Announcement details
- USAJOBS control number
- 890112500
- Occupational series
- 0025
- Work schedule
- Full-time or part-time (16-32 hours a week) work schedules may be available.
- Appointment type
- These are temporary appointments. These positions will not convey permanent status and will be for a period not-to-exceed 1039 hours in a service year.
Summary
Park Ranger (Protection) (Seasonal) apply laws and regulations to protect both visitors and resources of our public lands and ensure a safe visitor experience through patrols, emergency response, and investigations. Not all locations may be hiring for all grades. Applicants will not be considered for locations not selected.
Responsibilities
Projected Entry on Duty Dates for Locations: Channel Islands National Park: May 2027 Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area: April 2027 Mount Rainier National Park: April 2027 Redwood National and State Parks: April 2027 Park Ranger (Protection) Standard Duties: Enforce federal laws, regulations and policies. Patrol front country and backcountry sites. Emergency response (utilizing Incident Command System) including medical services, search and rescue, and wildland/structural fire suppression. Facilitate visitor stewardship and orientation; wilderness management; boundary enforcement; protection of natural and cultural resources (e.g. wildlife, plants, archaeological sites, historic buildings). Proactively protects park resources from all forms of degradation. Assist with preliminary investigations of felonies, crimes and violations of park rules, public use, safety requirements, and motor vehicle accidents. Crowd control activities. Proactively protects park resources from all forms of degradation. Additional duties for GS-7: The incumbent will independently conduct law enforcement investigations into misdemeanor violations. Under the supervision of a Type I commissioned personnel, investigate felony violations and fatalities.
Qualifications
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/09/2026 -unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. To receive credit for experience, 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. 1. Mandatory Requirements for Park Ranger (Protection): A. Mandatory Minimum Age Requirement: This position has a mandatory requirement that applicants must be 21 years of age or older. B. Mandatory Law Enforcement Commission: Applicants must meet one of the following criteria by the entrance-on-duty (EOD) date to be considered for these positions: Currently hold or have previously held (within the past three years), a National Park Service Seasonal (Level II) or full (Level I) law enforcement commission, or equivalent within the past three years. Successful completion a Seasonal Law Enforcement Training Program during the last three years but have not yet received a National Park Service Seasonal (Level II) Law Enforcement Commission. Will successfully complete a Seasonal Law Enforcement Training Program by the entrance on duty date from one of the approved participating academies found at https://www.anpr.org/career/prlea. NOTE: This is not regular police officer training. You MUST certify in your supporting documents the possession of at least one of the above criteria. Include your commission number with expiration date, or your anticipated graduation date from an approved NPS Seasonal Law Enforcement Academy within your resume. C. Physical Efficiency Battery (PEB): Applicants are required to pass the Physical Efficiency Battery (PEB) prior to entering law enforcement positions. The duties of this position require arduous physical exertion involving walking, running, lifting, standing, use of firearms, and exposure to inclement weather. The Physical Efficiency Battery (PEB) is a fitness test consisting of five different components: 1) agility run - measures the ability to get up from the ground and sprint while changing directions; 2) bench press - measures the upper body strength for one repetition; 3) 1.5 mile run - measures cardio/respiratory fitness; 4) sit and reach - measures the flexibility in the lower back, legs and shoulders; and 5) body composition - measures the body fat. Prior to appointment, applicants will be tested in all five components, but only the agility run, bench press and 1.5 mile run will be measured for a passing score in the 25th percentile (age and gender adjusted) of these components. These procedures will ensure that law enforcement officers are capable of performing strenuous physical training and law enforcement duties. Applicants shall be disqualified for appointment if they fail to meet any physical requirements. Probationary or seasonal employment is subject to termination for failure to meet the 25th percentile in each of the identified components being measured. 2. Specialties EMT: Note: All applications will be reviewed for Park Ranger (Protection) without Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or Emergency Medical Responder/ (FR/EMR) certifications. However, EMT or FR/EMR are additional specialties applicants can be considered for. Some parks on this announcement require Park Ranger (Protection) to be certified as an EMT or FR/EMR. To be referred for the EMT designation, you must meet the following in addition to the Park Ranger (Protection) qualification standards: For Emergency Medical Technician designation - Applicants must be certified by the National Registry OR by a State EMS organization in order to be referred for the EMT designation. 3. Specialized Experience and/or Education: To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess one of the following: A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-04 level in the federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Experience must have been performing work that provided broad knowledge of resource protection, resource education, and public use management. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include but are not limited to the following: Assisting with law enforcement or investigative work; Assisting resource management related to natural and cultural resources (museum technician, archeological technician, etc.); Assisting forestry and/or fire management (wildland and/or structural); Assisted in emergency services (emergency medical, search and rescue, emergency dispatch); Assisting in the management, information dissemination, or the carrying out of programs in a park (park guide or tour leader), conservation reserve or similar area (entrance station, backcountry office, volunteer, visitor information desk, campground ranger). -OR- B. A 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with 24 semester hours of related course work (one year of full-time undergraduate study is defined as 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours). - OR- C. Equivalent combination of experience and education. To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level, you must possess one of the following: A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level in the federal service. Specialized experience must have been performing law enforcement duties for the protection, conservation, use, and management of natural and/or cultural resources in park areas or similar operations, which involved the application of law enforcement authorities and procedures to protect visitors and resources. Law enforcement duties include apprehending, detaining, and firearm experience. -OR- B. You must possess one full academic year of graduate education related to the occupation (one year of full-time graduate education is defined as 18 semester hours). -OR- C. Equivalent combination of experience and education. 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.
Requirements
Must be a U.S. Citizenship or National. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Males must meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement. Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program. Must possess or be able to obtain a National Park Service Type II Law Enforcement (LE) Commission. Must possess a National Registry or State issued EMT certification in order to receive consideration for LE Ranger (EMT) Ability to pass the Motorboat Operator Certification Course for the Channel Islands National Park, Ventura, CA location only. Must pass the Physical Efficiency Battery (PEB) prior to start date. Pre-employment medical exam and drug testing are required. You must be at least 21 years old. You must be free of any domestic violence convictions. Occupancy of government quarters may be required at some locations and you will be notified during the candidate review of the hiring process. Government housing may be available but is not guaranteed. You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with uniform standards. You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and/or shift work. You may be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties. Prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year thereafter (or more frequently if management determines such need exists), you will be required to sign an affidavit certifying to your possession of a valid State issued driver's license that is current and has not been revoked, suspended, canceled, or otherwise disqualified in any way to prohibit your operation of a motor vehicle. You will also submit a photocopy of your valid State issued driver's license prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year, or more frequently if management determines such need exists. Lastly, you may be required to 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 discloses all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you. Please indicate in your application whether you possess a valid State driver's license.
Education
You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work. Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualification