Irrigation System Operator

About the role

This position is located with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Superintendent, Colorado River Agency in Poston, Arizona. The Irrigation System Operator will regulate and distribute irrigation water from and between storage reservoirs at diversions and in canals, and at all delivery points within the specified work territory.

This is a Bargaining Unit position, for more information see USA Jobs What are bargaining units

What you will do

• Distribute irrigation water from and between storage reservoirs at diversions and in canals, and at all delivery points within the specified work territory.
• Maintain records of water delivery, reservoir inflow and instream flows; calculate requirements and arranges quantity, time and duration of deliveries.
• Operate Project distribution facilities (dam gates, canal gates, checks) to regulate and deliver water in accordance with Project policies.
• Responsible for constant surveillance of condition of reservoirs, dams, canals, structures, buildings, recorder stations and other facilities.
• Work with maintenance crew to clean ditches and structures, repair and replace structures, build/place concrete forms and operate hand or power tools.
• Take daily measurements and Receive water orders.
• For vacancies filled at less than the full performance level of the position, duties will be developmental in nature.

Education

If you are qualifying based on your education, you MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course.

All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement. If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis.

If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education which shows the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

For further information, visit: FOREIGN EDUCATION

How you will be evaluated

Your application package will be evaluated against the minimum qualification requirements specified above. In order to qualify, your resume must specifically describe your work history and the duties you performed in each position.

Your resume will be evaluated after the closing date of 12/31/2026 to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position. Please limit your resume to no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

Please follow all instructions carefully, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of additional assessments, including a structured interview.

Knowledge of Irrigation Operations and Maintenance and Water Delivery Preference in filling vacancies is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 (Title 25, USC, Section 472). Verification Form BIA-4432 must be submitted with the application if claiming Indian Preference.

Indian Preference eligibles not currently employed in Federal service may be appointed under the Excepted Service Appointment Authority Schedule A, 213.3112(a)(7). Consideration will be given to Non-Indian applicants in the absence of qualified Indian Preference eligibles. For more information, please visit: ***

REVIEW BEFORE YOU SUBMIT: You may preview the assessment questions here in the ***

Documents you must provide

• Resume which details work experience including dates worked (mm/yy-mm/yy); position title; position series and grade (if federal service); work schedule; hours worked per week; relevant duties performed; supervisor with contact information, and 3 professional references and contact information (Do not include current/former supervisors), etc Please limit your resume to no more than 2 pages.
• If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
• On-line Assessment Questionnaire Transcripts (if using education to qualify) - Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, an official transcript may be requested at a later time.
• Veteran's documentation - (if applicable) VA letter on VA letterhead stating your overall combined rating, SF-15, DD-214 (Member 4 Copy Only) reflecting an honorable discharge and dates of active duty military service.
• Special Appointing Authority documentation (if applying under a special hiring authority) BIA Form 4432 The Form BIA-4432 must be completed as stated in the Instructions on the Form and this form with must be submitted with your application for Federal employment (if claiming Indian preference).
• Performance Appraisal (if applying under the Land Management Flexibility Act) Current & Former Federal Employees.
• If you are a current career or career-conditional Federal employee OR a former Federal employee who has reinstatement eligibility you must submit the following by the closing date of this announcement, or you will not receive consideration as such: A copy of a recent SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" documenting proof of competitive status, tenure, position title, occupational series, grade level and step.
• If you are applying for a higher grade, please provide the SF-50 form which shows the length of time you have been in your current/highest grade.
• If you have promotion potential in any of your positions, please provide an SF-50 stating your highest full performance level; and Due Weight for Performance Appraisals and Awards: Your most recent Performance Appraisal (if you do not have your most recent performance appraisal, please submit an explanation as to why it is unavailable); and If applicable, a list of any awards you received in the last 5 years (i.e., superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.).
• Click here for information see Reading your SF-50 to determine your service and appointment type ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 11:59 PM Eastern Time ON THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
• If your application package is incomplete in any way, you will not be considered for this position, and requests for extensions will not be granted.
• Please double check your application package before you submit it.
• ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL NOT BE SOLICITED OR ACCEPTED BY THIS OFFICE.

What to expect next

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.

Additional information

All new hires earn the beginning salary of their pay grade (Step 1). See 2026 Salary Tables and select the pay chart for Poston, Arizona. If no specific chart is listed for this geographic location, see the "rest of U.S." chart.

The full performance level of this position is GS-6. Promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. A career ladder promotion is at the discretion of management, and in no way guaranteed.

The probationary or trial period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service.

In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will 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.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized.

In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your [probationary period -OR- trial period] your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) OR Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Programs provides placement assistance to permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated.

Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF50 noting position, grade level, duty location with their application.

To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, applicants must be qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry.

For more information visit: *** SPECIAL APPOINTING AUTHORITY: Certain candidates may be eligible to apply under a special hiring authority including those for disabled individuals, Peace Corps employees, Foreign Service employees, veterans, etc. For more information, visit the following OPM websites: USAJOBS Information Center: *** Vets Info Guide: ***

Recruitment incentive may be authorized at Managements discretion, a Service Agreement will be required for approved incentives.