Park Ranger (Preventative Search and Rescue)

As a Park Ranger (Preventative Search and Rescue (PSAR)) you will:

• Conduct substantial analysis regarding PSAR related educational strategies and program offerings.
• Educate interpret and inform visitors about resources conservation laws and regulations.
• Provide administrative operational and logistic support to PSAR related outreach activities.
• Provide operational supervision over small to complex search and rescue incidents utilizing the Incident Command System.

• Everglades National Park official website: County and the Florida Keys: Monroe County FL - Official Website Official Website
• Miami Dade County Chamber of Commerce: of employment
  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
  • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • You will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to addition this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
  • You will be required to submit to a pre-employment and periodic physical examination.
  • You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid drivers license is required. You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operators License and Driving Record. You must also submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities) and at your own expense all certified driving records from all States that disclose all valid drivers licenses whether current or past possessed by you.
  • You may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.
  • You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • You may be required to work on-call evenings weekends holidays overtime and shift work.
  • You will be required to complete a one-year trial period.
  • You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to five nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
  • You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
  • You will be required to possess a current Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or higher-level emergency medical response certification as well as Basic Life Support Provider and CPR certifications.
  • You must have the ability to lift up to 50 lbs.
  • You will be required to operate small watercraft less than 26 feet in length.
  • If you do not already possess one you will be required to obtain a Department of the Interior Motorboat Operator Certification Course (MOCC) certification within 3 months of Entering on Duty.

  Qualifications

  Requirements Continued...
  Applicants must be at least (1) 18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; OR (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; OR (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; OR (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.
  
  As a condition of employment for accepting this position you will be required to serve a one-year trial period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.
  
  This trial 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 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 individuals employment should continue and that their appointment should be the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period such appointments are terminated.
  
  Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification in writing that your continued employment advances the public interest.
  
  Qualifications:
  
  All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-02/09/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.
  
  Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position starting and ending dates of employment (month/year) and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e. work 40 hours a week rather than indicating full-time). If part-time the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience.
  
  SELECTIVE FACTORs: This position performs emergency medical and search and rescue response which requires applicants to provide documentation of possessing the following licenses and certifications in order to receive further consideration for the position of GSPark Ranger (Preventative Search and Rescue (PSAR)). Candidates who do not meet these requirements and provide documentation to support such claims by close of this announcement will receive no further consideration for this position. DO NOT SUBMIT DOCUMENTS WITH PHOTOGRAPHS. Photographs may not be included with application packages. Please be sure photographs are redacted prior to submitting supporting documentation. Submission of photographs on supporting documentation will result in disqualification from further consideration for the position of GSPark Ranger (Preventative Search and Rescue (PSAR)).
  • Applicants must provide documentation to support holding a current valid state issued drivers license which has not been suspended or revoked.
  • Applicants must provide documentation to support holding a current valid National Registry Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or higher-level certification OR equivalent through a State Emergency Medical Service Organization with the ability to obtain a National Registry Certification.
  • Applicants must provide documentation to support holding a current valid Basic Life Support certification.
  • Applicants must provide documentation to support holding a current valid CPR certification.
  
  - AND -
  
  To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
  
  EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Experience may have been 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. Additionally experience must include: planning coordinating and conducting search and rescue (SAR) and preventative search and rescue (PSAR) operations in remote or high-risk environments; responding to emergency incidents involving lost injured or overdue visitors; assessing risk terrain weather and visitor behavior to prevent incidents; coordinating multi-agency responses with local state tribal and federal partners; operating emergency communication systems and tracking resources; preparing incident documentation and after-action reports; and providing visitor education and outreach focused on safety risk management and resource protection. You must include hours per week worked.
  
  -OR-
  
  EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree related to the occupation. Related fields of study include but are not limited to: park and recreation management law enforcement/police science emergency management behavioral sciences or other closely related subjects pertinent to the field of search and rescue. Course work in fields other than those specified may be accepted if it clearly provides applicants with the background of knowledge and skills necessary for successful job performance in the position to be filled. You must include transcripts.
  
  -OR-
  
  Successful completion of a combination of experience and education as described above. To combine experience and education first take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Then take the number of semester hours or equivalent earned towards a graduate degree in excess of 36 semester hours and divide by 18 semester hours or equivalent. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent 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.

  Education

  To qualify based on education you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name school name credit hours course level major(s) and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.
  
  If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements you must show that your 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.

  Additional information

  A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.
  
  This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
  
  Physical Demands: The work requires considerable and strenuous physical exertion such as climbing hiking and lifting heavy objects. Work may be performed on uneven steep rough slippery and/or rugged terrain. EMS and search and rescue involve walking long distances over rough terrain carrying heavy loads and using technical rescue equipment. Going without sleep for long periods of time is a common occurrence.
  
  Working Conditions: Work is performed in an office setting classroom in the field on trails and in remote backcountry or wilderness settings. Search and Rescue and EMS work involves frequent exposure to potentially dangerous situations and/or hazardous environments to include hazardous flight landings and takeoffs extreme outdoor weather conditions and/or exposure to communicable diseases. Various levels of personal protective clothing are required to perform functions safely.
  
  The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.
  
  Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level on all competencies. Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(2) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice a copy of their most recent Performance Rating and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position grade level and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP/ICTAP eligible. If you are selected for Federal employment you will be required to fill out a Declaration of Federal Employment OF-306 prior to being appointed to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. Failing to answer all questions truthfully and completely or providing false statements on your application may be grounds for not hiring you or for firing you after you begin work. Also you may be punished by fine or imprisonment (U.S. Code Title 18 section 1001).

  Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government passionate about the ideals of our American republic and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.