Department of the Interior

Seasonal Maintenance Worker (Trails-MVO)

Yosemite National Park, California Full time

Seasonal Maintenance Worker (Trails-MVO)

Department: Department of the Interior

Location(s): Yosemite National Park, California

Salary Range: $25.16 - $29.36 Per Hour

Job Summary: The typical season is April through October but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: April 2026. All positions located at Yosemite National Park.

Major Duties:

  • This is a leadership training position under a Trail Worker Supervisor. The incumbent will direct and instruct a group of laborers, trail workers, California Conservation Corp, Youth Conservation Corp, and volunteers in trail maintenance, repair and construction projects, removing windfalls, felling trees, and utilizing block, tackle, and winches for moving and placing heavy objects. Work consists of: trail maintenance, dry and wet stone masonry trail construction, bridge construction, and rigging tasks; animal packing, operating trail cats, snowplows and other equipment, small engine repair and camp maintenance is required. Physical effort: heavy physical effort is required in bending, lifting, and using hand and power tools in trail work. Frequently lifts and carries objects weighing over 100 pounds, must carry and roll rocks and logs, move rocks of serval tons with rock bars, use hammers to crush or shape rock and use shovel extensively. Frequently hikes up to 20 miles daily and must be able to do so while carrying a backpack and tools. Work conditions: must have the ability to live and work effectively in the backcountry in close contact with groups of people for extended periods of time. Must live and work out of doors on projects in various terrain up to 13,000 feet elevation in all extremes of adverse weather conditions. Trail work is dusty and hazardous conditions may exist when moving rocks and logs, working in and around rockslide areas, working around stock, and working around explosives, falling and bucking trees and working around machinery. Area Information: Yosemite National Park, California, known worldwide for its spectacular natural beauty is the backdrop for this position. Sitting astride the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the park covers 1,182 square miles of varied wilderness ecosystems, from river valleys to alpine meadows to lofty 13,000 foot high peaks. Yosemite Valley is located 208 miles from San Francisco, 81 miles from Merced, and 94 miles from Fresno. Shopping, medical, postal and laundry services are available in the park. Elevation at the Valley floor is approximately 4,000 feet and 2,200 feet in El Portal. The park is open year-round with the majority of activities occurring during the busy season March through October.

Qualifications: SELECTIVE FACTOR: This position requires regular and recurring work and camping in rugged mountainous backcountry above 7,000 ft elevation for extended periods of time. Selectees must be able to hike by foot in the backcountry at high altitude for extended periods of time while carrying backpacks, tools and supplies of at least 50 lbs, and be able to camp for several days at a time. - AND - Have the ability to do the work of a Maintenance Worker (Trails MVO) WG 8 without more than normal supervision. (Screen out). This includes work history that demonstrates experience at trail maintenance and construction in at least three (3) of the following trades: Trails Maintenance; Dry stone trail construction; Wet stone construction; Bridge construction; Rigging tasks. This includes work such as repairing trail tread and drainage structures, constructing rock walls, turnpiking, cribbing, and foot bridges, removing windfalls, felling trees, and utilizing block, tackle, and winches for moving and placing heavy objects. Operating equipment such as: trail cats, mounted snow plows and sanders; small engine repair tasks including maintaining and repairing chainsaws, self-contained gasoline powered rock drills/breakers and other 2-cycle engine driven machines; camp maintenance and management tasks including camp layout and all aspects of camp moves and setup. Must have experience in packing with horses and mules. Additional information on the specific qualification requirements for this position are found in the Job Qualification System for Trades and Labor Occupations. It is available for review on OPM's web site at: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/x-118C/index.htm 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. 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. 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. CTAP/ICTAP Statement: Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level on all competencies. Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(2) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating, and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.

How to Apply: To apply for this position: You must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/30/2025.You must provide documentation to support your claim for each eligibility selected. Please review the required documentation listed in the eligibilities language to ensure you submit the appropriate information. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation. WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES. Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account. Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application." Click here for USAJobs Help with "How to create an application" To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12844787 Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS. Select documents you want included in this application. Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed. Select if you want to include your demographic information. After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site." Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown. Upload any missing required documents or optional documents. Review and Submit Application. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position. You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement. To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job. Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application.

Application Deadline: 2025-12-30