Rigging Worker (Open to both U.S. Citizens and Federal Employees)
Department of Transportation
Summary
This position is located in Benicia, California, at the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet, Office of Ship Operations, Office of the Deputy Associate Administrator for Federal Sealift, Office of the Associate Administrator for Strategic Sealift, Maritime Administration (MARAD). This position is established to perform a wide variety of rigging and deck services for vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet.
Duties
- The Rigging Worker: Assists in rigging operations throughout the fleet.
- Participates in ship mooring and unmooring evolutions as part of line-handling crew.
- Assists in performance of mooring maintenance.
- Serves as deck hand on fleet craft and barges.
- The ideal applicant is able to work in all types of weather conditions and remain standing for extended periods while aboard fleet craft and barges.
- They demonstrate a strong commitment to safety by following established rules and regulations, identifying potential hazards, and promptly reporting unsafe conditions to their supervisor.
Requirements
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may 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 the 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. SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
DRUG TEST: This position has been determined to be a critical safety/security position as defined in the Department of Transportation (DOT) Order, DOT 3910.1D entitled “Drug and Alcohol-Free Departmental Workplace.” Therefore, if selected for the position you will be required to submit to a pre-employment/pre-appointment drug test, you will also be subject to Random Drug Testing. BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: You will be required to complete a background/security investigation and meet preliminary requirements prior to onboarding. PRE-EMPLOYMENT HEALTH ASSESSMENT: If selected for the position you will be required to complete a pre-employment/pre-appointment medical examination and Functional Capacity Examination. PROBATIONARY PERIOD: You must complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
DEU REQUIREMENTS: Applicants selected under delegated examining procedures may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
How You Will Be Evaluated
DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/ application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination.
Please ensure that your resume contains specific information such as position titles, beginning and ending dates of employment for each position, average number of hours worked per week, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level. To compete with U.S. Citizens: If you meet the qualification requirements, your application will be placed in one of two categories: Qualified and Well Qualified which is based upon your responses to the vacancy questions. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran’s preference that have provided supporting documents will receive selection priority over non-veterans.
The top rated applications will be reviewed for the quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. To compete with other competitive status government employees: Federal Wage System (FWS) positions require the use of a Screen-Out Element. Points will be based on experience and training which are documented by your responses to the questionnaire. To be qualified, applicants must receive at least 2 points on the Screen-Out Element and an average of 2 points on all the elements in order to be considered minimally qualified for the position.
Applicants who do not receive 2 points on the Screen-Out Element will be eliminated from further consideration. If you meet the qualification requirements, your application will be scored based upon your responses to the vacancy questions. The top rated applications will be reviewed for the quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. If referred, all relevant documents including performance appraisals and awards submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the hiring official for review.
Eligible Federal employees also seeking consideration for noncompetitive reassignment for this position must indicate interest in the assessment. Noncompetitive federal candidates must have competitive status on a SF-50, meet minimum qualifications, have served at the same grade or higher, and held or exceeded the promotion potential of this position. All applicants: Your application will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. The answers you select in the on-line process must be substantiated in your application package.
If upon review, it is determined that your described work history, competencies, and/or supporting documents do not support your answer choices, your application may be updated on your behalf or you may not be referred to the selecting official. Please ensure that your work history provides enough details to support your answers. The Automated Staffing Office is ultimately responsible for determining your final rating. You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Required Documents
- RESUME: In accordance with the OPM memorandum titled Merit Hiring Plan, dated May 29, 2025, resumes with a maximum of two (2) pages in length will be accepted as part of your application.
- These should be legible and in a readable font size.
- A determination of your eligibility and/or qualifications will be based only on those two (2) pages.
- Your resume MUST contain specific information that can be used to make a qualification determination, including employment beginning and ending dates for each position, whether employment is Full-time or Part-time, or average number of hours worked per week, and position titles.
- If the position is/was in the Federal government, you will need to provide the position series and grade level.
- The resume should show relevant experience and education, as well as support the required specialized experience.
- PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS/INCENTIVE AWARDS: If applicable, performance appraisals and/or Incentive award documentation may be submitted and forwarded to the selecting official in consideration of your application.
- To receive credit, submit a recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable (do not submit a performance plan) and/or incentive award documentation dated within the last 18 months (i.e. performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increases, etc.).
- VETERANS: Your last DD214 (member 4 copy), Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, that shows the type of discharge and all dates of active duty is required to verify your eligibility.
- If applying to a vacancy opened to all US Citizens under category rating and wish to be considered as a preference eligible, you need to submit a copy of your DD214 (member-4 copy).
- If claiming preference eligibility as a disabled veteran, you must submit proof of entitlement of this preference which is normally a valid letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying to the present existence of the service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of your disability.
- An SF-15 is desired, but not required.
- If applying to a vacancy opened Status and you are requesting consideration under Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) (https://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/shav/#veoa), you need to provide a copy of your last DD214 (member-4 copy), which verifies your military service dates, reason for separation, OR certification of separation that shows a discharge date within 120 days of the closing of this announcement, and eligibility for consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act.
- FEDERAL APPLICANTS: You must submit SF-50(s) that verify your highest competitive grade, full performance level, and eligibility as a federal applicant.
- DO NOT submit an award SF-50 as these often do not verify grade or eligibility.
- For consideration for a promotion, Box 4 of the SF-50 must show a date that is at least 52 weeks prior to the job announcement closing.
- We recommend submitting your last promotion SF-50 or within-grade increase SF-50.
- Pay adjustment raise SF-50s for the current year will not support the 52 weeks' time-in-grade requirements. https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/service/sf-50 NON COMPETITIVE APPLICANTS: If requesting concurrent consideration for Non-competitive (NC) appointment eligibility, you must provide the appropriate SPECIAL APPOINTING AUTHORITY DOCUMENTS, such as PCS orders (military spouse) describing move & marriage certificate; letter from VA or DD214 describing 100% disability of spouse; letter from State Vocational Office certifying disability (schedule A), etc.
- For more information, visit military spouse NC appointments or Persons with Disabilities NC appointments.
- DISPLACED EMPLOYEES: If requesting consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency CTAP program (ICTAP), you must meet the well qualified standards for this vacancy (meeting minimum requirements for position and scoring at least an 80) and provide all of the following documents: your most recent performance appraisal, the proof of eligibility letter from the Agency, and your most current SF-50, displaying current series and grade.
- Displaced employees may be eligible for ICTAP or CTAP priority consideration.
- For more information, please review the OPM Employee's Guide to Career Transition.
- Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position.
- Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents.
- Uploading documents to USAJobs does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system.
- You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission.
About this role
The Rigging Worker (Open to both U.S. Citizens and Federal Employees) position with the Department of Transportation is based in Benicia, California. This position is located in Benicia, California, at the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet, Office of Ship Operations, Office of the Deputy Associate Administrator for Federal Sealift, Office of the Associate Administrator for Strategic Sealift, Maritime Administration (MARAD). The role pays $35.48 to $41.32 per hour.
Day to day, the work involves the Rigging Worker: Assists in rigging operations throughout the fleet. The full list of duties, conditions, and required documents appears in the official announcement linked on this page.
Who should apply
This role calls for United States citizenship, the ability to obtain and hold a security clearance, and the relevant certifications named in the posting. Be prepared for a pre-employment drug screening and physical or medical requirements as part of the hiring process. Match your federal resume directly to the announcement's wording so a reviewer can confirm each requirement in writing. For this Rigging Worker (Open to both U.S. Citizens and Federal Employees) position with the Department of Transportation in Benicia, California, confirm you meet each requirement before applying.
How competitive it is
The posted pay of $35.48 to $41.32 per hour places this in a competitive but attainable range for qualified applicants. The security clearance requirement means a longer hiring timeline, so patience and an early application help. Based in Benicia, California, it competes within that local market, which can mean lighter competition than major metropolitan postings. The announcement closes on July 1, 2026, and federal postings can close early once enough applications arrive, so applying promptly is wise.
This overview is general guidance from Job Army to help you understand the role. Always read the official announcement for exact duties, qualifications, and requirements before applying.
