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LOCK AND DAM OPERATOR

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Department of the Army · Guttenberg, Iowa

Federal agencyWY-05
At a glance

A job with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Guttenberg, Iowa. It pays $26.52$36.78 per hour (annualised at 2,087 hours) at grade WY-05. Applications close on Sep 23, 2026 — 7 days left.

Working pattern
On site
Who can apply
Open to the public
Clearance
Not Required

Main duties

  • Handles bow or stern lines, walks lines to proper locations along wall and snubs lines to assist pilot in maneuvering craft into position.
  • Operates electrical or electronic gate control to open or close gates at one end of the lock chamber.
  • Removes debris or ice in path of gates or in lock wall recesses to avoid equipment or machinery damage.
  • Operates electrically, electronic, or hydraulically controlled valves controlling flow of water for emptying landfilling operation.
The original posting

Full details

About the role

This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Personnel within the DoD to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service. About the Position: This permanent, full-time, seasonal position is with the St. Paul District.

The position performs a variety of maintenance, repair, and operational duties at a navigation lock and dam.

What you will do

  • Handles bow or stern lines, walks lines to proper locations along wall and snubs lines to assist pilot in maneuvering craft into position.
  • Operates electrical or electronic gate control to open or close gates at one end of the lock chamber.
  • Removes debris or ice in path of gates or in lock wall recesses to avoid equipment or machinery damage.
  • Operates electrically, electronic, or hydraulically controlled valves controlling flow of water for emptying landfilling operation.
  • During double lockages, operates electrical tow haulage unit as applicable to move barges into and out of lock chamber.
  • Operates electrical or electronic controls to raise or lower dam gates in accordance with specific instructions regarding time and degree of gate change.
  • Performs work required for the installation, repair and maintenance of lock or lock and dam machinery and equipment of mechanical or electrical type; concrete work, etc. Performs continuing and special operational or functional checks on machinery to avoid untimely or dangerous equipment breakdown.

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 should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process.

If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation. Veterans and Military Spouses will be considered along with all other candidates.

Documents you must provide

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Other supporting documents: Cover Letter, optional 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.

What to expect next

If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking (as applicable) for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.

Additional 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. Appointment is subject to the completion of a favorable suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a background investigation. Direct deposit of pay is required.

This is an Engineers and Scientists Career Field position. 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.

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.

How to apply

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Details on this page reflect the source posting as of Sep 17, 2026. Closing dates and salary ranges can change without notice — the official listing is always authoritative. How our coverage works.

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