Park Ranger (Protection) Job in Location Negotiable After Selection

Vacancy No. WO-1614-FLT-25-12767439-IMP Department National Park Service
Salary $73,939.00 to $96,116.00 Grade 11 to 11
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 7/24/2025 Close Date 8/7/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Location Negotiable After Selection


Summary

This announcement is for the Law Enforcement, Security, & Emergency Services with multiple duty locations/positions available (location negotiable). To see available parks and duty locations, please see the Duties section.

This is a temporary promotion/detail not-to-exceed 1 year, and can be extended up to 5 years.

Open to the first 50 applicants or 08/07/2025 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

Open to current career and career-conditional employees of the National Park Service in the competitive service and Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) eligibles.

Duties

This position requires substantial prior primary law enforcement experience either inside or outside the Federal government (e.g. investigating, apprehending, or detaining criminals or criminal suspects).

Park Ranger (Protection) - Standard & Field Training Officer Duties:

  • Serves as a Field Training Officer, providing expert guidance and training on law enforcement procedures as a law enforcement instructor.
  • Conduct technical training and education programs including development of law enforcement training curriculum as a certified law enforcement instructor.
  • Provide evaluation of student performance for both team and individual training settings to determine behavior anchor points and acquired skills/abilities.
  • Develop law enforcement training curriculum using advanced principles and techniques to include lesson plan development, research, curriculum review, development, and revision; develop training materials utilizing different approaches and methods to instruct in classroom settings and practical exercises.
  • Maintain working relationships with key stakeholders to complete joint training projects or to share best practices; develop and deliver presentations to students and management officials.
Location Negotiable - Available parks and duty locations (not all locations may be filling positions):
  • Biscayne NP - Homestead FL
  • Blue Ridge Parkway - Laurel Springs NC, Blowing Rock NC, Spruce Pine NC, Asheville NC, Waynesville NC, Floyd VA, Vinton VA, Big Island VA, Bedford VA, & Montebello VA
  • Canaveral NS - Titusville FL
  • Cape Hatteras NS - Buxton NC, Nags Head NC, & Ocracoke NC
  • Chickasaw National Recreation Area - Sulpher, OK
  • Colonial NHP - Yorktown VA, Jamestown VA
  • Cuyahoga Valley NP - Brecksville OH, Peninsula OH
  • Delaware Water Gap NRA - Bushkill PA
  • Everglades NP - Homestead FL, Everglades City FL, Key Largo FL, & Flamingo FL
  • Gateway Arch NP - Saint Louis MO
  • Gateway Sandy Hook - Highlands NJ
  • Glen Canyon NRA - Page AZ, Wahweap AZ, Bullfrog UT
  • Golden Gate NRA - San Francisco CA, Sausalito CA
  • Grand Canyon NP - Grand Canyon AZ, North Rim AZ
  • Grand Teton NP - Moose WY, Colter Bay WY
  • Gulf Islands NS - Gulf Breeze FL, Ocean Springs MS
  • Hot Springs NP - Hot Springs AR
  • Independence National Historical Park - Philadelphia, PA
  • Joshua Tree NP - Twentynine Palms CA
  • Mammoth Cave NP - Mammoth Cave KY
  • Natchez Trace Parkway - Franklin TN, Hohenwald TN, Cherokee AL, Tupelo MS, Mantee MS, Ridgeland MS, & Port Gibson MS
  • Ozark National Scenic Riverways - Van Buren MO, Eminence MO
  • Sequoia and King's Canyon NP - Kings Canyon National Park CA, Three Rivers CA, & Sequoia National Park CA
  • Yellowstone NP - Yellowstone NP WY
  • Yosemite NP - Yosemite CA

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship or U.S. National required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation & favorable adjudication.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males
  • Subject to pre-employment physical & drug testing.
  • Must possess the NPS Type I Law Enforcement Commission.
  • Must currently be a credentialed Field Training Officer for the NPS Field Training and Evaluation Program.
  • Temporary Promotion - Any individual who is currently holding, or has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet time-in-grade requirements (must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent in the Federal service). Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
  • New employees in the Federal government are required to complete a one-year probationary period.
  • Required to carry a firearm while performing duties and maintain firearm proficiency.
  • Must be free of any domestic violence convictions. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
  • 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.
  • Prior to appointment, must be determined physically fit by an authorized government physician to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties; and also pass a medical examination (which includes vision, hearing, cardiovascular, and mobility of extremities) given by an authorized government physician. You will also be required to undergo periodic medical examinations throughout employment.
  • Required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required.
  • Occupancy of government quarters may be required.
  • Government housing may be available.
  • Required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • May be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
  • May be required to travel overnight away from home.
  • May be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
  • Applicants must be at least 21 years old.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-08/07/2025-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your 2-page resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 for each federal position listed as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of qualifying experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your 2-page 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.

Mandatory Requirements for Park Ranger (Protection), GS-0025-11:

1. Mandatory Minimum Age Requirement: This position has a mandatory requirement that applicants must be 21 years of age or older.

2. Mandatory Law Enforcement Commission: Applicants must meet one of the following criteria by the close date of the announcement to be considered for these positions:
  • Currently hold, or have previously held (within the past three years), a National Park Service full (Level I) law enforcement commission, or equivalent within the past three years.
You MUST certify in your supporting documents the possession of at least one of the above criteria. Include your commission number with expiration date within your resume.

3. Primary Law Enforcement Experience: This is a covered secondary law enforcement position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S. C. 8336(c) (CSRS) and 8412(d) (FERS). Applicants for this position must possess experience gained by substantial service in a primary law enforcement position.

4. Candidates must currently be a credentialed Field Training Officer for the NPS Field Training and Evaluation Program. Applicants must have attended a NPS Field Training and Evaluation Program (FTEP) Training Officer Course. The two NPS-approved courses of instruction are the NPS FTEP Training Course and the DHS FLETC FTEP Training Officer Course. Candidates must have completed one of the two courses by the close date of the announcement in order to qualify as a Field Training Officer. Applicants are not required to submit proof of FTO during the application process - this will be verified by Human Resources during the application review.

5. Applicants must possess the following minimum qualifications by the close of the announcement:

To qualify for the GS-11 level:
A. Specialized Experience: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 (or GL-09) 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 at this level requires substantial prior primary law enforcement experience which includes investigating, apprehending or detaining criminals or criminal suspects. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
B. Education: Successful completion of three full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education, or a Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree at an accredited college or university, in a field of major study that is directly related to the work of the position 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.
-OR-
C. Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above.

Temporary Promotion Requirements - Career or career-conditional candidates applying for a temporary promotion, must meet all qualification requirements, including time-in-grade qualification requirements.

Detail Requirements - Career or career-conditional candidates must meet qualification requirements, however, candidates are not required to meet the time-in-grade qualification requirements of this position. Details also apply to current employees who hold the full performance level of the position (GS-11) or higher grade level on a permanent basis. While on detail, the employee continues to hold their official position from which detailed and keeps the same status and grade.

You must include a copy of your academic transcripts with your application if qualifying on education and you must include hours per week worked on your resume.

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.

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

Please visit find a park for additional park information.

This temporary promotion may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, and/or other considerations.

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

Physical Demands: Strenuous exertion is frequently required in law enforcement, search and rescue, medical and related emergency activities. Lifting or carrying equipment weighing over 50 pounds, such as emergency equipment, or search and rescue equipment is required. There is a physical, mental and emotional high-stress component to much of the incumbents work assignment. Position is required to meet and continuously maintain the physical/medical standards as set forth in the requirements of D.O. #57.

Working Conditions: The work is performed at various hours of the day and night and for prolonged periods during emergency situations. The incumbent is frequently exposed to high-risk and potentially dangerous situations in law enforcement and emergency situations requiring use of a wide range of personal protective gear, adherence to specific safety procedures and other precautions.

The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are not suitable for telework.

This is a secondary-administrative law enforcement position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S. C. 8336 (c) (CSRS) and 5 U. S. C. 8412 (d) (FERS). PLEASE NOTE: Applicants may meet qualification requirements, but may not be eligible for special retirement coverage. If such an applicant is selected, they will be placed in the regular retirement system. To be eligible for Secondary retirement coverage under CSRS, an employee must transfer directly (without a break in service exceeding 3 days) from a primary position to a secondary position. To be eligible for Secondary retirement coverage under FERS, an employee must: 1) transfer directly (without a break in service exceeding 3 days) from a primary position to a secondary position, AND 2) complete 3 years of service in a primary rigorous position including any such service during which no FERS deductions were withheld, AND 3) must be continuously employed in a secondary position(s) since moving from a primary rigorous position, except for any break in employment from a secondary position that began with involuntary separation (not for cause). It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure this office has enough information to determine your special retirement status to ensure you do not lose benefits (normally through submission of your work history or other documentation that demonstrates work history of approved covered positions). You must let this office know if you are in a Primary position.

Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) Statement: The salary annotated on this announcement does not include the cost-of-living allowance, nor locality pay.

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.

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 Occupational Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Occupational Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions may affect your rating.

Candidates who apply under Competitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are highly qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Best qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

Candidates who apply under Noncompetitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are minimally qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your questionarire responses and the USA Hire assessment completed during the application process. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
Attention to Detail, Customer Service, Flexibility, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Learning, Reading Comprehension, Reasoning, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, and Teamwork

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

Performance Appraisal - Required for ALL Applicants:
Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process.

If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 08/07/2025.

  1. 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 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. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
  2. A complete Occupational Questionnaire
  3. Merit Promotion Eligibility Documentation such as:
    • Agency (NPS) employees must submit a copy of their latest SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" that reflects career or career-conditional tenure showing position title, series, grade and tenure (please do not submit an Award SF-50 as it does not provide the needed information) and, if different, an SF-50 showing highest permanent grade ever held or you may not be considered under the merit promotion process. Time in grade will be determined by reviewing your resume and required SF-50's.
    • If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess the one-year time-in-grade, as required by this announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade, such as a Within Grade Increase.
    • Agency (NPS) employees must also submit a non-award SF-50 for each federal position listed if hours worked per week are not included on your resume.
    • Veterans Preference Documentation (e.g. DD-214, SF-15, VA Letter as appropriate)
  4. 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.
    • Performance Appraisals and Awards - Required for ALL applicants:
      • 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).
      • It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package
  5. Documentation that you meet Selective Factors. Failure to submit the required Selective Factor documents will result in loss of consideration.
  6. Documentation that you meet the National Park Service full (Level I) law enforcement commission requirement. Failure to submit the required law enforcement commission documents will result in loss of consideration.
  7. College transcripts, if qualifying based on education.
  8. Documentation for 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.
  9. 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 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

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments, and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. 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.

**Please 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.**

The application process is as follows:

  1. Click the Apply Online button.
  2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12767439
  3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
  4. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
  5. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
  6. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
  7. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
  8. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

Agency contact information

Seasonal Staffing Office
Address
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
1131 Chapel Crossing Road
Building 64
Glynco, GA 31524
US

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.

Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.


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


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