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Lock Dam Jobs in Wisconsin (NOW HIRING)

Lock Dam information

See Wisconsin salary details

$17

$23

$34

How much do lock dam jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 26, 2026, the average hourly pay for lock dam in Wisconsin is $23.67, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $20.38 and $26.44 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a Lock Dam job?

A Lock and Dam job involves operating and maintaining navigation structures that control water levels and vessel traffic on rivers and waterways. Workers in this role are responsible for assisting with locking boats through sections of a river, conducting routine maintenance, and ensuring safe and efficient waterway operations. This job is typically part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or similar organizations that manage inland waterways.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Lock Dam position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Lock and Dam Operator, you need practical mechanical aptitude, basic electrical and hydraulic knowledge, and typically a high school diploma or equivalent. Experience with control systems, tools for routine maintenance, and familiarity with safety regulations and waterway navigation are important technical requirements. Attention to detail, effective communication, and the ability to remain calm under pressure are valuable soft skills in this role. These skills are crucial for ensuring the safe, efficient, and continuous operation of locks and dams, often in coordination with vessel crews and other team members.

What does a typical day look like for a Lock and Dam Operator?

A typical day for a Lock and Dam Operator involves monitoring and controlling water levels, operating lock gates and valves for vessel passage, performing routine maintenance and inspections of equipment, and keeping detailed operational records. Operators work closely with commercial and recreational boat crews to coordinate safe transit through the lock system and must remain alert to changing weather and water conditions. The work is often performed in shifts to ensure 24/7 operation, sometimes requiring weekend or holiday hours. The environment combines indoor monitoring stations with regular outdoor activity around the lock and dam structure, making safety awareness and adaptability important.

What job categories do people searching Lock Dam jobs in Wisconsin look for? The top searched job categories for Lock Dam jobs in Wisconsin are:
Infographic showing various Lock Dam job openings in Wisconsin as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 88% Full Time, 7% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 53% Physical, 41% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $49,230 per year, or $23.7 per hour.
Facilities Specialist

Facilities Specialist

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)

Fountain City, WI • On-site

$74K/yr

Other

Posted 18 days ago


U.S. Department Of Defense rating

7.8

Company rating: 7.8 out of 10

Based on 536 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

29th of 50 rated military and defense


Job description

About the Position: Serves as the Facilities Specialist and primary point of contact with responsibility for all facilities, lands, and building management functions of the Fountain City Service Base and the Lock & Dam 5A storage building and grounds. The secondary focus of this position is oversight of fleet management activities. Performs duties which include surveillance and coordination of the maintenance of physical facilities, infrastructure, utilities, and grounds.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.
Limited AOCs (smaller than Army-wide): Limited AOCs can only be used if an organization is undergoing workforce reshaping. Proof of workforce reshaping for customer organization must be uploaded to the case file. Proof that an organization is undergoing workforce reshaping may include, but is not limited to, internal Command guidance, authorization to RIF, TOF or mass MDR, opening of a VERA/VSIP window, implementation of hiring restrictions, etc.
  • Current Civilian Employees of the Command
  • 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

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and experience requirements described below. 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. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.
Specialized Experience:
One year of specialized experience which includes 1) Performing routine maintenance for buildings and grounds such as electrical, mechanical, painting, plumbing, safety, cleaning, snow removal, grading and other various tasks; 2) Reviewing the work of contract personnel to assure work sequence, procedures and deadlines are met such as assisting with building scopes of work and determining specifications for facility needs; 3) Demonstrating experience with safety and environmental compliance inspections; 4) Conducting analysis of current facilities through reviews of records and physical inspections to collect information such as condition, capacity, current utilization, and other pertinent information to prepare and maintain an up-to-date inventory of existing facilities. (Must meet 3 out of 4). This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09).
OR
Education: Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position such as Facilities Management, Building Construction, Project Management, Business Administration, etc.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:
  • Facilities Operations Management
  • Program/Project Management
  • Safety, Security, and Fire Protection

Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-09).
With regards to time-in-grade validation, if you held a position other than a GS pay plan, be sure your resume includes the pay plan and the salary you earned during the assignment. Without this information, your time-in-grade validation may not be able to be verified and will result in your not meeting the time-grade requirement for this vacancy.
Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.Education:FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.Employment Type: OTHER

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