Assistant Master Hopper Dredge

Summary

About the Position: This position is aboard a hopper dredge. The Portland District's hopper dredges Yaquina and Essayons, work to ensure a safe "highway" for ships and other vessels. The hopper dredge is a specialized sea-going vessel designed to dredge and transport dredged material from ocean bars, fast flowing rivers and isolated harbors to open-water disposal areas.

Duties

• Proper maintenance, operation, administration, navigation and safety of the vessel.
• Plan, supervise and direct all operations, maintenance, navigation and safety of the vessel and crew in all departments under the Master.
• Instructing subordinate deck officers as to the areas to be dredged, economic loading cycle to be maintained, and other such pertinent information regarding the dredging operations.
• Ensure that work is performed and reported in accordance with the Manual of Instructions.
• Training subordinate deck officers in current and potential aspects of their positions.
• Maintaining proper morale and discipline of the entire crew.

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. Current Department of Army Civilian Employees Domestic Defense Industrial Base/Major Range and Test Facilities Base Civilian Personnel Workforce Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act Military Spouses, under Executive Order (E.O.) 13473 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 Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998 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 Hopper Dredge without more than normal supervision. You must possess a current U.S. Coast Guard License for Master, Unlimited Tonnage, Oceans, or higher and a current Transportation Worker Identification Card (TWIC). Failure to meet this Screen Out Element will result in an ineligible rating. You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas: Ability To Lead or Supervise WORKING CONDITIONS Spends most of the time on the bridge or in the office. Occasionally is exposed to weather conditions, heat, and noise when making inspection tours. There is danger from traffic hazards, particularly in foggy weather and at night. There is danger of slippery decks and drowning. Must wear appropriate personal protective equipment as required. PHYSICAL EFFORT Light to moderate effort is required for continuous standing and operation of various controls while on watch. Incumbent must have color and depth perception and be able to see in low visibility conditions in order to navigate a dredge. Lifts and carries equipment up to 45 pounds and occasionally over 45 pounds. Work requires prolonged standing, walking, sitting and climbing, all of which can cause exertion of the lower back. The employee must maintain good lower back physical condition. Incumbent must possess color and depth perception and be able to see by low visibility conditions in order to perform duties.

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 09/18/2026 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/13054292). 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.