Park Ranger (Interpretation)

Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:

• Provides general and in-depth information to visitors writes backcountry permits and handles government funds while working in park visitor center.
• Uses a variety of multimedia technologies to produce content for park newspaper websites social media sites and exhibits that are informational and interpretive in nature.
• Researches develops and conducts formal and informal interpretive programs for a diverse audience.
• Serves as Lead for one of the parks social media presence.
• Manages an outlying visitor center to include recruiting training managing and auditing volunteer staff.
• Compiles scientific and/or historical research from a variety of sources while acknowledging the potential impact of the interpreters bias.
• Develops daily work schedules that include tours of duty and location of assignments for the supervisors approval.
• Reviews existing park policies standards methods and procedures.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born aftermust be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more visit may be required to work on-call evenings weekends holidays overtime and shift work.
• You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 5 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
• Must possess and maintain a valid drivers license throughout employment.
• You are required to wear a uniform and comply with uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• You are required to complete training obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority.
• You must possess the ability to lift 50 pounds.

Probationary Period: 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 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 probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification in writing that your continued employment advances the public interest.

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 10/29/2026-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.

Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position you must meet the following minimum qualifications:

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). Experience 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: independently planning and presenting interpretive talks guided walks educational programs or demonstrations for diverse audiences; researching and developing interpretive or educational program content presentations exhibits or informational materials using established resource information; providing visitor orientation and information while explaining park resources regulations recreational opportunities and safety practices; assisting in evaluating visitor programs by gathering participant feedback maintaining program statistics or recommending improvements; working collaboratively with coworkers volunteers interns teachers or partner organizations to support interpretive or educational programming. (You must include hours worked per week on resume).
-OR-
Education: Successful completion of at least 1 full academic year of graduate education (18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours) related to the occupation in directly related fields 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. 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-
Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): Successfully completed a bachelors degree in a directly related field AND meet one of the following: (1) Class Standing: rank in the upper 3rd of the graduating class in the college university or major subdivision based on the completed courses; OR (2) Grade-Point Average (GPA): earn a GPA of (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 (B or better) based on 4 years of education or based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum -or- (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 (B or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses completed during the final two years. Note: GPA will be rounded to the one decimal place for example 2.95 3.0 2.94 2.9; OR (3) Membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society. (You must include transcripts).
-OR-
Combination of education and experience as listed above. To combine education and experience first take the number of months of qualifying full-time work experience and divide by 12. Multiply the resulting decimal by 100. Then take the number of graduate credits completed and divide by 18. Multiply the resulting decimal by 100. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. (You must include hours worked per week on resume and 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-05 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Experience 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: supervising volunteers interns and youth work groups and assisting with oversight of seasonal staff; implementing a visitor services program; providing visitor services and developing guidelines and operating methods that reflect a thorough understanding of agency policies and objectives; developing and conducting interpretive presentations and training staff and volunteers; presenting to a wide variety of audiences using a variety of fully developed interpretive skills techniques and tools delivered in person and through interpretive media and technology. (You must include hours worked per week on resume).
-OR-
Education: Successful completion of at least one of the following: (1) two full academic years (36 semester hours or 54 quarter hours) of progressively higher-level graduate education OR (2) a masters or equivalent graduate degree related to the occupation. Directly related fields 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. 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-
Combination of education and experience as listed above. To combine education and experience first take the number of months of qualifying full-time work experience and divide by 12. Multiply the resulting decimal by 100. Then take the number of graduate credits completed in excess of 18 graduate semester hours and divide by 18. Multiply the resulting decimal by 100. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include hours worked per week on resume and 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.