What are the responsibilities and job description for the LOCK AND DAM OPERATOR position at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers?

Summary

This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Personnel of the DoD to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service.

About the Position : As a Lock and Dam Operator / Trainee you will operate lock / lock and dam gates, control valves, and other equipment required for a variety of private / commercial traffic through lock structure and / or maintenance of required pool levels.

This job is open to

The public

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

Clarification from the agency

This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Personnel of the DoD to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service.

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Duties

Handle bow or stern lines, walk lines in proper locations along the wall, and snub lines to assist pilot in maneuvering craft into position.

Operate electric gate controls to open or close gates at one end of the lock chamber.

Operate electrically controlled tow haulage unit to move barges into and out of lock chamber.

Contact boat pilots to obtain data such as number of passengers, tonnage and commodities being transported, point of origin and destination, etc.

Secure lines and slings to materials or equipment being moved and provide hand signals to operator for moving items to and from barges or trucks, or place bulkheads, etc.

Perform a variety of tasks in providing assistance to and / or personally performing work required for the installation, repair, and maintenance of lock or lock and dam machinery and equipment of equipment of mechanical or electrical type.

Perform carpentry or plumbing required for major construction or repair maintenance; concrete work, etc.

Perform seasonal duties such as grass cutting, trimming, gardening; shoveling snow, clearing ice; as well as janitorial tasks such as cleaning control house and other site buildings, restrooms, facilities, standby equipment, etc.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.

Drug Testing Designated Position. This position meets criteria for random drug testing under the Department of the Army (DA) Drug-Free Federal Workplace Program.

Mission Essential. This position is not subject to administrative dismissal in emergencies based on inclement weather conditions, or other emergency situations, as appropriate.

Days of operations and typical daily schedules will vary based on site-specific work requirements. Work schedules and hours of operation are locally determined based on work requirements.

May be required to wear a prescribed uniform, based on site-specific requirements.

May be required to maintain an American Red Cross Standard First Aid card in good standing, based on site-specific requirements.

Appropriate protective clothing and / or equipment will be provided to minimize or eliminate hazardous conditions, and its use is mandator

Position requires a pre-employment physical and annually thereafter.

Qualifications

Who May Apply : US Citizens

This Open Continuous announcement allows acceptance of applications through the closing date. The intent of this announcement is to establish a standing register of qualified candidates and refer for consideration when vacancies occur. Applications will be reviewed and referred for selection as vacancies occur within the organization. The initial cutoff for this announcement is 21 October 2024. Subsequent cutoffs will be as needed when vacancies occur. Your application will expire after 4 months. Thereafter you must reapply (at least every 4 months) to keep your application active for this vacancy.

Period of Eligibility : 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. There is no specific length of training or experience required. However, you must be able to demonstrate, through experience shown in your written application materials that you possess the sufficient knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the work of this position without more than normal supervision.

Positions advertised fall under the USACE Inland Marine Technology System (IMTS).

Employees participate in a formalized training and development program for Lock and Dam Operators involving on-the-job training, classroom instruction, and related correspondence courses.

Trainee positions afford the opportunity for career progression to the intermediate grade of WY-07; and final grade of WY-08 after successful completion of training and certification requirements.

Minimum Qualifications (Screen Out Element) : Ability to do the work of a LOCK AND DAM OPERATOR without more than normal supervision. At a minimum, your level of experience must show that you have performed various simple maintenance or repair tasks utilizing mechanical or electrical equipment; and operated simple electrical or mechanical equipment such as : lawn mowers, hedge clippers, electric drills, power wrenches, and hydraulic lifts. - Failure to meet this Screen Out Element will result in an ineligible rating.

Physical Effort : Eye and hand coordination for operating various controls and handling lines while observing traffic and personnel, during crane lifting operations, lifting dam gates, etc. There is standing, stooping, bending, occasional lifting in excess of 50 pounds, stretching, working in cramped positions, handling or maneuvering bulky items or equipment, and general continuous moderate to arduous physical activity.

Working Conditions : Preponderance of work is performed outside subject to extremes of temperature and weather, There is exposure of injuries associated with working in restricted areas (occasionally in cramped and / or uncomfortably hot or cold areas), from falling objects, from working with electrical power tools and wiring or other equipment, from working with normal manual tools, and from falls while working on lock walls, dam service bridge, etc. While possibility of drowning exists as result of falls while working around water, hazard is practically eliminated through observance of safety procedures and use of safety equipment. During maintenance operations is occasionally exposed to unpleasant fumes, dust, etc.

Education

IMTS Lock and Dam Operator Training and Certification Program

Newly-Appointed Lock and Dam Operators (LDOs) must successfully complete certification requirements before promotion to the full performance level may be effected.

Certification is not a condition of employment. However, failing to meet certification requirements could result in adverse consequences.

Certification is voluntary for Current LDOs. Although not required, current LDOs are encouraged to obtain certification as it may be helpful when seeking advancement through competitive or noncompetitive opportunities.

IMTS-Certified LDOs must successfully complete refresher training, as required, to maintain certification.

Additional information

Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.

You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.

One year trial / probationary period may be required.

Direct Deposit of Pay is required.

Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.

If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.

This is a Career Program (18) position.

Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.

Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.

Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.

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.

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement.

If, after reviewing your resume and / or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and / or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

Veterans and Military Spouses will be considered along with all other candidates.

Benefits

Review our benefits

Required Documents

As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public Announcements.

As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

1. Your resume :

Your resume may be submitted in any format and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement.

If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may not be considered for this vacancy.

For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.e., HRS per week and month / year to month / year or month / year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and you may not receive consideration for this position.

For additional information see : What to include in your resume.

2. Other supporting documents :

Cover Letter, optional

Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable

NOTE : Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.

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

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11 : 59 PM (EST) on 09 / 26 / 2025 to receive consideration

To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application (https : / / apply.usastaffing.gov / ViewQuestionnaire / 12560395).

Follow the prompts to select your resume and / or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.

You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. You must re-select your resume and / or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.

Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https : / / my.usajobs.gov / Account / Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit : https : / / www.usajobs.gov / Help / how-to / application / status / .

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk

Website

https : / / portal.chra.army.mil / hr_public?id=app_inq

Address

RE-W2SM04 US ARMY ENGINEER DISTRICT-PITTSBURGH

DO NOT MAIL

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Next steps

If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking (as applicable) for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.

Fair and Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Criminal history inquiries

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy

Financial suitability

New employee probationary period

Privacy Act

Reasonable accommodation policy

Selective Service

Signature and false statements

Social security number request

Required Documents