Park Ranger (General) Job

Vacancy No. PW-1548-SR-25-12596611-DE Department National Park Service
Salary $18.96 to $34.20 Grade 5 to 7
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Part-time
Open Date 11/25/2024 Close Date 12/3/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Whiskeytown, CAEnumclaw, WALongmire, WA


Summary

These positions are located in PWR Seasonal Recruitment, in the Visitor and Resource Protection Division.

The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period for PWR Seasonal Recruitment is April-October, but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: April 2025.

Open to the first 350 applicants or until 12/03/2024 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

The Pacific West Region is recruiting for TEMPORARY seasonal positions not to exceed 1039 hours work in a service year. Dates of employment will vary between park sites depending on funding, weather conditions and visitation. Within regulatory limitations, the length of initial appointment may be shortened or extended depending on work availability and funding.

Duties

Positions are located in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area (GS-05 Only), and the Paradise (Longmire) and Sunrise (Enumclaw) areas of Mount Rainier National Park.

MAJOR DUTIES: As a general Park Ranger, you will respond to medical emergencies, be a part of the park's search and rescue cadre to the level of your training and may participate in the park's wildland fire program (if red carded). You interact with visitors in the field and in an office environment, providing information on Leave No Trace ethics, park regulations, wildlife encounters, and general area information. As relationships with outside agencies is critical to operational success, you will help to maintain positive work relationships with local communities, user groups, local and state law enforcement and emergency services, and other resource/cultural based land management agencies. You will provide medical care at the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) level parkwide. You will perform a wide range of duties, including emergency medical services (EMS):

  • Operate ambulances and other emergency vehicles in a safe and skilled manner.
  • Maintains EMS and rescue equipment in a response-ready state and regularly performs related work projects as assigned during daily shift.
  • Performs patient care in a variety of rugged environments involving lifting, moving and carrying for extended periods with exposure to extremes in temperature and uneven terrain.
  • Performs search and rescue operations in remote and technical environments, often carrying heavy loads for long distances.
  • May perform as a member of a team aboard helicopters during medical evacuations and rescue operations.
  • Works safely and effectively, utilizing PPE (personal protective equipment) and proper work practices, while performing in hazardous work environments including motor vehicle accidents, structural fires, HAZMAT, plane crashes and mass-casualty incidents.
  • Performs tasks as assigned under incident command system (ICS) and interacts routinely with outside agency emergency personnel.
  • Completes in-service training sessions on emergency equipment and procedures for area emergency personnel in various emergency care related topics including but not limited to patient assessment and care, scene safety, rescue procedures, extrication, etc.
  • Traffic control which includes directing of traffic, movement of vehicles, monitoring for available spaces and enforcement of parking.
  • At Whiskeytown, conduct patrols of park beaches and lakes via non-motorized and motorized vessels in an effort to reduce drowning and increase compliance with boating safety rules.
Whiskeytown NRA: Whiskeytown Lake's crystal-clear water is perhaps the most recognized feature of the park. However, water-based recreation is only a part of what the 42,000-acre Whiskeytown National Recreation Area has to offer. Visit waterfalls, hike through rugged mountains, explore California Gold Rush history, and observe post-fire ecology in action. Summers are hot and dry with potential for poor and hazardous air quality due to wildland fires. Park housing may be available either in Redding, CA (10 miles away) or in the park. Redding is a community of 100,000 and contains all services. For more information, visit: Whiskeytown National Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov).

Mount Rainier NP, Longmire: The park is located in southeast Pierce County and northeast Lewis County. The park encompasses 236,381 acres; it rises abruptly from the surrounding land with elevations in the park ranging from 1,600 feet to over 14,000 feet. Over two million people visit Mount Rainier National Park each year. Eatonville Washington is the closest community providing a medical clinic and grocery store 44 miles from Paradise. All services can be found in Puyallup 65 miles from Paradise.

Mount Rainier NP, Enumclaw is located approximately one hour south of Seattle, near the community of Buckley. Both are medium sized rural communities of several thousand people with convenience stores, gas, churches, licensed childcare, doctor, dentist, banks, grocery stores, pharmacy, movie theaters, etc. The climate is considered moderate at lower elevations, but is frequently overcast and rainy during fall, winter and spring. For more information about the duty station, please see: http://www.ci.enumclaw.wa.us/. For more information, visit: http://www.nps.gov/mora. Park provided housing location would likely be inside Mount Rainier National Park at White River Entrance or Ohanapecosh. Both locations are approximately 1 to 1.5 hours from towns with amenities (Enumclaw, WA or Packwood, WA).

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
  • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • 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.
  • You will be 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.
  • You will 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 shift work.
  • For Mount Rainier locations, housing is available and incumbent will be assigned shared furnished quarters. As a condition of this occupancy, incumbent may be required to respond to emergency situations at any time and is thus subject to call-out to render aid, provide information, or assist others in protecting life and property. Because of limited housing, when an employee is assigned shared quarters, the park is not able to provide accommodations for family members or pets.
  • Travel, transportation & relocation expenses will not be paid. Relocation expenses will be the employee's responsibility.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by 11:59 EST when the 'applicant cut-off' is reached (which may be sooner than 12/03/2024).

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 full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience.

SELECTIVE FACTOR: These positions perform emergency medical care, and a National Registry Emergency Medical Technician certification, or state equivalent with ability to achieve National Registry, is required by close of the announcement. You MUST document the type of certification, certifying organization and expiration date in your application documents.

- 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:
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: park guide or tour leader; law enforcement or investigative work; archeological or historical preservation research work; forestry or fire management work in a park, recreation, or conservation area; 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.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least four years of progressively higher level undergraduate education leading to a bachelor's degree or equivalent undergraduate degree with major study, 24 semester hours of related course work, 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 transcripts.
-OR-
Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours (or equivalent) earned towards a bachelor's degree, in excess of 60 semester hours, and divide by 60 semester hours (or equivalent). 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). You must include hours per week worked and 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:
EXPERIENCE: At least one 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: 1) perform front or back country patrols in a park or natural area to education visitors and protect resources; 2) staff a visitor center or information desk providing information and orientation to visitors; 3) provide emergency medical treatment to others within the scope of your licensure. (Note: Normally one grade interval work such as guide, clerk, assistant or technician work (Park Guide or Visitor Services Assistant) in a single grade occupational series at the GS-05 level does NOT qualify for this position, however GS-06 level work may). You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one year of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree with major study in ­natural resource management, natural sciences, marine biology/sciences, earth sciences, history, archeology, anthropology, park and recreation management, law enforcement/police science, social sciences, wetlands ecology, or other closely related subjects pertinent to the management and protection of natural and cultural resources. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours (or equivalent) earned towards a graduate degree and divide by 18 semester hours (or equivalent). 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. You must include hours per week worked and 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.

ICTAP/CTAP Statement: Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special prior­ity selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level on all competencies.

Education

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

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.

Additional information

If you would like more information regarding this announcement, please contact:
Mount Rainier Enumclaw/White River Positions: Jamie Hanson, jamie_hanson@nps.gov, 360-569-6691
Mount Rainier Longmire Positions: Dan Jones, daniel_jones@nps.gov, 360-569-6681
Whiskeytown: Brian Densmore, brian_densmore@nps.gov, 530-242-3413

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR §575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1040 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (NPS).

If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1040 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1040 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility.

The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1040 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1040 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM.

Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations.

Physical Demands: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as long periods of standing, walking, driving, bending, and the incumbent must have the ability to routinely carry backpacks of up to 50 pounds in steep terrain and in adverse weather conditions.

Working Conditions: The work is performed in a setting in which there is regular and recurring exposure to moderate discomforts and unpleasantness, e.g., high or low temperatures, confined spaces or adverse weather conditions.

The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.

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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessments required for this position. 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 adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions can affect your rating.

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 one of two categories:

  • Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job
  • Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.
You will be evaluated on the following competencies:
  • First Response
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Technical Competence
  • Leadership (GS-07 Only)

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/03/2024:

  1. Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, dates specified in month and year format, and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
  2. Complete All Required Assessments.
  3. Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as:
    • Veterans Preference Documentation:
      • If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
      • 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.
      • If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother 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.ebenefits.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
  4. Documentation that you meet the EMS requirement.
  5. College transcripts, if qualifying based on education.
  6. Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, 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 rated well-qualified or above 90 on the rating criteria for this position.
Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.

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.

How to Apply

To apply for this position: You must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/03/2024. You must provide documentation to support your claim for each eligibility selected. Please review the required documentation listed in the eligibilities language to ensure you submit the appropriate information. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation.

WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES.

  1. Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account.
  2. Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application."
  3. Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS.
  4. Select documents you want included in this application.
  5. Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed.
  6. Select if you want to include your demographic information.
  7. After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site."
  8. Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.
  9. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown.
    • Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.
  10. Review and Submit Application.
  11. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.
  12. You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement.
    • To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job.
    • Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application.

Agency contact information

Kelley Kennec
Address
PWR Seasonal Recruitment
333 Bush Street
Suite 500
San Francisco, CA 94104
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once the Occupational Questionnaire is received you will receive acknowledgement that your submission was successful. If you are among the most qualified candidates and your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly for a possible interview. You will be notified of the status of your Application Package at the time candidates are referred for consideration, and when the selection process is complete.


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


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