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Laborer (Trails) (Seasonal)

National Park Service
4 days ago
Temporary
On-site
Gatlinburg, Tennessee, United States
$18.51 - $18.51 USD hourly

Duties

Some of the Laborer Standard Duties include but are not limited to:

  • Performs all aspects of trail maintenance and construction as assigned by the trails maintenance work leader, or designee.
  • Clearing brush and fallen logs from trail corridor
  • Cleans, repairs, and constructs log or rock drains; installs log or rock retainer bars/steps and checks and/or constructs foot and stock bridges from native materials.
  • Digging ditches and trenches with picks and shovels where soil is hard and compact and must be graded or sloped. Breaking up pavement, soil, or concrete; mixing and pouring concrete, asphalt, and hot/cold mix; filling and leveling holes in damaged roads.
  • Cutting heavy trees with an ax or chainsaw, stacking heavy logs, lumber, and sacks of cement.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Males must meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement.
  • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • Occupancy of government quarters may be required.
  • Government housing may be available but is not guaranteed.
    • Use find a park to contact specific parks for more information on government housing.
  • You may be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and/or shift work.
  • You may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.
  • You may be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license will be required in such cases.
    • You must be at least 18 years of age or older to operate government vehicles.
  • You may be required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority.
  • You must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.
  • You must, at minimum, be able to lift 50 pounds.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-10/27/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Applicants must be physically fit and, as required in the Office of Personnel Management Qualifications Handbook X-118C, must possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the job elements listed below to perform the duties of the position at the level for which they are applying. A specific length of time and experience is not required. Qualification requirements emphasis is on the quality of experience, not necessarily the length of time.

To qualify for this position, you must have sufficient knowledge and ability in the following job-related factors:

  1. Ability To Do the Work of the Position Without More Than Normal Supervision (SCREEN OUT)
  2. Ability to Interpret Instructions, Specification, etc. (other than blueprint reading)
  3. Ability To Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment
  4. Work Practices (including keeping things neat, clean, and in order)
  5. Dexterity and Safety
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. Your resume must support your response to the assessment questionnaire, and if it does not, your application will be marked as not eligible. 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.

You must meet at least 2 points on the screen-out element(s) and obtain an average of at least 2 points on all of the job elements to be considered qualified for this position.

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.

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience for Federal Wage System (FWS) positions.

Additional information

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 salary range on this vacancy does not grant an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

Click here for the OPM Salaries and Wages to calculate locality pay.

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 1039 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 combined total of 1039 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1039 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 1039 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1039 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM.

*This position may be filled under a temporary seasonal appointment not-to-exceed 1560 hours rather than 1039 hours depending on the park and program*

Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations.

Physical Demands: The work performed requires very heavy physical effort. The incumbent routinely lifts, pushes, pulls, and carries items weighing 50 pounds, and up to 150 pounds (or more) with assistance. Work will routinely require walking several miles per day over park trails to and from job sites.

Working Conditions: Almost all of the incumbent's work will be outside in all kinds of weather conditions. Work frequently involves the possibility of experiencing exposure to poisonous plants, bruises, muscle strains, cuts and scrapes, sunburn, and insect bites. As a result, the employee must follow proper safety procedures and use standard safety equipment such as hard hats, gloves, ear protectors, safety glasses, and steel-toe shoes to avoid possible hazards and serious injuries.

Much of the time the incumbent will be living in remote back country camps for extended periods of time, cooking over an open fire and sleeping in a tent. The incumbent must be able to live cooperatively in camp with other crew members, practice minimum impact camping and proper food storage for food preservation and protection from wildlife (e.g., bears, etc.), and maintain good personal and camp hygiene.


All Department of Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, https://www.doi.gov/ethics/ethics-prohibitions.

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.