Mason Helper (Seasonal)

US National Park Service • Full-time • Washington, DC, US • $24 - $28 / hour • 2m ago

Summary

These positions are located in the National Mall and Memorial Parks. The primary purpose of this position is to perform a variety of simple and routine trade duties that assist journey-level Preservationists in building, maintaining, restoring, and/or preserving historic structures and landscapes.

The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period is March - September but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: May

Learn more about this agency

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Clarification from the agency

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL), The Public

Duties

The major duties of the Preservation Helper include, but are not limited to, the following:

Responsible for assisting in the preservation maintenance, repair, and restoration of exterior and interior surfaces and structures of brick, stone and block.
Assist with repairs and preservation maintenance of historic masonry, wood, and metal on buildings, walls, plazas, etc.
Perform a variety of simple and routine cleaning and preservation work on masonry and metal, including bronze statues and metal plaques and signs.
Assist with removing damaged portions of walls or other similar architectural features in preparation for repair of damage and stabilization of original fabric.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

U.S. Citizenship required.
Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males
Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
You may be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties. Prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year thereafter (or more frequently if management determines such need exists), you will be required to sign an affidavit certifying to your possession of a valid State issued driver's license that is current and has not been revoked, suspended, canceled, or otherwise disqualified in any way to prohibit your operation of a motor vehicle.
You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
Must be able to lift and carry 50 pounds.
Respirator Fit test.
Applicants must be at least (1) 18years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.
A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must have sufficient knowledge and ability in the following job-related factors:

Ability To Do the Work Of the Position Without More than Normal Supervision (SCREEN OUT)

Knowledge of Equipment Assembly, Installation, Repair, ect.

Technical Practices (theoretical, precise, artistic)

Use of Measuring Instruments

Ability to Interpret Instructions, Specifications, ect. (including blueprint reading)

Ability to Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment

Knowledge of Materials

If your knowledge and ability in the SCREEN OUT factor above is not sufficient, you will receive no further consideration. In preparing your application, describe in detail the experience and training which you have had that specifically prepared you for this job and to perform the duties described for this job. Experience should be clearly described and documented in your resume. The qualifications reviewer will not assume performance of such duties by Job Titles alone. Address your knowledge, skills and/or abilities in the areas shown in the job-related factors.

You must meet the Selective Placement Factor(s)/Screen Out(s) below to qualify for the position(s) and upload the required documentation with your application to demonstrate your qualifications:

A valid State or District of Columbia driver's license

Volunteer Experience: 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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience for Wage Grade (WG) positions.

Additional information

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1560 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (NPS).

If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1560 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1560 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility.

The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1560 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1560 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM.

Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations.

Physical Demands: Duties require the incumbent to sit, stand, stoop, bend, kneel, climb, crawl, work in uncomfortable positions, and walk over rough, uneven terrain. The incumbent may be required to wear protective clothing, gloves, face shields, and/or respirator that may be uncomfortable; and the incumbent may be required to work from ladders, scaffolds, and elevated platforms. The incumbent may be occasionally expected to lift and/or carry items up to and exceeding 50 pounds in weight.

Working Conditions: Work is both indoors and outdoors. Work outside may be subject to extreme weather conditions, with wind, rain, snow, and ice, in temperatures ranging from below 0 to over 100 degrees. Depending on the geography of the park unit assigned, work may take place at elevations ranging from sea level up to 10,000 feet. The incumbent is exposed to dust, noise, vibration, cuts, and abrasions from the use of tools and equipment, and may occasionally be exposed to hazardous materials that can cause skin, eye, and respiratory irritation and burns, as well as microbiological organisms and potentially hazardous wildlife. The incumbent is expected to wear personnel protective equipment as required and comply with all safety and occupational health requirements.

The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are not suitable for telework.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score will be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions can affect your rating.

Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. You may only submit one resume. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of three categories:

Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position
Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job
Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.

You will be evaluated on the following competencies and/or job elements:

Ability to Do the Work of the Position without More Than Normal Supervision
Ability To Interpret Instructions, Specification, etc. (includes blueprints reading)
Ability To Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment
Dexterity and Safety
Knowledge of materials
Measurement and Layout
Technical Practices (theoretical precise, artistic)

In order to be considered for this position, 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 technical questionnaire. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/20/2026:

Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

A complete Occupational Questionnaire

Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as:
- Veterans Preference Documentation:
  - If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
  - If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
  - If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.ebenefits.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
- Applicants who are eligible to be considered based on a Noncompetitive or Special Hiring Authority (i.e. Schedule A, VRA, Peace Corps, Americorp Vista, former PLC member, certain Military Spouses, 30% or More Disabled Veterans, Pathways Interns who have met the eligibility requirements for noncompetitive conversion, etc.) must submit appropriate documentation to verify your eligibility.

Documentation that you meet Selective Factors.

Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above 85 on the rating criteria for this position.

Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.

Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.

How to Apply

To apply for this position: You must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/20/2026.You must provide documentation to support your claim for each eligibility selected. Please review the required documentation listed in the eligibilities language to ensure you submit the appropriate information. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation.

WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES.

Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account.

Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application."
- Click here for USAJobs Help with "How to create an application"
- To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12951340

Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS.

Select documents you want included in this application.

Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed.

Select if you want to include your demographic information.

After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site."

Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.

Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown.
- Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.

Review and Submit Application.

While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.

You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement.
- To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job.
- Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application.

Please note, the eligibility section of the application process is designed to allow you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You will ONLY be considered for the appointment eligibilities that you select. You must provide the supporting documentation to support your claim. Please review the list of documentation provided in the eligibilities language to ensure you provide the appropriate information. You may choose more than one eligibility.

Agency contact information

Kara Gulvas

kara_gulvas@ios.doi.gov

Address

National Mall and Memorial Parks
1100 Ohio Drive SW
WASHINGTON, DC 20024
US

Next steps

Once the Occupational Questionnaire is received you will receive acknowledgement that your submission was successful. If you are among the most qualified candidates and your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly for a possible interview. You will be notified of the status of your Application Package at the time candidates are referred for consideration, and when the selection process is complete.