Tractor Operator

Summary

This position is located in the Facilities Maintenance Service (FMS) of the Dwight D. Eisenhower VA Medical Center in Leavenworth, KS.

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Duties

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• Operating wheel-mounted tractors and a variety of powered ground maintenance equipment, including mowers, aerators, seeders, sprayers, and spreaders;
• Operating hydraulic, power take-off (PTO), and attachment controls;
• Connecting and disconnecting tractor attachments;
• Navigating both open and obstacle-rich areas, ensuring efficient and safe ground coverage and avoiding damage to landscaping, property, or infrastructure;
• Performing routine inspections and operator level preventive maintenance on assigned equipment before and after use;
• Operating facility vehicles, such as pickup trucks and 4x4 utility vehicles (up to 1½ ton), to transport materials, tools, equipment, and occasionally personnel between work locations;
• Delivering and picking up supplies, ground maintenance materials, and equipment from vendors or storage facilities;
• Operating vehicles for fleet transport, oil changes, shuttle operation, and other support tasks as directed;
• Performing pre- and post-operation vehicle inspections, reports vehicle defects, and ensures cargo is properly loaded and secured;
• Completes daily logs for VA vehicles, recording mileage, fuel usage, trip purpose, and vehicle condition;
• Using backhoes, trenchers, skid loaders, and front-end loaders to support grounds-maintenance activities;
• Removing tree stumps and large rocks and excavating areas for the repair or replacement of underground irrigation piping using a backhoe;
• Cutting narrow trenches for sprinkler systems, drainage piping, and low-voltage landscape lighting using a trencher;
• Moving mulch, soil, gravel, compost, debris, leaves, and branches with skid loaders and front-end loaders and assists with snow-removal activities;
• Grading and preparing grounds using appropriate equipment and attachments;
• Utilizing tractor-mounted or truck-mounted snow removal equipment such as plows, blowers, and sand/salt spreaders to clear snow and ice from roads, sidewalks, parking lots, and building entrances;
• Performing supplementary grounds maintenance and manual labor tasks such as raking, shoveling, landscaping, planting, trash/debris removal, and minor repairs to facility grounds and outdoor infrastructure;
• Performing related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am - 4::30pm.

Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Pre-employment physical required
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

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.

Qualifications

Physical Effort: The Tractor Operator position requires considerable physical effort on a regular basis. Duties involve frequent lifting, pushing, pulling, and carrying of tools, equipment attachments, and materials of varying weights, sizes, and shapes. The work requires substantial muscular exertion, including continuous standing, walking, climbing, bending, stooping, and occasional crawling or crouching in tight or uneven outdoor spaces. Assignments may require long periods of operating and maneuvering heavy machinery, which can involve repetitive motions and maintaining awkward or fixed positions for extended durations. The incumbent is regularly exposed to physically demanding tasks such as attaching/detaching implements, clearing snow and debris, and performing general grounds maintenance under varying and sometimes adverse weather conditions, including extreme heat, cold, rain, snow, and ice. Frequent transition between indoor and outdoor environments is required. The position demands stamina and flexibility to respond to emergency situations at the Medical Center at any time, necessitating work under potentially hazardous or uncomfortable conditions, such as in poorly ventilated areas, near hot water lines, or in inclement weather.

Working Conditions: The Tractor Operator is frequently exposed to a range of potentially hazardous and uncomfortable working conditions. Work is often performed outdoors, subjecting the incumbent to all types of weather, including extreme heat, cold, rain, snow, ice, high winds, and humidity. Operations may take place on uneven, slippery, or muddy terrain, increasing the risk of accidents. The nature of equipment operation often results in exposure to noise, vibration, fumes, dust, and dirt. Additionally, duties may require working in poorly ventilated areas, confined spaces, or in proximity to moving machinery, steam lines, and hot water pipes. The incumbent may encounter grease, oils, and chemical agents related to equipment maintenance and grounds care. There is also a risk of minor cuts, bruises, burns, or more serious injury if proper safety precautions are not observed. The position requires the flexibility to respond to emergencies at any hour, which may involve working under even more difficult or hazardous conditions. Personal protective equipment and safety adherence are essential aspects of the work environment to minimize health and safety risks.

Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualifications. For this position, the job element method is used to match what you, the applicant, can do against what the work calls for. Your knowledge, skills and abilities will be compared to the knowledge, skills and abilities (called job elements) needed for success. Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element (WG-2 and higher only; screen-outs are not applicable to WG-1). Applicants who appear to meet the screen out element are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated from consideration. The potential eligibles are rated against the remainder of the job elements. While a specific length of training and experience is not required, your responses to the questionnaire must be supported by detailed descriptions of your experience on your resume.

You will be rated on the following Job Elements as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:

• Drive Safely
• Interpret Instructions, Specifications (mobile equipment operations)
• Motor Vehicles
• Operate Safely (Non-Motor Vehicle)
• Reliability And Dependability
• Without more than normal supervision
• Work Practices

IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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.

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

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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.

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.

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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.

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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.