Park Ranger (Interpretation) @ National Park Service

Job Summary

You will serve as a Park Ranger (Interpretation) with National Park Service. This park ranger position will provide leadership in the decision-making process for programs, both on- and off-site. This position represents the network and its positions in numerous public and private forums that are sometimes controversial in nature.

Qualifications

• All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 11/02/2026-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.
• Specialized Experience: To qualify for this position as the GS-09 level: Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors).
• Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience that may have been in technical, administrative, or scientific work, fish and wildlife management, recreation management, law enforcement, or other park-related work.
• Examples of qualifying specialized experience include, but are not limited to, the following: Park guide or tour leader.
• Law enforcement or investigative work.
• Archeological or historical preservation research work.
• Forestry and/or fire management work in a park, recreation, or conservation area.
• Management, assistant, or program specialist work involving the development and implementation of policy related to protection, conservation, or management of park areas or similar operations.
• You must include hours per week worked. -OR- Education: Successful completion of at least two full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education or master's or equivalent graduate degree in a major such as 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: Combination of successfully completed education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements.
• To compute this percentage, first divide the total months of qualifying experience by 12.
• Then divide the number of completed higher level graduate education semester hours of education (that are in excess of 18 semester hours) by 36.
• Add the two percentages together; the total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.
• NOTE: Only higher-level graduate education in excess of more than one-year may be used to qualify for this position and must be in a major such as those listed above.
• You must include a copy of your transcripts.
• Specialized Experience: To qualify for this position as the GS-11 level: Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors).
• Law enforcement or investigative work.
• Archeological or historical preservation research work.
• You must include hours worked per week. -OR- Education: Successful completion of at least three full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education, or a Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree at an accredited college or university, in a field of major study that is directly related to the work of the position such as 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 a copy of your transcripts. -OR- Combination: Combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements.
• Then divide the number of completed higher level graduate education semester hours of education (that are in excess of 36 semester hours) by 54.
• NOTE: Only higher-level graduate education in excess of more than two-years may be used to qualify for this position and must be in a major such as those listed above.
• 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.

Major Duties

• As a Park Ranger (Interpretive) you will perform the following duties: Plans, develops, coordinates, and /or directs interpretive formal structured programs (e.g., walks, talks, tours, presentations, demonstrations, events, and virtual interactions).
• Serves as technical advisor over the development and presentation of a wide variety of formal and informal interpretive experiences.
• Analyzes changes in interpretive programming and their effect on interpretive program objectives, priorities, and milestones.
• Provide advisory services and leadership to internal (e.g., staff, management) and external organizations regarding diverse and complex matters affecting the management of interpretive programs.
• Serve on interagency, interdisciplinary, and/or community teams or committees to facilitate collaborative management strategies up to the regional level.
• Formulates standard operating procedures, and develops daily, weekly, and long-term work schedules.
• Participates in tribal consultations to plan, develop, and implement interpretive goals, themes, programs, and media.
• Direct the implementation of operational improvements Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• To learn more, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
• You are required to wear a uniform and comply with uniform standards.
• A uniform allowance will be provided.
• You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 2 nights per month.
• You may be required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1 year probationary period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest.
• This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service.
• In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
• Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized.
• In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated.
• Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.