Clarification from the agency

This announcement is for ICTAP/CTAP only. This announcement is intended for all National Parks within the National Park Service for this position. To include all locations (U.S. states/territories) throughout the National Park Service. If you are ICTAP/CTAP eligible and interested in this position, you must apply to this announcement to be considered for this position.

Park Ranger (Interpretation-Language) Standard Duties:

• Develop and present a variety of programs including guided walks, illustrated talks (PowerPoint amphitheater and campfire programs) and demonstrations.
• Develop programs using principles of the NPS thematic interpretation model through topic research, familiarity with and creative use of delivery techniques.
• Provide informal interpretation and orientation for park guests in visitor centers, ranger stations and while roving in the field.
• Perform cashier duties and assist with a variety of special projects to support park goals.
• Actively promote the safety of park visitors and stewardship of park resources in all interactions, and potentially serve as the initial contact for accident reporting and emergency assistance.

Additional duties for GS-5:

• You will present informal and formal talks.
• Lead guided tours, and
• respond to visitor inquiries for information, direction and guidance.

Additional duties for GS-7:

• You will perform duties listed at the GS-5 level as well as provide on-the-job training and assistance to team members.

Work is performed both indoors and outdoors in all types of weather from snow, wind, and rain to sun and heat. Work involves standing for long periods of time, walking over rough and uneven terrain and living in close quarters with co-workers.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Area of Consideration for this position refers to the ICTAP/CTAP hiring authority/eligibility and not the physical location of the position.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males must meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement.
• Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
• Occupancy of government quarters may be required.
• Government housing may be available but is not guaranteed.
  • Use find a park to contact specific parks for more information on government housing.
• You may be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and/or shift work.
• You may be required to 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 their 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, selectee 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 selectee. Please indicate in your application whether you possess a valid State driver's license.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/28/2025-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your 2 page 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. You MUST limit your resume to no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. You can only submit one resume; only the resume submitted under the "Resume" "Document Type" will be used to determine your qualifications and for rating purposes.

Foreign Language Requirement: In addition to standard interpretation qualifications listed below, the applicant must be conversationally fluent in at least one of the following (21) languages:

• American Sign Language

• Apache

• Cantonese

• French

• German

• Havasupai

• Hopi

• Hualapai

• Japanese

• Lakota

• Mandarin

• Navajo

• Paiute

• Russian

• Spanish

• Tagalog

• Tewa

• Vietnamese

• Hawaiian

• Yavapai

• Zuni

To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess one of the following:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-04 level in the federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Experience may have been in technical, administrative, or scientific work, fish and wildlife management, recreation management, law enforcement, or other park related work. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to: park guide or tour leader; environmental educator or teacher; law enforcement or investigative work; archaeological or historical preservation research work; forestry and/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; or other similar work.
-OR-
B. A 4 year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with 24 semester hours of related coursework (one year of full-time undergraduate study is defined as 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours).
-OR-
C. Equivalent combination of experience and education that, together, equal 100% of the qualification standards listed above when combined.

To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level, you must possess one of the following:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 level in the federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to: park guide or tour leader, work in a park, recreation or conservation area, environmental education, history and/or cultural resources education, and natural sciences education. Work will include independent research and presentation.
-OR-
B. You must possess one full academic year of graduate education related to the occupation (one year of full-time graduate education is defined as 18 semester hours).
-OR-
C. Equivalent combination of experience and education that, together, equal 100% of the qualification standards listed above when combined.

Note: Money handling requires a higher background check.

Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or public sectors. The OPM Qualification Standards Handbook is available for review at: OPM Qualification Standards..

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. Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(2) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating, and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP/ICTAP eligible. If you are selected for Federal employment, you will be required to fill out a Declaration of Federal Employment, OF-306, prior to being appointed to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. Failing to answer all questions truthfully and completely or providing false statements on your application may be grounds for not hiring you, or for firing you after you begin work. Also, you may be punished by fine or imprisonment (U.S. Code, Title 18, section 1001).

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 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.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered well qualified under ICTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85.0 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.

Area of Consideration for this position refers to the ICTAP/CTAP hiring authority/eligibility and not the physical location of the position.

An interview may be required for this position. If an interview is required, failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.

You will be evaluated on the following competencies:

• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Interpersonal Skills
• Interpretation
• Technology Application

• Reading
• Reasoning

ALL required documentation must be submitted to receive full consideration for eligibilities and veterans' preference selected.

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 11/28/2025:

1. Your 2-page 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 of amount qualified specialized experience. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade. If you do not include hours worked per week (or indicate full-time status), you will not be given credit for that experience.
2. Complete All Questionnaires.
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 SF-15. 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.
   • Performance Appraisals and Awards:
     • All applicants must submit their most recent performance appraisal showing the official rating of record and signed by a supervisor or, if one is unavailable, a statement as to why it is not available (including if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level).
     • 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.
4. College transcripts if qualifying based on education. Accreditation: Postsecondary Education Institutions
5. Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include:
   • Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc;
   • SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and
   • 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.
6. Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here.

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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