of job duties. You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included. If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or any other written form, you must ensure this information is provided. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support minimum qualifications. Failure to provide ALL required information on your resume will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. Note: Current and former Federal employees should include pay plan, series, and grade level for relevant federal experience. If experience is for a career ladder position, please ensure to clearly distinguish the job duties for each grade level and how long you were working in each grade level.

Do not include the following types of information in your resume:
- Classified or government sensitive information
- Social Security Number (SSN)
- Photos of yourself
- Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
- Encrypted and digitally signed documents.

Additional Documentation, if applicable:

1. Cover Letter

2. Veterans' Preference Documentation: If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you must attach a copy of your DD-214 Member Copy 2 or 4 showing you were honorably discharged. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. (i.e. VA letter). You may not be awarded preference if you do not attach the correct Veteran Documentation as specified above.

3. CTAP/ICTAP Documentation: If you are applying under CTAP or ICTAP, you MUST submit proof of eligibility under 5 CFR 330.602(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible

4. Current and former federal employees - It is recommended that you submit a copy of your SF-50(s) (Notification of Personnel Action) to support your experience. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include appointments/separations, promotions, within-grade increases.

Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Review the appointment eligibility criteria in the application preview linked below: The eligibility section of the application allows you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You will ONLY be considered for the eligibilities that you select "yes" to and submit the required supporting documentation, as listed in the Required Documents section or the application text.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. See required documents section.

Click 'Apply' to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account.

Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire and upload required documents. To preview the assessment questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12900761.

Please ensure you check the acknowledgement checkbox then click the Submit Application button to submit your application.

Applications must be received by 03/17/2026, 11:59pm ET to receive consideration.

Check application status by logging into your USAJOBS account, in Applications tab, click the position title you applied to for the status. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact the Human Resources Office via email at fwshiring@fws.gov.

Agency contact information

Human Resources Staffing Division

Email

fwshiring@fws.gov

Next steps

Once you submit all the required documents and the online application in USAJOBS, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After the evaluation process is complete, you will be notified of your status and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted by the hiring official.

You will be notified if this job is filled or canceled. Timelines for this process vary widely.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging in to your USAJOBS account as we will not be responding to inquiries about the status of applications as long as the system has been updated.

Overview

Accepting applications

Open & closing dates

03/03/2026 to 03/17/2026

Salary

$37.13 to - $43.25 per hour

Pay scale & grade

WG 9

Location

1 vacancy in the following location:

Lodi, CA

Remote job

No

Telework eligible

Yes—as determined by the agency policy.

Travel Required

25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

Appointment type

Temporary - Not-to-Exceed 1039 Hours

Work schedule

Full-time

Service

Competitive

Promotion potential

None

Job family (Series)

5786 Small Craft Operating

Supervisory status

No

Security clearance

Not Required

Drug test

Yes

Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process

Credentialing

Financial disclosure

No

Bargaining unit status

No

Announcement number

TS-26-12900761-KC-DE

Control number

859539900

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

About Company

Small Craft Operator