About the opportunity
The National Park Service is seeking a Maintenance Worker (Trails) to serve within Redwood National and State Parks in Crescent City or Orick, California. This is a permanent career-seasonal position that includes permanent employment benefits but does not provide employment on a full year-round basis, placing the selectee in a non-pay/non-duty status starting mid-December during their first service year. The role involves heavy physical labor building and maintaining trail structures, clearing down trees with chainsaws, transporting supplies and equipment up to 26,000 GVW, and occasionally leading diverse volunteers in trail projects.
Salary and benefits
- Hourly pay rate ranging from $27.00 to $32.59 per hour depending on duty location and grade level
- Comprehensive federal benefits associated with permanent career-seasonal employment
- Uniform and uniform allowance provided
- Access to healthcare and insurance programs via federal employment
Who can apply?
- Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
- Must be at least 18 years old, or at least 16 years old with specific high school graduation, vocational training, or student enrollment criteria
- Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment
- Must possess and maintain a valid Class C Commercial Driver's License (CDL) prior to entry on duty (EOD)
- Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered for Selective Service
Required documents
- Resume including a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, limited to a maximum of two single-sided pages with a minimum 10-point font and 0.5-inch margins
- Completed required assessments and questionnaires
- Most recent performance appraisal showing official rating of record and signed by a supervisor dated within the past 18 months, or a written explanation if unavailable
- Eligibility documentation such as the latest SF-50 for current and former federal employees
- Additional priority documentation if applying under CTAP, ICTAP, or LMWFA
When to apply
- Application opening date: October 26, 2026
- Application closing date: November 16, 2026 at 11:59 PM (ET)
How to apply
- Read the entire announcement and instructions on USAJOBS
- Click the Apply Online button on the USAJOBS vacancy page
- Answer all required application questions and complete assessments via USA Staffing
- Attach all necessary supporting documents, including your two-page resume and required SF-50 forms
- Submit the complete application package prior to the November 16, 2026 deadline
Additional information
- The position requires heavy physical effort, including frequently lifting objects over 100 pounds, hiking up to 20 miles daily while carrying gear, and working outdoors in extreme adverse weather conditions and backcountry areas.
- A 1-year probationary period may be required as a condition of employment.
- The EXPLORE Act Veteran Hiring Pilot Program applies to this vacancy.
Our Take on This Opportunity
This section reflects Open Opportunities’ own analysis of the opportunity from an applicant’s perspective.
You may be a strong fit if…
- Candidates with substantial hands-on experience in heavy trail construction, carpentry, stonemasonry, and chainsaw operation.
- Outdoors enthusiasts comfortable with rigorous physical labor, backcountry living, and hiking long distances in challenging terrain and weather.
- Applicants with federal service backgrounds or specialized trade experience who hold the required commercial driver's license.
What should you think carefully about?
- This is a career-seasonal position, meaning you will enter a non-pay/non-duty status starting in mid-December during your first service year.
- The work is physically demanding, requiring heavy lifting over 100 pounds and daily hikes of up to 20 miles carrying gear in remote areas.
- Strict application constraints apply, including a hard two-page resume limit and mandatory submission of specific federal forms and a valid CDL.
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This role is well-suited for individuals seeking hands-on conservation and public lands work with the federal government, offering steady specialized trade experience, federal benefits, and direct participation in national park stewardship.
Our take
Applicants with strong trail maintenance backgrounds and the physical resilience for demanding outdoor work should seriously consider applying before the November 2026 deadline, provided they can meet all strict federal documentation and CDL requirements.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
Official-source verifiedSource: USAJOBS
