Crane Operator

Job Description

Summary

This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Personnel of the DoD Workforce to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service. About the Position: Serves in a dual role at a high-lift lock and dam facility. Executes high-precision crane operations and performs journeyman-level maintenance, diagnostics, and repairs on complex mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical systems.

Duties

As a Crane Operator you will:

Operate a variety of boom cranes in restricted outdoor locations where accuracy is critical, including truck-mounted, pedestal-mounted, and a permanently placed 75-ton stiff-leg derrick (with a 45-foot mast and 90-foot boom).

Execute high-precision lifts, including "blind lifts" up to 60 feet and lifts near equipment capacity, requiring extreme care, "feel," and close coordination with rigging crews via hand signals or radio.

Perform precise load placements to load/unload trucks and floating equipment, place/remove lock maintenance materials, and dry-dock boats and barges.

Perform rigging using manila rope and steel cables (including splicing and repairs) and conduct routine preventative maintenance and safety inspections on cranes and associated equipment.

As a Journeyman Lock and Dam Equipment Mechanic you will:

Diagnose, maintain, repair, and overhaul complex machinery and interlocking systems, including electrically and hydraulically operated miter gates, tainter gates, valves, and high-pressure hydraulic systems (up to 2500 psi).

Inspect, calibrate, and troubleshoot electrical switchgear, limit switches, control panels, selsyn circuits, large horsepower motors, and temporary bypass circuits using electrical schematics and blueprints.

Inspect, troubleshoot, and rebuild diesel/gasoline engines and auxiliary equipment, such as standby generators, air compressors, bulkhead hoists, and heavy mobile equipment.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. 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. Veterans and Military Spouses will be considered along with all other candidates.

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. This position requires a 1 year probationary period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest. 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(n) Engineers and Scientists Career Program position aligned under the Construction, Analysis, Science, Infrastructure & Engineers (CASIE) Career Management Directorate. 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. May require employee to wear uniform and/or protective clothing. May require working outside in all kinds of weather. Not eligible for telework. The following incentives may be authorized: Student Loan Repayment, Advanced In-Hire, Recruitment Incentive, Relocation Incentive and/or Advance Leave Accrual.

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 10/20/2026 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/13083290). Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. As a reminder, your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For additional information, refer to the 'Required Documents' section. 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. Your resume selected in USAJOBS will be included, but you must re-select other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application may 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://www.usajobs.gov/applicant/profile/dashboard/), 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://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.

Required Documents

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 must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For each relevant work experience, make sure you include the employer's name, job title, start and end dates (include month and year), for qualifications purposes, the number of hours worked per week, and a brief description that show you can perform the tasks at the required level listed in the job announcement. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you may not receive consideration for this position. Use plain language. Avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood. The hiring agency will not make assumptions about what's in your resume. 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 additional information, to include formatting tips, see: What to include in your resume. 2. Other supporting documents: Cover Letter, optional Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable This position requires a job-related license or certification. You MUST submit a copy of your license or certification with your application package or you will be rated ineligible. See: Transcripts and Licenses 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.

What to Expect Next

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.

About the Agency

Build Strong With Us at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), where engineering excellence meets public service. As the Nation's premier engineering, design, and construction management agency, we deliver innovative and efficient solutions that strengthen national security, support economic growth, and reduce disaster risks for communities across the country. At USACE, you will find meaningful work, collaborative teams, and opportunities to grow your career while making a lasting impact. We seek talented professionals with vision, creativity, leadership, and technical expertise to help solve some of the Nation's toughest engineering challenges. Build your purpose. Build your profession. Build your future. Discover why USACE is a great place to work and Build Strong With Us.

Requirements

Who May Apply: US Citizens 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. For the WY-11: Minimum Qualifications (Screen Out Element): Ability to do the work of a(n) Crane Operator without more than normal supervision. I have the ability to perform common duties of a Crane Operator. I am able to operate a truck or barge-mounted crane or a permanently placed 75-ton stiff-leg crane in open areas well within lift capacity to perform one or more of the following: load and unload trucks, floating equipment, remove debris from inland waters, and/or to dry dock boats and barges. I am able to perform rigging and routine preventative maintenance on cranes. I possess a current National Crane Operator Category 1 Certification (e.g., NCCCO or OECP). I work under normal supervision of a work leader or journey-level employee who observes tasks in progress and upon completion to make sure they are properly performed. - Failure to meet this Screen Out Element will result in an ineligible rating. PHYSICAL EFFORT: The incumbent may work in a static position for long periods of time, making continual changes to controls to maneuver loads in tight places. Work requires frequent standing, stooping, stretching, climbing and crouching. Routinely lifts and carries items weighing up to 50 pounds. Uses coordination of eyes, hands, legs and body in installing, repairing, or testing equipment in confined spaces such as manholes, enclosed switchgear structures, or on overhead structures; climbs ladders and poles. Machinery on high lift structures is large and requires the skills of a heavy construction mechanic to effect repair or replacement. WORKING CONDITIONS: Some duties are performed inside closed cage of crane, while some duties are performed outside in foul weather while operating hoisting machinery or connecting slings, etc. The work requires alertness and coordination in the manipulation of controls of cranes. Must demonstrate ability in operation of land operated cranes and secure required operators certificates by passing appropriate written and practical tests. Maintenance work is performed indoors and outdoors during the day or night subject to inclement weather, on high structures usually over water that is frequently turbulent, in the proximity of moving machinery and high tension electrical equipment, on scaffolds and from slings or floating plant. Occasionally will work behind bulkheads or in tunnels below water level. Incumbent is subject to falls, drowning, electrical shocks, injury, or discomfort and when inside, exposure to moving machinery, electrical circuits and loud noises, and at times, dangerous icy conditions. Uses safety equipment such as life vests, protective ear devices, hard hats, hard toe shoes, respirators and protective clothing.