Horse Wrangler (Motor Vehicle Operator)

Bureau of Land Management • Fallon, NV

3d

About The Position

The Horse Wrangler (Motor Vehicle Operator) serves in the Bureau of Land Management’s Wild Horse and Burro Program at a holding facility. The position supports the care and welfare of wild horses and burros (WH&Bs), including feeding, safe handling, preparation for adoption, veterinary treatment, and facility maintenance. The work is subject to the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program (CAWP) and involves interaction with the public and adopters.

The incumbent receives WH&Bs from trucks and trailers, separates them by gender, and handles them safely during unloading. The role also involves operating trucks and trailers to transport WH&Bs and related supplies, riding and handling saddle horses to control WH&Bs, and performing basic vehicle and equipment maintenance. Work takes place at facilities, on highways and interstates, off-road, and in rough terrain and varied weather conditions. Firearm qualification and proficiency are required; the incumbent may be responsible for humanely euthanizing WH&Bs by firearm if necessary.

Locations listed are Fallon, Reno, and Winnemucca, Nevada; Hines, Oregon; and Wheatland, Wyoming. The position is classified at WG-07. First-time federal hires normally start at step 1. Applicants must meet the stated experience and job-related factor requirements by the announcement’s closing date of 11/02/2026. Education cannot substitute for experience for Federal Wage System positions. The position may require a one-year probationary period or two-year trial period. Pre-employment and random drug testing, background investigation, firearm qualification, and other stated conditions of employment apply.

Work demands include strenuous exertion and agility, including riding, roping, maneuvering, and restraining horses and WH&Bs weighing up to 1,500 pounds; lifting hay bales over 100 pounds; and carrying panels, posts, and other equipment. Work is outdoors in varied terrain, temperatures, and weather, and entails risks from animals, vehicles, and uneven or slippery ground.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Must pass a background investigation and receive favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Must participate in Direct Deposit and successfully pass E-Verify employment verification.
• Pre-employment and random drug testing are required; a verified positive drug test prevents appointment.
• Must not hold an active real estate license or have an interest in or hold stocks in firms with interests in Federal Lands.
• Firearm qualification and certification are required, with ongoing proficiency maintained; firearm qualification is required twice each year.
• Must have the skill and ability to ride horseback and rope wild horses and burros or other closely related stock.
• Must demonstrate the ability to operate without more than normal supervision, including assisting with preparing WH&Bs for transportation to adoption sites, long-term facilities, and other designated locations; providing guidance and assistance on handling, care, and feeding; and operating trucks to haul hay, water, and other WH&B-related materials.
• Job-related factors include technical practices; dexterity and safety; materials; measuring instruments; and use and maintenance of tools and equipment.
• Resume must identify full-time status or 40 hours per week, or part-time status and hours per week, for applicants who are not current federal employees; current federal employees may need to provide a non-award SF-50 if weekly hours are absent from the resume.
• Must meet all qualifications by the announcement closing date of 11/02/2026.
• Must be able to perform strenuous physical work, including riding, roping, maneuvering, and restraining horses and WH&Bs up to 1,500 pounds; lifting hay bales over 100 pounds; and carrying panels, posts, and equipment.
• Must be able to work in hazardous animal-handling conditions and drive vehicles and haul WH&Bs for long hours in varied terrain and all weather conditions.
• May be required to serve a one-year probationary period or a two-year trial period; continued employment requires written agency certification.
• Federal Wage System positions do not allow education to substitute for experience.

Responsibilities

• Receive WH&Bs from trucks and trailers into the corral system and separate them by gender.
• Handle WH&Bs safely in trucks, corrals, and chutes during unloading, mitigating injury risks to animals, the incumbent, and coworkers.
• Operate horse trailers up to 36 feet long, including gooseneck and bumper-pull trailers, to haul WH&Bs.
• Load, arrange, and transport WH&Bs according to BLM guidelines to promote safe and comfortable transportation and reduce injuries or deaths.
• Select transportation routes and identify alternatives; operate vehicles within facilities, on highways and interstates, off-road, and in rough terrain and all weather conditions.
• Ride and handle saddle horses to control WH&Bs on the open range, in corrals, and in pen areas during gathers or general care.
• Control WH&Bs that are unwilling to enter traps or corral systems and rope them from horseback when necessary.
• Operate trucks and other motor vehicles with gross vehicle weights up to 26,000 pounds to haul hay, manure, dirt, gravel, water, supplies, materials, and equipment related to WH&Bs.
• Troubleshoot vehicles and perform basic maintenance; seek assistance when major maintenance is needed.
• Provide care and feeding, prepare WH&Bs for adoption, support veterinary treatment, and maintain facilities.
• Humanely and safely euthanize WH&Bs with a firearm if necessary.
• Qualify with firearms twice each year and maintain ongoing proficiency.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package; specific benefits depend on position type and eligibility, and applicants are directed to contact the hiring agency for details.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed