FUL-Park Ranger (I)

What You'd Actually Do

Key Duties

• Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Oversee the general operations of the Interpretive and Education team and programming, including visitor center operations.
• Serve as first-line work lead (non-supervisory) to permanent and temporary staff and volunteers.
• Develops and present a variety of formal and informal interpretive programs, to a wide variety of audiences; conduct research for interpretive programs; and develop social media posts for information, education, and interpretation.
• Work as part of a team of federal, state, and non-profit partners toward developing, delivering, and improving interpretive and educational programming, including program evaluation and coaching.
• Maintain positive relationships with all manner of stakeholders and partners.
• Present information to a variety of community groups, stakeholders, park staff, regional staff, etc., on a variety of topics.
• Maintain positive relationships candor with staff, the public, and partners.
• Serve as point of contact for the park's VIP program.
• Must be able to work in a collaborative, engaging, and fun work environment.
• Communication and teamwork are absolutely essential.
• Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.
• Physical Demands: Requires some physical exertion and can involve extensive periods of standing and walking, in some cases over rough surfaces or inclines outdoors or in caves, and carrying backpacks, tools, rescue equipment, or other loads.
• Some employees may engage in firefighting,search and rescue, and other strenuous activities; these employees may be required to lift or carry equipment weighing more than 50 pounds over long distances.
• Employees who participate in all-risk operations will be required to meet fitness requirements on a continuing basis.
• Working Conditions: Can include moderate risks or discomforts that require safety precautions (e.g., exposure to extreme temperatures, climates, rough terrain, wild animals, pests, and/or insects).
• The incumbent may be required to use protective clothing or gear, such as masks, boots, gloves, etc.
• Some employees may be engaged in all-risk operations and be exposed to high risk and potentially dangerous situations which require a range of safety and other precautions.
• The employees of the National Park Service care for special places that are the heritage of all Americans.
• Since its inception in 1916, the National Park Service has been dedicated to the preservation and management of this country's outstanding natural, historical, and recreational resources.
• Park ranger - interpreters connect people to parks.
• They play a key role in ensuring that visitors have a meaningful, satisfying, and safe park experience, help visitors decide how to spend their time in the park, and inform them about the wonders that await their discovery.
• Park ranger - interpreters are specially trained to engage the public so that each park visitor can find a personal connection with the meanings and values found in the places and stories of that park.
• They help visitors explore the many dimensions of parks by introducing them to a variety of perspectives.
• By providing the opportunity for visitors to care about the places they visit, they promote stewardship and the opportunity for those visitors to care for park resources.
• National parks are among the most remarkable places in America for recreation, learning, and inspiration.
• The work done by park ranger-interpreters through effective interpretive and educational programs encourages the development of a personal stewardship ethic and broadens public support for preserving and protecting park resources, so that they may be enjoyed by present and future generations.

Qualifications

• All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 09/07/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.
• Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
• For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized experience that you will be granted.
• An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience.
• For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected.
• For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience.
• To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level: Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors).
• Specialized experience includes duties such as interpretation park ranger, park guide, or tour group presenter; experience with working at a visitor center or public facing facility; environmental educator or teacher; archeological or historical preservation research with an emphasis on interpretation and public engagement; forestry and/or fire management work in a park with emphasis on public engagement, recreation, or conservation area; management, assistant, or program specialist work involving the public interpretation of related to protection, conservation, or management of park areas or similar operations; or other similar work.
• You must include hours per week worked.
• -OR- Education: Successful completion of 4 years course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with 24 semester hours of related course work.
• You must include transcripts.
• -OR- COMBINATION: 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%.
• Calculate your education and experience percentages by determining what percentage of the required amounts you possess.
• Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify.
• You must include transcripts.
• To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level: Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors).
• Specialized experience includes duties such as interpretation park ranger functioning as a team lead or tour leader; operations assistant for a visitor center or public facing facility; environmental educator or teacher at the elementary/middle school level or environmental education center; law enforcement work with moderate emphasis on public engagement and interpretation; archeological or historical preservation research work focused presenting interpretation presentations and/or producing written information for the general public; forestry and/or fire management work in a park, recreation, or conservation area; management, assistant, or program specialist work involving the development and/or implementation of interpretive materials related to protection, conservation, or management of park areas or similar operations; or other similar work.
• You must include hours per week worked.
• -OR- Education: Successful completion of 1 full academic year of graduate education in natural resource management, natural sciences, earth sciences, history, archeology, anthropology, park and recreation management, law enforcement/police science, social sciences, museum sciences, business administration, public administration, behavioral sciences, sociology, or other closely related subjects pertinent to the management and protection of natural and cultural resources or superior academic achievement.
• You must include transcripts.
• -OR- COMBINATION: 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) by 18.
• Add the two percentages.
• You must include transcripts.
• To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level: Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors).Specialized experience includes duties such as interpretation park ranger or tour leader; operations manager for a visitor center or public facing facility; environmental educator or teacher at a high school level or higher and/or experience as operations manager of an environmental learning center; law enforcement work with heavy emphasis on public engagement and interpretation; archeological or historical preservation research work focused on development and presentation of interpretation programs and/or producing written information for the general public; forestry and/or fire management work in a park, recreation, or conservation area with an emphasis on public engagement; management, assistant, or program specialist work involving the development and/or implementation of policy related to protection, conservation, or management of park areas or similar operations; or other similar work.
• You must include hours per week worked.
• -OR- Education: Successful completion of at least 2 full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education or master's or equivalent graduate degree in natural resource management, natural sciences, earth sciences, history, archeology, anthropology, park and recreation management, law enforcement/police science, social sciences, museum sciences, business administration, public administration, behavioral sciences, sociology, or other closely related subjects pertinent to the management and protection of natural and cultural resources.
• You must include transcripts.
• -OR- COMBINATION: 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%.
• Calculate your education and experience percentages by determining what percentage of the required amounts you possess.
• Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify.
• You must include transcripts.
• 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.

Benefits

Standard federal benefits including FEHB, FERS pension, TSP with matching, annual and sick leave.