Duties
- Conducts site and visual inventories of river areas and develop visitor use site analysis.
- Creates conceptual site plans on many park projects including camping areas, trails, river access, scenic overlooks trailhead areas.
- Sketches solutions for daily park projects and operations, as well as draw site plans, sections, perspectives and plan view maps on a weekly basis.
- Enhances communication between park natural resource division and park facility staff and contributes to communications with local park partners.
- Works with all park divisions and reports directly to the Park Superintendent.
Area Information: The Missouri National Recreational River is made up of four free- flowing segments that comprise a portion of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System and unit of the National Park Service. These components include the Park's 39-Mile District from the Francis Case Reservoir and Fort Randall Dam in Pickstown, SD downstream to just above the Lewis and Clark Reservoir, and the 59-Mile District extending from below the Gavins Point Dam in Yankton, SD downstream to Ponca State Park in Nebraska. Additionally, the Park encompasses the lower 20 Miles of the Niobrara River from Knox County, NE to its confluence with the Missouri River, and 8 miles of Verdigre Creek for a combined total of 126 linear stream miles. The Park's Congressionally authorized boundary is made up of 42,000 acres, which includes combinations of federal, state-, and privately-owned land. All areas of the Park still exhibit the river conditions and adjacent natural landscapes found during early American history and pre-development. The duty station for the position is at the National Park Service, Missouri National Recreational River headquarters located in Yankton, South Dakota. The greater Yankton area has a population of ~20,000 people and is situated in southeast South Dakota. Recreational amenities abound, including hiking, hunting, fishing, and boating (renowned canoeing, kayaking, and motorboating) along the Missouri Recreational River National Water Trail, as well as within 3 adjacent state parks, Lewis and Clark Recreation Area (SD), Niobrara State Park (NE), and Ponca State Park (NE). Affordable and abundant housing for either rental or purchase is available within the greater Yankton area. The community is congenial and friendly and offers an excellent setting to raise a family. Summers are generally hot and humid, spring and autumn are mild with moderate temperatures, and winters can be cold, windy, and snowy.
For more information about our park, please visit Missouri National Recreational River
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- 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
- Incidental Driving: 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.
- You are required to wear a uniform and comply with uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
- You must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.
- You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
Qualifications
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-10/26/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.
Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:
PLEASE NOTE - Basics requirements must be met.
1. You must possess a professional degree in landscape architecture or landscape design.
OR
2. Have a combination of education and experience - for each year short of graduation, the applicant must have had 1 year of experience under professional leadership and guidance of such character and diversity as to be a satisfactory substitute for the required education. This experience must have included original landscape design. Transcripts must be submitted or you will receive no further consideration for this position.
Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect either full-time or 40 hours per week. If a part-time work schedule is reflected, the hours must be annotated to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience.
-AND-
In addition to the basic requirements, to qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level you must possess at least one of the following:
EXPERIENCE: Possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level in the Federal service. Examples of qualifying experience include the following: assist with the preparation of compliance documents, such as Section 106, or National Historic Site or Landmark nominations, applying cultural resource laws, rules and regulations; utilize a range of tools, methods, and technology (e.g., photographs, statistics, maps, field map production, remote sensing, oral history, measured drawings, GPS, and/or GIS) to research and document cultural resources; work cooperatively with individuals, interagency groups or multiple organizations to plan for or manage long-term protection of cultural resources; and/or perform work requiring the ability to comprehend and apply theoretical considerations and new developments in the technical literature of landscape architecture.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of 1 year of graduate-level education, leading to a master's degree in landscape architecture, landscape design, or other closely related fields which has equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to successfully perform the duties of this position.
-OR-
Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take percentage of completed education. Then take the number of months of full time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.
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.
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
Additional information
Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.
First time hires to the Federal government normally start at step 1 rate.
Temporary Appointment: This is a temporary seasonal appointment not to exceed 1039 hours. The appointment is expected to end upon completion of the season's work.
Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: As a temporary seasonal employee, you can be rehired in future seasons without reapplying, as long as you do not exceed 1,039 hours anywhere in the National Park Service during your service year.
Rehire eligibility applies to the same position or to another position with the same qualification requirements as long as it is a temporary seasonal appointment. Your service year is the 12 months that begin on the date of your first temporary appointment with the bureau, and it starts over on that date each year. Every temporary appointment you hold with the bureau during a service year counts toward the total.
Once you reach 1,040 hours, this eligibility ends unless OPM approves an exception. These rules come from 5CFR 316.402[b][7]. Already reached the limit this service year? Don't worry. You are still welcome to apply to this announcement or any future one.
Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations.
Physical Demands: The work may require some physical exertion such as long periods of standing; walking over rough, uneven or rocky surfaces; recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching or similar activities; and recurring lifting of moderately heavy items.
Working Conditions: Work is performed both indoors and occasionally outdoors with moderate risks.
All Department of Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, https://www.doi.gov/ethics/ethics-prohibitions.
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.
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.
A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score will be lowered and/or adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position.
Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed.
If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, your score will be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position.
Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service-connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into the following categories:
You will be assessed in the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
- Communications and Media
- Problem Solving
- Project Management
- Technical Competence
If fewer than three eligible and available candidates per vacancy result, the agency will expand the group of candidates in accordance with the pre-announced supplement strategy and 5 CFR 332.402(f).
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Providing false or misleading information on your resume or supporting documentation may result in removal from consideration or other action consistent with applicable federal hiring regulations. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.
Required Documents
The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/26/2026 - unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement:
- Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates in month-year format (include month/day/year format if needed for 52 weeks of experience), and indicate hours worked per week (or full-time). Your resume must clearly show how long you have held each grade/rank. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. Your 2-page resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements. If you have federal experience, you should include series, and grade for each position held, and if experience is part of a career ladder position, you must clearly distinguish the job duties and length of time working for each grade level. More information on how to write a Federal Resume: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include
- Complete All Required Assessment.
- All college transcript(s), if qualifying based on education. Please submit both undergraduate and graduate level transcripts, as applicable.
- Veterans Preference Documentation, if applicable. Veterans must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (member 4 copy) or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Parent or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.va.gov/records/ or call 1-800-827-1000. If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active-duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
- Interagency Career Transition (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): You MUST submit proof of eligibility including 1) copy of the agency notice, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc.; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be well qualified. For more information visit: USAJOBS Help Center - Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL).
Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from all documents.
Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.
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.