Park Ranger (Wilderness-Permits) Seasonal

Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to U.S. Citizens or Nationals; and Career transition eligibles (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL).

Major Duties:

• Operates a busy visitor contact station and/or Wilderness permit desk.
• Oversees day to day functions of the Wilderness permit system at the Zion Canyon or Kolob Canyons Visitor Centers.
• Frequently patrols the park's wilderness trails, routes, and campsites.
• Performs remote technical canyoneering patrols, rappelling, and technical rope rescue techniques including self-rescue.
• Issues wilderness permits to the public, explains wilderness rules and regulations, makes personal contacts in the field, and supplies information on resource conditions along the trails and canyons.
• Performs visitor contacts on front-country trails, as well as numerous projects to protect and manage park resources.

Other Important Duty Details:

• Performs patrols of slot canyons and other vertical environments. Employee must independently complete and lead canyoneering and climbing routes, ascend and descend ropes, and build and evaluate rappelling anchors.
• Performs as a member of an in-Park Incident Management Team to be called upon to provide emergency services such as medical, Search & Rescue, civil disturbances, special events, large-scale commemorations, ceremonies, or wildland fires, within the scope of training and certifications.

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 up to 50 pounds in steep terrain and in adverse weather conditions. TECHNICAL ROPE SKILLS are required: Employee performs patrols of slot canyons and other vertical environments. Employee must independently complete and lead canyoneering and climbing routes, ascend and descend ropes, as well as build and evaluate rappelling anchors.

Work Environment: 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.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit Home | E-Verify
• Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
• TECHNICAL ROPE SKILLS are required:
  • Employee performs patrols of slot canyons and other vertical environments.
  • Employee must independently complete and lead canyoneering and climbing routes, ascend and descend ropes, as well as build and evaluate rappelling anchors.
  • See Selective Factor information in 'Qualifications' section.
• Pre-employment and random drug testing are required. You will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received.
• Performs as a member of an In-Park Incident Management Team to be called upon to provide emergency services.
• HOUSING: Park/Government housing may be available.
• You are required to wear a uniform and comply with uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• You must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.
• You must be at least 18 years of age or older to operate government vehicles.
• You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by 11:59 EST or when the 'applicant cut-off' is reached (which may be sooner than10/13/2026).

To receive credit for experience, your 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.

SELECTIVE FACTOR:
This position performs technical rope skills used in canyoneering, climbing or mountaineering. Incumbent must have the skills to independently: complete and lead canyoneering or climbing routes, ascend and descend ropes, create and evaluate anchors. Sufficient experience must be clearly demonstrated in your resume, or other supporting documentation, to evaluate this requirement. Candidates who do not meet this requirement by close of this announcement will receive no further consideration for this position.

- AND -

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess 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). 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 qualifying specialized experience include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Park Guide or tour leader;
• Law enforcement or investigative work;
• Archeological or historical preservation research work;
• Forestry and/or fire management work in a park, recreation, or conservation area; and/or
• 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.

Note: Your experience descriptions must include hours per week worked.

-OR-

EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least a 4-year (120 semester/180 quarter credits) course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with 24 semester/36 quarter 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-

COMBINATION: Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. For example, I have six months of specialized experience (50% of the experience requirement), and three years of college study from an accredited institution (50% of the qualifying education) that equals 100% of the total requirement. You must include transcripts.

You must include months, years and hours per week worked to receive credit for your work and/or volunteer experience. One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week. Part-time hours are prorated. You will not receive any credit for experience that does not indicate exact hours per week or is listed as "varies" or "summer" etc..

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.

Current or former displaced Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified, score at least 85 (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry.

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 lowered and/or adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience.

Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed.

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 the following 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 assessed in the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• First Response
• Oral Communication
• Research
• Technical Competence
• Technology Application

Veterans' preference will be based solely on the claimed preference. Your eligibility will not be changed based on the documentation provided. If you are uncertain which preference to claim, you can learn more by visiting the VetGuide.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Providing false or misleading information on your resume or supporting documentation may result in removal from consideration or other action consistent with applicable federal hiring regulations. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/13/2026 - unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement:

1. Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates in month-year format (include month/day/year format if needed for 52 weeks of experience), and indicate hours worked per week (or full-time). Your resume must clearly show how long you have held each grade/rank. 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. 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. Your 2-page resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements. If you have federal experience, you should include series, and grade for each position held, and if experience is part of a career ladder position, you must clearly distinguish the job duties and length of time working for each grade level. More information on how to write a Federal Resume: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include
2. Complete All Required Assessment.
3. Climbing and Mountaineering experience.
4. All college transcript(s), if qualifying based on education. Please submit both undergraduate and graduate level transcripts, as applicable.
5. Veterans Preference Documentation, if applicable. Veterans must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (member 4 copy) or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Parent 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.va.gov/records/ or call 1-800-827-1000. 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.
6. Interagency Career Transition (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): You MUST submit proof of eligibility including 1) copy of the agency notice, 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 well qualified. For more information visit: USAJOBS Help Center - Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL).

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 all documents.

Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.

Next steps