Park Ranger (General) Seasonal

The typical seasonal entry-on-duty is March-May but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: April 2027. For more park(s) information, please visit find a park.

Major duties

River rangers perform both solo and multi-boat patrols on white water rivers. They are responsible for checking rafting permits; evaluating concession-run raft trips; safety checks on private raft permit holders; river campground monitoring and maintenance; rescue and communications; river and rafting safety education and information; cooperation with other divisions, including Resource Management; transportation of staff along river corridors for orientation and job-related functions; maintenance of park rafts and the river cache; and other duties as assigned. Drives a truck/trailer to the put-ins to drop off river rangers and gear, gear repair. Assists in search and rescue operations. The GS-07 position also oversees the river cache and boat house including inventory and performs more training and mentoring roles. Limited park housing is available. The employee will spend the majority of the time camping along the river corridors and must be prepared to camp and row/and or operate motorized craft up to class V rapids in inclement weather. Physical Demands: This position can be physically demanding. You must be capable of Class III-IV rowing, hiking and working in rough terrain, safely lifting heavy loads and handling strenuous emergency situations, camping in the back country and strenuous physical labor in hot, dry weather. Work Environment: Work is performed primarily outdoors on the river in undeveloped back country sites, or in developed campgrounds or other disturbed habitats, during extreme variations in weather including snowstorms in the early season and temperatures near 100 degrees Fahrenheit in mid-summer. Working in the field entails living, sleeping and eating outdoors in a variety of weather conditions. Camping, boating and kitchen gear are provided for field work.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by 11:59 EST or when the 'applicant cut-off' is reached (which may be sooner than10/12/2026 ). 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. 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. SELECTIVE FACTOR: In this position you perform river patrols on white water rivers. Therefore, you are required to have experience routinely and safely operating oar-powered rafts, with passengers on-board, in Class III or greater white water rapids while conducting or leading river trips. Candidates who do not meet this requirement by close of this announcement will receive no further consideration for this position. YOU MUST document this experience in your application package. Failure to do so will make you ineligible for this position. Candidates who do not meet this requirement by close of this announcement will receive no further consideration for this position. - AND 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: SPECIALIZED 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). This experience includes activities such as: 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 and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. This experience may be 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; or 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 You must include hours per week worked. . You must include hours per week worked . .-OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least Successful completion of at least four years of education above high school (120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours) leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or 24 semester hours of course work in 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. 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 education and experience as described above. 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 1 year of specialized experience. For example, I have 6 months of the specialized experience (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. You must include your transcripts. 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: SPECIALIZED 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). This experience includes activities such as: river rafting guide, river patrol duties or technical work in river recreation management or other similar work. . You must include hours per week worked.. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of one full academic year of graduate education (18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours) in one of the following fields: 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- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. 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. Current or former displaced Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified, score at least 85 (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry.

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

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 Home | E-Verify
• Depending on location, occupancy of government quarters may be required.
• Depending on location, government housing may be available.
• You may 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/or shift work.
• You may be required to travel overnight away from home occasionally.
• You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
• You may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.
• You will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment.
• In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
• If selected for a position/location required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required.
• You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's 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 driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.
• Applicants must be at least (1)18 years old.