Field Staff Law Enforcement Ranger Job in Las Cruces, NM

Vacancy No. NMMP-25-1278772-TH Department Bureau of Land Management
Salary $73,939.00 to $96,116.00 Grade 11 to 11
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/9/2025 Close Date 9/23/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Las Cruces, NM


Summary

Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our most precious resource.


This position is located with the New Mexico Bureau of Land Managment, Las Cruces District in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Information about Las Cruces, New Mexico and the surrounding area can be found at https://lascruces.gov/.

We expect to fill one vacancy at this time; however, additional positions may be filled from this announcement if they become available.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

All current career/career-conditional or former federal employees with reinstatement eligibility; Veterans' Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA); Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) and former Public Land Corps (PLC) eligibles; Persons eligible under other Special Hiring Authorities. CTAP and ICTAP eligibles within the local commuting area.

Duties

This position is responsible to ensure the enforcement of Federal laws and regulations relating to public lands and resources managed by the BLM. The incumbent is a uniformed Law Enforcement officer with fully delegated law enforcement authority. The incumbent may be required to serve as the primary representative of BLM, on behalf of the line manager in a community where assigned or where assigned or where the supervisor is not readily available for guidance and assistance. Major duties include but not limited to:

  • Develop and implement a law enforcement program involving investigations, apprehending violators, interagency coordination, education, and other law enforcement related activities occurring on public lands.
  • Plan, implement and coordinate law enforcement activities including interpretation of laws and enforcement; investigations, prevention, public safety; perform investigations; analyze criminal activity and implement solutions to violations occurring on public lands.
  • Provide both strategic and tactical law enforcement technical advice and guidance to managers and resource staff. Identifies and recommends specific actions to ensure and enhance the protection of natural resources.
  • Develop and maintain liaison with other Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies; coordinates law enforcement efforts having impact with other agencies.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • You cannot hold an active real estate license: nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
  • Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination.
  • Your resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the qualification requirements as defined in the announcement. Only the first two pages of the resume will be used to determine eligibility/qualifications.
  • This position requires regular and recurring overtime and shift work.
  • If selected for this position, you will be required to annually complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-450 within 30 days of reporting to duty. You will be required to provide this information annually.
  • You must pass a pre-employment physical.
  • An applicant appointed to this position must possess and maintain a valid driver's license while employed in this position.
  • May require a one year probationary or trial period.
  • This is a Drug Testing Designated Position. You will be required to submit to screening for illegal drug use and pass prior to appointment. This position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males
  • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • If the selectee does not possess the applicable security clearance when hired, application must be made within 30 days of the start date. Failure to make application for the required security clearance will result in termination of employment.
  • Must be able to safely and proficiently utilize firearms, non-lethal weapons, and defensive tactics in the conduct of daily activities. This position must complete annual firearms proficiency.
  • Incumbent must successfully complete Land Management Police Training (LMPT) at Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC).
  • Must maintain a delegation of Law Enforcement Authority.
  • Incumbent must successfully complete 40 hours of in-service training annually.

Qualifications

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. Those who do not provide evidence they possess the following selective factor(s) will be rated not qualified:
  • Maximum Entry Age: This is a primary law enforcement position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8336 (c) (CSRS) and 5 U.S.C. 8412(d) (FERS). The position is subject to maximum entry age (MEA) requirements. The maximum entry-age for this position shall not exceed age 37 unless you have sufficient prior Federal civilian firefighter experience, law enforcement experience or you are a preference eligible veteran. If you are a preference eligible veteran, you may be eligible for this position after your 37th birthday. You must supply a copy of your Defense Department Form 214 (DD-214) along with Standard Form 15 (if applicable) and any associated documentation in accordance with the instructions in this vacancy announcement. Failure to provide this documentation with your application will result in loss of eligibility to receive a waiver of the maximum entry age requirement. If over the MEA and you are not a veteran, proof of prior covered service must be submitted prior to employment. Acceptable proof consists of SF- 50s showing beginning and ending dates of covered/creditable appointments and copies of approved letters based on individual claims.
  • Driver's License: Possess a valid, current, State driver's license or be able to obtain prior to entrance on duty.
  • Prior experience as a Law Enforcement Officer (LEO): Incumbent must have prior experience as an Law Enforcement Officer carrying out duties involving the investigation, apprehension, and/or detention of persons suspected or convicted of offenses against the criminal laws of the United States.
  • Domestic Violence Conviction: Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition [Title 18, U.5.C., Section 922(g)(9)]. A "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence" is generally defined under the statute as any offense involving the use or attempted use of physical force, or the threatened use of a deadly weapon, committed by the victim's current or former domestic partner, parent, or guardian. The term "convicted", as defined in the statute, excludes any person whose conviction has been expunged, set aside, or pardoned or any person whose civil rights have been restored unless the pardon, expungement or restoration of civil rights expressly prohibits the possession of firearms or ammunition. Applicants who have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence within the meaning of the referenced statute are not qualified for this position. Applicants under consideration will be required to certify whether they have ever been convicted of such an offense. Incumbent in this position cannot have a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction prohibiting him/her from possessing, receiving, transferring, or accessing firearms or ammunition in violation of the provisions of 18 USC 922.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements - please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience.

GS-11:Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) as a Law Enforcement Ranger or a directly related position, performing the following: (1) carrying out duties involving the investigation, apprehension, and/or detention of persons suspected or convicted of offenses; (2) preparing/analyzing investigation reports by collecting evidence, witness statements, and other pertinent correspondence; (3) applying Federal and state laws related to administrative, civil, and criminal proceedings; and/or (4) collaborating with other law enforcement agencies, management, and specialists to implement resource protection and law enforcement procedures. NOTE: the contents of your resume must support this claim.
OR
Education: Successful completion of 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited college or university in a directly related field that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to do the work of the position. e.g., law enforcement, police administration, criminology, or criminal justice. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts to support this response.
OR
Combination: Successful completion of a combination of specialized experience and graduate level education that, when combined, equals 100% of the total requirement. To calculate your combined amount, first determine the amount of your specialized experience as a percentage of the requirement listed above. Then determine the amount of your graduate education in excess of the first two years (36 semester hours) as a percentage of the requirement listed above; then add the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your college transcript and the contents of your resume must support this claim.

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 meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade requirement in accordance with 5 CFR 300.604. If you are a current Federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must have completed a minimum of 52 weeks at the next lower grade level.

Physical Demands: The incumbent must be able to safely utilize firearms, non-lethal weapons, and defensive tactics in the conduct of daily activities. The work requires considerable strenuous physical exertion, e.g., long periods of standing, crawling, walking and running over rough, uneven, rocky surfaces and through wooded or brush areas, performing these activities day or night, when the incumbent may be required to respond immediately from a sedentary activity to an extremely arduous activity. The duties of this position are so rigorous that a physical examination is required to ensure that the employee assigned can perform the duties without physical injury to self or others. Employees must meet the arduous physical and medical standards identified in BLM law enforcement policy. The incumbent must be prepared, at all times, to defend himself/herself and others against physical and armed attack, including the use of physical violence or, as a last resort, deadly force.

Additional information

Work Environment: Work is performed both in an office setting and outdoors with exposure to hazardous and environmentally adverse conditions. Fieldwork is normally performed along in isolated areas and for extended periods of time. Many investigations occur in isolated areas of the public lands. The remote areas are in high mountains as well as desert areas, canyons, and other types of rough terrain. This type of work involves potentially high risks with personal exposure to dangerous situations, including possible physical attack or other uncontrollable conditions. The incumbent is regularly exposed to temperature and weather extremes, and will travel on foot or by specialty vehicles, e.g., four-wheel drives, motorcycles, and all terrain vehicles, aircraft, or horseback to these remote locations to gather evidence and to arrest violators.

DOI uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit E-Verify.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well qualified for the position with a score of 90 or above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information: CTAP or ICTAP

Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service

Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid by the Department of the Interior. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee.

Travel, per diem, and lodging expenses will be paid consistent with the Federal Travel Regulations.

The official worksite for the selectee is the duty station identified in this vacancy announcement. The selectee will typically report to this duty location on a regular and recurring weekly basis. The selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

This announcement is being advertised concurrently under number NMDE-25-12785966-TH, which is open to all qualified persons. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.

Certain incentives (such as Recruitment, Relocation or Student Loan Repayment) may be authorized to eligible selectees. If eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive or Student Loan Repayment.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, and supporting documentation will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be contacted for an interview.

In the evaluation process, due weight will be given to job related experience, education, training, incentive awards and performance appraisals. Applicants must have a performance rating of at least the equivalent of fully successful to be eligible for promotion or placement. Applicants may provide a copy of a performance appraisal of record dated within the last 18 months. If the applicant is unable to provide a performance appraisal of record dated within the last 18 months, the applicant may provide a written explanation as to why.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application, this position requires successful completion of the following additional assessment: Subject Matter Expert Resume Panel Review. This assessment measures the critical competencies listed below that are required to successfully perform the job.

  • Compliance Inspection
  • Criminal Investigation
  • Partnering
  • Writing
  • Stress Tolerance

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:

Resume or Application. At a minimum, your resume MUST contain job title (include job series and grade, if federal), duties, starting and ending dates (month and year), hours worked per week, and salary. Please limit your resume to two pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

Your resume will be used to validate your responses to the assessment tool(s). Failure to provide required information will result in loss of eligibility. You are welcome to submit an optional cover letter.

Transcripts: If using education to qualify, submit a copy of ALL your college transcripts or a list of ALL college courses that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college/university. Upon selection, official transcripts must be received prior to appointment. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

Current and former federal career and career-conditional employees submit:

  • A copy of your most recent (non award) SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, or equivalent document that verifies tenure (block 24, code 1 or 2) and Competitive Status (block 34, code 1).
  • Your most recent Performance Appraisal (if you do not have your most recent performance appraisal, please submit an explanation as to why it is unavailable); and
  • A list of any awards you received in the last 5 years (i.e., superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.).

Former Public Lands Corps (PLC) Member: Submit a copy of your "Certificate of Eligibility for Noncompetitive Hiring" along with a copy of your "PLC Participant Verification Work Hours Sheet."

Applicants eligible under PL-114-47, Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act as a current or former employee of a land management agency, who is serving or previously served on a temporary or term appointments, you must submit the following documentation to receive consideration:
  • SF-50(s), Notification of Personnel Action, that documents your service under competitive examining procedures in time limited appointments that totals 24 months at land management agencies without a break in service of two or more years (initial, extension, and termination of all appointments); and
  • Documentation of satisfactory performance, if available, such as performance evaluations, references by supervisors, or other documents, e.g., memorandums of record, whereas the supervisor documented an acceptable performance level.
Applicants eligible under a Special Hiring Authority for Veterans, you must submit proof that supports your claim. This may include:
  • A legible copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, member 4 copy or any official documentation or statement from the Armed Forces that confirms your dates of service and that your separation, discharge, or release from active duty was under honorable conditions.
  • If you are currently on active military duty, you must provide documentation (e.g., campaign document, award citation, etc.), that verifies entitlement to veterans' preference or that shows length of service, AND that your character of military service is honorable.
  • If you have a service-connected disability, a copy of your Veterans Affairs (VA) letter indicating the combined percentage rating of your disability.
  • Required Documents as indicated on page 2 of the SF-15 to support your claim. NOTE: The SF-15 alone cannot be used to verify eligibility.
Special Hiring Authorities: If you are applying for this position based on eligibility under other noncompetitive special appointing authorities, you MUST submit proof of this eligibility.

Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) eligibles: Submit documentation verifying your CTAP/ICTAP eligibility - this includes a copy of the agency notice and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level and duty location.

Please note that documents selected for transfer from your USAJOBS profile are NOT automatically added to your application. You need to transfer your document(s) in the "Documents" step during the application process.

Required documentation must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on the closing date of this announcement.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

THIS IS AN ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESS THROUGH USAJOBS. Your application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time by 09/23/2025. If you need assistance in applying on-line, please contact the HR Office at tiffanyharris@blm.gov. If applying on-line poses a hardship for you (i.e. you do not have access to the Internet) you must contact us prior to the closing date of the announcement for an alternative method of applying.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have access to a public library, State Job Service Office, etc., you should use these resources to apply online. You must follow the steps described below to complete the application process:

YOU MUST HAVE OR CREATE A PROFILE IN USAJOBS. Your profile must contain a current resume for submission. See Required Documents section for what to include in your resume.

INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION COULD RESULT IN AN INELIGIBLE RATING.

The USAJOBS Resume Builder was designed to ensure that your resume includes the standard information needed. The Resume Builder is an available tool when you login to your USAJOBS account.

  1. Review the Appointment Eligibility Criteria: The eligibility section of the application process is designed to allow you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You will ONLY be considered for the appointment eligibilities that you selected. You must provide proof of your eligibility to be considered.
  2. You must submit a resume and also complete the online application and assessment questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section.
  • To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
  • Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
  • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
  • The eligibility portion of the application process is designed to allow you to choose how you wish to be considered for this announcement. You may choose more than one eligibility. You must provide proof of your eligibility and will only be considered for the questions that you answer "yes".
  • Please note, your eligibility will be based solely on the selections you have indicated in this section. You must provide the supporting documentation to support your claim to be considered. You may choose more than one eligibility in this section.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (Welcome | Login.gov), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to.

FOLLOW UP. Check your application status before the announcement closes. It is your responsibility to ensure that a complete application (including a resume, on-line questionnaire, and applicable supplemental documentation) is received by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on 09/23/2025. NOTE: Technical problems may take at least 1 business day to resolve; therefore, you are highly encouraged to complete the application process prior to the closing date.

Agency contact information

Tiffany Harris
Address
BLM New Mexico State Office
BLM New Mexico, NM-951
301 Dinosaur Trail
Santa Fe, NM 87508
US

Next steps

You can track the progress of your application package via your USAJobs account. You will receive an acknowledgement email from USAJobs that your submission was successful once we have received your online questionnaire, resume, and any supporting documentation. You will be notified of the status of your application and/or referral to the hiring official via your USAJobs account after the evaluation process is complete. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required.

Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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