Seasonal Park Ranger (Interpretation)

These positions involve a variety of responsibilities aimed at connecting visitors to the parks resources and stories. They are responsible for promoting visitor safety and stewardship of park resources. The role requires a deep understanding of the parks history natural and cultural resources and the ability to engage visitors in meaningful educational experiences.

Park Ranger (Interpretation) GSduties may include:

• Develop interpretive programs conduct basic research of topics using records documents books files and interviews with people who have personal knowledge.
• Present onsite programs to a wide variety of audiences. Programs may include guided walks demonstrations PowerPoint presentations etc.
• Staff the Information Desk at visitor centers serving as contact for visitors entering the buildings.
• Greeting visitors and provide information on a variety of subjects including local and regional attractions.
• Answer telephones and provide area information take messages etc.

• Research prepare and present a variety of original interpretive programs including digital illustrated programs guided walks public address commentaries talks and childrens programs.
• Assist supervisors with scheduling and training co-workers and volunteers.
• Handle visitor information requests sell publications and educational materials and complete assigned projects.
• Provides on-the-job training mentoring and assistance to team members by providing coaching guidance feedback and direction to accomplish projects and daily operations.

• Positions in Anchorage Brooks Camp (Lake and Peninsula County) Denali Park and Fairbanks may sell Park Passes and collect and account for money. Positions with fee collection and/or government money handling duties require a higher background check than the non-fee positions.
• Bartlett Cove: Park rangers perform ladder transfers from a vessel to a cruise ship and from a cruise ship to a vessel. The rangers must be physically and mentally able to safely climb rope ladders 15 feet in height during transfer from one vessel to another while both boats are in motion in exposed water.
• Brooks Camp: Please apply under Lake and Peninsula County for vacancies at Katmai National Park and Preserves Brooks Camp.
• Kennecott: Please apply under McCarthy for vacancies at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserves Kennecott duty station.
• Port Alsworth: Positions may have contact with youth and minors which require a higher background check.
• Skagway: Positions may require passports for essential travel to Canada and an official passport is required for this position. Selectee must be able to obtain and maintain a valid U.S. passport and passport card.
• Skagway: Rangers may provide emergency medical treatment to visitors and employees assist in maintaining the first aid equipment and supplies used in the park and may also perform emergency transport or arrange for such transportation. This position requires the selectee to either be a National or Alaska registered emergency medical responder (EMR). Applicants for Skagway positions must include a copy of their certificate showing the level and expiration date or list your medical certification AND expiration date in your resume or the level AND date you anticipate completing your course for certification. Proof of certification will be required before entrance on duty. If you do not include this information in your application you will be rated ineligible.

Conditions 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 may be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid drivers license is required. Please do not submit a copy of your drivers license at this time.
• 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 and overtime.
• You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to several nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes. Duty stations who anticipate occasional monthly travel include Copper Center Fairbanks Kennecott (McCarthy) Kotzebue For the other duty stations the job may require travel from time-to-time but not on a regular basis. The travel may be for training or other work-related duties.
• Applicants must be at least 18 years old.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-03/06/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. For current Federal employees if hours worked per week are not included on your resume you must submit a non-award SF-50 for each federal position listed as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of qualifying 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 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. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience.

For periods of time that reflect military service the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.

To qualify for this position at the GS-05 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-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge skills abilities and competencies needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Experience may have been in technical administrative or scientific work fish and wildlife management recreation management law enforcement or other park related work. This experience includes activities such as working as a Park Guide or tour leader; environmental educator or teacher; 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; or other similar work. You must include hours worked per week.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least four years of education above high school (120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours) leading to a bachelors degree with major study or 24 semester hours of course work in a related field. Related fields of study include natural resource management natural sciences earth sciences history archaeology 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-
Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience first take the number of semester hours (or equivalent) in excess of the first 60 semester hours earned towards your degree and divide by 60 semester hours (or equivalent). Then take the number of months of full time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the two percentages. The total must equal at least 100 percent in order to meet this description. You must include transcripts and you must also include hours worked per week.

-OR-

To qualify for this position at the GS-07 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-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge skills abilities and competencies needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. This experience includes activities such as working as a park ranger park guide park tour leader or closely related position to interpret resources to convey national significance; connect visitors to personal relevance; facilitate shared learning; support specific learning objectives to meet educator and community needs; inform the public for compliance and safety; support management of natural and cultural resources representative of national heritage; and enhance mutual understanding for individual and social benefit. Also qualifying experience on the resume should also include independent interpretive research and presentation. You must include the number of hours worked per week.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of one full academic year of progressively higher-level graduate education related to the occupation that demonstrates the knowledge skills abilities and competencies necessary to do the work of the position. This major study for this education is typically 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. 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 a copy of your transcripts.
-OR-
Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience first take the number of semester hours or equivalent earned towards a graduate degree and divide by 18 semester hours or equivalent. Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. They must equal 100% to qualify using this option. You must include the number of hours worked per week and a copy of your 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.