Summary This position is located at the Wood National Cemetery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Responsibilities Operates one or more @types of heavy equipment with multiple hand and foot controls, such a as a backhoe, to dig, push, pull, pile, and load earth. For example, the operator uses equipment that is fitted with a front-end loader to maneuver to a specific spot to transfer material from the ground into a dump truck. The equipment is used as a tool for the purpose of digging multiple graves and preparing grave sites for first and subsequent interments. Landscapes grave sites by clearing brush, tree stumps, and rocks and cleaning underdeveloped land. Adjusts attachments for proper level, angle, and depth, according to the work to be done and they @type of equipment used. Work is generally done on flat or rolling terrain, at new or previously landscape grave sites with simple terrain problems. Operates backhoe in place to excavate earth composed of dirt, rock, sand, and/or clay from grave sites. Digs graves on level ground and hillsides above or below the frost line under widely varying conditions, subject to contact with mud, ice, snow, rock, hand-pan clay, and tree stumps. Uses equipment to dig ditches in occupied grave sites for the placement of French drains and to backfill and tamp grave sites following burials. If interested in applying for this position you may preview the online application: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12998079 Work schedule: May be required to work Monday through Friday to include occasional weekends. Due to the mission of the National Cemetery, the cemetery cannot be closed for more than 2 consecutive days at any given time. Additionally, when a Federal holiday falls on a Monday or Friday, staff may be required to work on that holiday or a Saturday. All staff is required to work Memorial Day each year. Staff will be required to work overtime, weekends and holidays when necessary to meet the needs of the cemetery. Occasionally staff may be called back to the facility to perform emergency overtime work. Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not Available Position Description Title/PD#:Engineering Eqpt Operator/PD136400 The full performance level of this position is WG-08. Relocation Expenses: Not Authorized Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/13/2026. Your background must demonstrate work involved in the operation of equipment such as graders, tractors with bulldozer or angledozer blades, front-end loaders, backhoes, trench diggers, and large industrial tractors with pan or scraper attachments. EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required, but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Qualification Standard Handbook X-118C ( www.opm.gov/qualifications/x-118c). 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(s) for this position is/are: Ability to do the job without more than normal supervision. Must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license. JOB ELEMENTS: Those who meet the minimum level of experience and training for the screen-out element will then be evaluated in each of the following job elements: Interpret Instructions, Specifications (mobile equipment operations) Motor Vehicles Operate Safely (Non-Motor Vehicle) Without more than normal supervision Work Practices 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; religions; 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: This position requires heavy physical effort with reaching, bending, turning, and moving hands, arms, feet and legs to operate the different sets of controls while operating the equipment and attachments. The Incumbent may be subjected to considerable strain caused by vibration, jerking, and jolting of the equipment over rough surfaces and the need to operate controls in awkward positions. Heavy effort is frequently exercised when performing duties such as tamping, carrying caskets/urns, lifting/moving grave planks, setting headstones, etc. Incumbent must be able to walk on hilly, flat, or rolling terrain. This position requires the employee to life weights up to 50 lbs. Occasionally items weighing more than 50 lbs are lifted with assistance from co-works. Employee may be exposed to noise levels exceeding 85 dBA for up to eight (8) hours per day. This exposure may adversely affect hearing. Working Conditions: Work is performed in all @types of weather, in vehicles without air conditioning, often in an open driver's seat or platform, on hills, slopes, grades, rolling surfaces, and forests. The operators are exposed to injury due to the possibility of the equipment overturning. They are subject to noise, vibration, dust, dirt, and fumes from the motor and exhaust. In addition to risks posed by nearby markers and grave sites, the incumbent operates heavy equipment in close proximity to obstacles and hazards such as underground gas and electric lines, water and sewer lines, drains, curbs and trees. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drugs use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Education Additional Information The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.
