Assistant Master Towboat (DR)

Summary

This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Personnel of the DoD Workforce in Competitive Service to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service. About the Position: This position is located with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis District, Operations Division, Revetment Branch. Duty location is wherever the Motor Vessel Mississippi is located.

Duties

• Serves as a Pilot Trainee (Steersman) aboard the Motor Vessel Mississippi to obtain additional practical experience in river navigation, to develop an increased ability to handle vessels and tows.
• Responsible for deck crew in making up and breaking up tows.
• Stands a regular watch as an Assistant Master on vessels such as towboats, tenders, self-propelled dredges and patrol boats, which operate on the Mississippi River and tributaries.
• Stands a watch, with responsibility for complete operation of the vessel and for safety of plant and personnel.
• Personally operates controls governing navigation of the vessel. Directs the making and breaking of tows from the pilot house or bridge.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities. Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible Priority Placement Program, DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability Retirement Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible 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. Minimum Qualifications (Screen Out Element): Ability to do the work of a(n) Assistant Master Towboat (DR) as a XH-14 without more than normal supervision. Responsible for complete operation of the vessel and safety of all personnel. Navigates the vessel and is knowledgeable about the river stages. Provides advice and information co commercial and government vessels concerning navigation hazards and problems and operation which impact navigation. - Failure to meet this Screen Out Element will result in an ineligible rating. The Assistant Master, Towboat (DR) position is dual-rated to the position of Master, XH-5784-17. As the Master, you will serve as the Supervisor responsible for duties such as appraisals, discipline actions, approving leave, etc. If qualified and possesses appropriate U.S. Coast guard License/Certification, incumbent may be assigned to perform the duties of this position during the absence of the Master in a dual-rated capacity. If not qualified, you will have three years from appointment to obtain Master of any Gross Tons (Western Rivers) license within 36 months of employment, failure to obtain may result in termination. Ability To Do The Work Of The Position Without More Than Normal Supervision Physical Effort: The work of this position is sedentary in nature. Working Conditions: Work is primarily performed inside in an enclosed pilot house but also requires work outside of the pilot house, subjecting the incumbent of varying climatic conditions. Hazards include occasional danger of falling overboard, falls on slippery decks or in climbing steep stairways, and injury from moving machinery. The incumbent is subject to hazards of heavy river traffic at night and during foggy weather.

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. You may claim Priority Placement Program (PPP) preference. Veterans and Military Spouses will be considered along with all other candidates.

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.

How To Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 08/17/2026 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/13020338). 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.

Security Clearance

Not Required

Other 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. One year probationary period may be required. 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 Logistics Career Field (CF) position. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. 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. This position requires varying shift work. During towing season, works 2 weeks on, 1 week off. Works 12 hours per day. During Mississippi River Commission trips, incumbent may be required to work 45 days straight. During Lay-up/Maintenance season, incumbent will work an 8 day 10 hr a day on followed by 6 days off schedule. This position is covered by the DOT rules and USACE ER 690-1-1218. May be subject to random alcohol and drug testing on an unannounced basis. Incumbent is required to sign a DA Form 7412, "Condition of Employment for Certain Civilian Positions Identified Safety-Sensitive Under The Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration Rules on Drug and Alcohol Testing" or a Memorandum of Understanding.