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Park Ranger Interpretation

National Park ServiceVentura, Californiausajobspublished 10/16/2026
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You will serve as a Park Ranger Interpretation with National Park Service. The purpose of interpretation is to enrich people's lives through meaningful experiences and enjoyable recreation; preserve and protect natural and cultural resources through broad collaboration and shared stewardship; and inspire social and environmental consciousness to build community and sustain the health of the planet.

Major duties

Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Presents formal structured programs (e.g., walks, talks, tours, events, and presentations). Identifies training needs and provides constructive feedback; coaches others on how to perform tasks; and acts as a mentor. Develops and formally presents training sessions on interpretive/educational topics for employees who work with the public. - Develops improve interpretation materials (e.g., signs, waysides, publications, exhibits, and audio content). Responds to visitor's inquiries for information, direction, and/or guidance. Provides curriculum-based education programs. Assists with the administration of the education operations including scheduling, providing training and guidance to seasonal employees and volunteers, record keeping, correspondence, and educational materials, including Junior Ranger programs, and other youth projects and advertises park education opportunities Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 10/30/2026-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. Selective Placement Factors: This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. If you do not provide evidence that you possess the following selective factor(s), you will be rated not qualified. Resume will need to indicate you have experience performing the following: Have a minimum of 50 open ocean dives and experience diving in water colder than 60F. -AND- Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:

GS-05 grade level:

Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Examples of specialized experience:

  • assisted with presenting interpretive talks, educational programs, guided tours, or visitor contacts to the public in a park, museum, historic site, nature center, environmental education program, or similar setting;
  • Provided visitor information by answering questions, explaining rules and regulations, and directing visitors to facilities, trails, exhibits, or points of interest;
  • Assisted with preparing, organizing, or maintaining interpretive materials, exhibits, educational supplies, or program equipment;
  • Worked with members of the public to provide courteous customer service while responding to a variety of visitor needs and inquiries;
  • Followed established safety procedures while conducting visitor services or assisting with educational or interpretive activities.

You must include hours per week worked.

-OR-

Education: Successful completion of at least a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with 24 semester hours of related course work in a major study 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 of education and experience as listed above. NOTE: Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to l year of specialized experience. For example, I have 6 months of the specialized experience described above (50% of the experience requirement), and 3 years of college study from an accredited institution (50% of the qualifying education) which included at least 12 semester hours of related coursework as specified in B above (50% of the related coursework required). You must include transcripts.

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). Example of specialized experience: as 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/or implementation of policy related to protection, conservation, or management of park areas or similar operations; or other similar work.. You must include hours per week worked.

-OR-

Education: Successful completion of one full year of graduate study in a related field. Related fields include 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. (One year of graduate education is 18 semester hours, 27 quarter hours, or the number your school uses to represent one year.) You must include hours worked per week in your resume and a copy of your transcripts.

-OR-

Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): Successfully completed a bachelor's 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.

-OR-

Combination of education and experience as listed above. To combine education and experience, first determine the percentage of experience held by dividing the number of months of qualifying full time experience possessed by 12 and then multiplying by 100. Then determine the percentage of qualifying graduate level education completed by dividing the number of credits completed by 18, then multiply by 100. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts. Qualification continues in "Education" section.

Education

GS-09 grade level:

Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: technical, administrative, or scientific work, fish and wildlife management, recreation management, law enforcement, or other park-related work. Independently researching, developing, and conducting formal and informal interpretation programs, roving programs, and youth programs. Independently managing visitor center operations to include developing work schedules, summer program schedules, coaching and auditing interpretive programs and operating and maintaining audio-visual and other interpretive. May include tour leader; environmental educator or teacher; recreation or conservation area management; management assistant; or program specialist work involving the development and/or implementation of policy related to protection, conservation, or management of park areas or similar operations; or other similar work. You must include hours per week worked.

-OR-

Education: Successful completion of a Master's or equivalent graduate degree or have successfully completed 2 full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education with major field of study 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. You must include hours worked per week in your resume and a copy of your transcripts.

-OR-

Combination of education and experience as listed above. To combine education and experience, first divide the total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide the number of completed graduate level education semester hours of education (that are in excess of 18 semester hours) by 18. Add the two percentages together; the total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. NOTE: Only graduate level education in excess of more than one-year may and must be in a major such as those listed above be used to qualify for this position.

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. 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. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications

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 are 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.