Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens, Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL)

These positions are located in Denali National Park and Preserve, in the Visitor Resource and Protection Division.

Duties of these positions include, but are not limited to the following:

Dog Care:

• Perform daily, vigorous physical labor outside in all weather conditions.
• Care for, feed, clean up and compost dog waste.
• Handle and harness athletic sled dogs for demonstrations for the public during the summer season.
• In addition, may be asked to use basic hand or power tools for dog yard and/or equipment maintenance and repair.

Interpretation:

• Employ effective oral and written communication skills to research, develop, and conduct informal visitor contacts.
• Use PC compatible equipment and software such as PowerPoint, MS Word, scanners, printers, etc.
• Provide informal interpretation in the dog-yard in between formal demonstrations.
• May be asked to assist with education and outreach through various social media platforms.

Additional duties for the GS-07 grade level:

• Provide on-the-job training and assistance to team members. You will observe and report on the use of various resources.

The employees of the National Park Service care for special places that are the heritage of all Americans. Since its inception in 1916, the National Park Service has been dedicated to the preservation and management of this country's outstanding natural, historical, and recreational resources. Park ranger - interpreters connect people to parks. They play a key role in ensuring that visitors have a meaningful, satisfying, and safe park experience, help visitors decide how to spend their time in the park, and inform them about the wonders that await their discovery.

Park ranger - interpreters are specially trained to engage the public so that each park visitor can find a personal connection with the meanings and values found in the places and stories of that park. They help visitors explore the many dimensions of parks by introducing them to a variety of perspectives. By providing the opportunity for visitors to care about the places they visit, they promote stewardship and the opportunity for those visitors to care for park resources. National parks are among the most remarkable places in America for recreation, learning, and inspiration. The work done by park ranger-interpreters through effective interpretive and educational programs encourages the development of a personal stewardship ethic and broadens public support for preserving and protecting park resources, so that they may be enjoyed by present and future generations.

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 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 and overtime.
• You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to two nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/21/2025-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

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 number of hours worked per week, full-time, or part-time. If you indicate part-time, you MUST indicate the number of hours worked per week so that your qualifying experience can be prorated for credit.

SELECTIVE FACTOR: This position performs sled dog and mushing duties and experience caring for animals on a farm or similar; or, caring for or training dogs in either a dog mushing kennel, boarding kennel, veterinary clinic, or dog training program is required. 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:

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). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience include basic research for the purpose of conducting interpretative tours to point out scientific, historic, and natural features of parks, forests, historic sites or other attractions, providing visitor services such as explaining regulations, answering visitor questions and complaints and providing information about a park or similar recreational area. You must include hours worked per week in your resume.

-OR-

EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least four years of education above high school (120 semester hours, 180 quarter hours, or equivalent) leading to a bachelor's degree with 24 semester hours (36 quarter hours), or equivalent, of course work in a related field. Related course work are subjects 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. 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 submit a copy of your transcripts.

-OR-

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: 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, in excess of the first 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours), or equivalent and divide by 60 (or 90), or the equivalent. Take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the two percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must submit transcripts and include hours worked per week in your resume.

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 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). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience include researching and conducting interpretative tours to point out scientific, historic, and natural features of parks, forests, historic sites, or other attractions; performing resource management tasks and duties supporting the mission of a park or similar area; providing visitor services such as explaining regulations, answering visitor questions and complaints, and providing information about a park or similar recreational area. You must include hours worked per week in your resume.

-OR-

EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one full year (18 semester hours, 27 quarter hours, or equivalent) of graduate level course work 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. 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 submit a copy of your transcripts.

-OR-

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: 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 (27 quarter hours), or the 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 submit transcripts and include hours worked per week in your resume.

Volunteer 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.

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) and the responses you provide on the application questionnaire 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.

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. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. 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.

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 three categories:

• Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position
• 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:

• Interpersonal Skills
• Interpretation
• Oral Communication
• Sled Dogs/Mushing
• Teaches Others
• Technology Application
• Written Communication

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 11/21/2025:

1. Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, dates specified in month and year format, and the number of hours worked per week, full and/or part-time. If you indicate part-time, you MUST indicate the number of hours worked per week so that your qualifying experience can be prorated for specialized experience. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade. 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. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. 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.
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 selective factor.
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 85 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.

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