Summary
This announcement is for the Park Ranger (Protection), to clear ICTAP/CTAP priority lists. It is only open to current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the ICTAP/CTAP.
National Park Service-wide (location negotiable). To see available parks and duty locations, please visit Find Your Park.
Applications must be submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the06/28/2024 to be considered.
This job is open to
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.
Duties
Park Ranger (Protection) Standard Duties:
- Enforce federal laws, regulations and policies.
- Patrol front country and backcountry sites.
- Emergency response (utilizing Incident Command System) including medical services, search and rescue, and wildland/structural fire suppression.
- Facilitate visitor stewardship and orientation; wilderness management; boundary enforcement; protection of natural and cultural resources (e.g. wildlife, plants, archaeological sites, historic buildings).
- Assist with preliminary investigations of felonies, crimes and violations of park rules, public use, safety requirements, and motor vehicle accidents.
- Crowd control activities.
- Proactively protects park resources from all forms of degradation.
Additional duties for GS-7:
- The incumbent will independently conduct law enforcement investigations into misdemeanor violations.
- Under the supervision of a Type I commissioned personnel, investigate felony violations and fatalities.
Requirements
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.
- Must possess or be able to obtain a NPS Type II Law Enforcement Commission.
- Must possess a National Registry or State issued EMT certification in order to receive consideration for LE Ranger (EMT).
- Must pass the Physical Efficiency Battery (PEB) prior to start date.
- Pre-employment medical exam and drug testing are required.
- 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 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/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 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.
Qualifications
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-06/28/2024-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.
1. Mandatory Requirements for Park Ranger (Protection):
A. Mandatory Minimum Age Requirement: This position has a mandatory requirement that applicants must be 21 years of age or older.
B. Mandatory Law Enforcement Commission: Applicants must meet one of the following criteria by the entrance-on-duty (EOD) date to be considered for these positions:
- Currently hold, or have previously held (within the past three years), a National Park Service Seasonal (Level II) or full (Level I) law enforcement commission, or equivalent within the past three years.
- Successful completion a Seasonal Law Enforcement Training Program during the last three years, but have not yet received a National Park Service Seasonal (Level II) Law Enforcement Commission.
- Will successfully complete a Seasonal Law Enforcement Training Program by the entrance on duty date from one of the approved participating academies found at Park Ranger Law Enforcement Academy Training Program (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov) NOTE: This is not regular police officer training.
You must certify in your supporting documents the possession of at least one of the above criteria or you will not be considered. In your resume, please include your commission number with expiration date, or your anticipated graduation date from an approved NPS Seasonal Law Enforcement Academy. (MUST SUPPORT IN RESUME OR WILL BE RATED INELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION).
C. Physical Efficiency Battery (PEB): Applicants are required to pass the Physical Efficiency Battery (PEB) prior to entering law enforcement positions. The duties of this position require arduous physical exertion involving walking, running, lifting, standing, use of firearms, and exposure to inclement weather. The Physical Efficiency Battery (PEB) is a fitness test consisting of five different components: 1) agility run - measures the ability to get up from the ground and sprint while changing directions; 2) bench press - measures the upper body strength for one repetition; 3) 1.5 mile run - measures cardio/respiratory fitness; 4) sit and reach - measures the flexibility in the lower back, legs and shoulders; and 5) body composition - measures the body fat. Prior to appointment, applicants will be tested in all five components, but only the agility run, bench press and 1.5 mile run will be measured for a passing score in the 25th percentile (age and gender adjusted) of these components. These procedures will ensure that law enforcement officers are capable of performing strenuous physical training and law enforcement duties. Applicants shall be disqualified for appointment if they fail to meet any physical requirements. Probationary or seasonal employment is subject to termination for failure to meet the 25th percentile in each of the identified components being measured.
2. Selective Placement Factors:
Some parks on this announcement require Park Ranger (Protection) to be certified Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) or First Responders (FR). To be referred for the EMT or FR designation, you must meet the following Selective Placement Factors in addition to the Park Ranger (Protection) qualification standards ( Note: you will still be considered for LE Ranger without EMT or FR certifications. These are additional designations applicants can be considered for by parks that require it):
For Emergency Medical Technician designation- Applicants must be certified by the National Registry OR by a State EMS organization in order to be referred for the EMT designation. You MUST indicate in your resume the expiration date of your certificate.
For First Responder designation - Applicants must be certified by the National Registry OR by a State EMS organization in order to be referred for the FR designation. You MUST indicate in your resume the expiration date of your certificate.
3. Specialized Experience and/or Education:
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 qualified specialized experience.
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. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to, the following: law enforcement or investigative work; park guide or tour leader; resource management related to natural and cultural resources (museum technician, biological science technician, archaeological technician, etc.); forestry and/or fire management (wildland and/or structural); emergency services (emergency medical, search and rescue, emergency dispatch); assist in the management, information dissemination, or the carrying out of programs in a park, conservation reserve or similar area (e.g. backcountry office, volunteer, visitor information desk, campground ranger). .
-OR-
B. A 4 year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with 24 semester hours of related course work (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.
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 the GS-05 level in the federal service. Specialized experience is experience performing law enforcement duties for the protection, conservation, use, and management of natural and/or cultural resources in park areas or similar operations, which involved the application of law enforcement authorities and procedures to protect visitors and resources. Law enforcement duties include apprehending, detaining, and firearm experience.
-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.
Important resume information to receive full consideration:
- You must clearly describe your duties, dates of employment (including month and year), and hours worked per week in the position in order to receive credit. If you do not include this information, you will not receive credit for that experience.
- Credit for experience is given on a 40-hour workweek. Part-time experience is credited on a part-time ratio (e.g. working 20 hours per week for two months equals one month of experience). No additional credit is given for overtime.
- In describing the nature of your duties (your experience), please be clear and concise. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience.
Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or public sectors. The OPM Qualification Standards Handbook is available for review at: OPM Qualification Standards.
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 the interpretation of foreign education programs and that (1) deemed your education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program, or (2) given full credit for courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.
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.
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. 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. Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veterans' 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 who are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position.
- Well Qualified applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.
You will be evaluated on the following competencies:- Criminal Law
- Interpersonal Skills
- Public Safety and Security
- Writing
ICTAP Eligibles: View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency CTAP/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. 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).
Required Documents
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 06/28/2024:
- 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 qualified specialized experience. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
- Complete All Required Assessments.
- 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.
- Documentation that you meet Selective Factors.
- College transcripts if qualifying based on education.
- 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 84 on the rating criteria for this position.
- 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.
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 06/28/2024.
WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES.
- Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account.
- You will be prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Apply."
- Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS.
- Select documents you want included in this application.
- Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed.
- Select if you want to include your demographic information.
- After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site."
- Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.
- Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown.
- Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.
- Review and Submit Application.
- While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.
- 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.
- After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder.
- If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments. Click here for Computer System Requirements (https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=USA_Hire_System_Requirements)
- Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/.
- To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account: Welcome | Login.gov. There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
- To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: Welcome | Login.gov. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application, including the invitation to take the USA Hire assessment. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/.
Next steps
Many similar positions are advertised by various offices within the National Park Service. You MUST apply to each announcement for consideration. Officials may hire at any grade level, location or work schedule. All positions may or may not be filled. Dates and length of employment will vary between park sites depending on funding, weather conditions, and visitation. Positions are TEMPORARY positions, not to exceed 6 months (1,039 hours), and have no promotion potential.
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.
Applicants will get a response from this announcement by approximately July 2024.
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