Public Safety Dispatcher Job in San Francisco, CA

Vacancy No. WO-1614-USPP-25-12778251-DE Department National Park Service
Salary $56,205.00 to $89,924.00 Grade 6 to 8
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 8/13/2025 Close Date 12/26/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
San Francisco, CA


Summary

This position is part of the United States Park Police Field Operations Division.

This position ensures effective telecommunications to the Force, other law enforcement and public safety agencies, operational personnel and the public. The incumbent will be responsible for answering 911 - Emergency and Non ­Emergency calls for service and providing full Law Enforcement communications services which operate 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

Duties

The major duties of the Public Safety Dispatcher position include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Serves as a dispatcher for the US Park Police, applying in-depth knowledge of dispatch operating systems, databases, and equipment, as well as knowledge of dispatch policies and past practices to isolate and solve unusual and difficult technical problems.
  • Performs dispatch and call taking services for a wide variety of complex public safety related incidents and operations.
  • Coordinates rescue, ambulance, and helicopter operations, etc., of various agencies.
  • Receives and evaluations emergency calls for service.
  • Provides dispatch support to law enforcement activities.
  • Queries & relays wants, warrants, drive and vehicle status, Be on the Lookout (BOL), and Attempt to Locate (ATL) information for law enforcement contact and investigations.
  • Serves as a certified operator of National Criminal Information Network (NCIC), National Law Enforcement Communications System (NLETS), and state criminal information networks (i.e., ACCESS, TLETS, VCIN, etc). Accesses, analyzes, and utilizes information from a variety of national, state,
  • Monitors a variety of alarm systems including intrusion, fire, robbery, panic, and maintenance related systems. Analyze alarms. Ensures appropriate response. Reports on alarm systems troubles.
  • Assists law enforcement officers with investigations.
Pay Information:
A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

GS-6 range: $56,205 to $73,063 per year
GS-7 range: $62,456 to $81,198 per year
GS-8 range: $69,168 to $89,924 per year

Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Requirements

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 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.
  • This position is subject to drug testing based on the collateral duty requiring firearms in the back-country or other locations for non-law enforcement reasons such as protection from animals.
  • 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 shift work.
  • This position has an intermittent work schedule; you will be subject to call and will have no pre-scheduled work schedule.
  • If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance.
  • This position has been designated "Essential". In the event of severe weather conditions or other such emergency type situations the incumbent is required to report to work or remain at work as scheduled to support mission operations. You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
  • Within 12 months of employment, you must be able to obtain and maintain required dispatching and emergency management certifications determined by locality selected. This may include National Criminal Information Network (NCIC), National Law Enforcements Communications System (NLETS), and State criminal information networks (i.e., ACCESS, TLETS, VCIN, etc.) , and/or Emergency Medical Dispatching (EMD).

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-12/26/2025-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 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.

To qualify for this position at the GS-06 grade level, you must possess all 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). This experience must include all of the following: Customer service based experience in a high-pace environment where the ability to make quick decisions is key; Operate multi-line telephones, computers or radio equipment to provide information; AND Collect information from callers and input into computer system.

To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level, you must possess all 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-06 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience must include all of the following: Customer service-based experience in a high-pace environment where the ability to make quick decisions is key; Operate multi-line telephones, computers or radio equipment while inputting information collected from callers into computer systems; Operate public safety dispatch systems such as NCIC, NLETS, CLETS, or Computer-aided Dispatch (CAD) with limited supervision; AND Operate computer-based equipment to include, but not limited to alarm monitoring systems, records management systems, computer aided dispatch systems, message notification systems, and report writing systems.

To qualify for this position at the GS-08 grade level, you must possess all 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-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience must include all of the following: Perform public safety dispatching (law enforcement. emergency medical, search and rescue, and fire) using personal computers and software programs to input data collected from callers; Independently operate public safety dispatch systems as: NCIC, NLETS, CLETS, or Computer-aided Dispatch (CAD); Operate computer-based equipment to include, but not limited to alarm monitoring systems, records management systems, computer aided dispatch systems, message notification systems, and report writing systems; and, Obtain information from incoming callers to disseminate during emergency situations.

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.

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". Experience listed as full-time will be credited at 40 hours per week.

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience at the grade level(s) of this announcement.

Additional information

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate. Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor.

Physical Demands: Incumbent must function efficiently in a confined space for extended periods with no breaks and no opportunity to leave the confines of the Communications Center. The dispatcher is considered an "essential employee" meaning they are required to work most holidays, report for duty during adverse weather conditions, and be expected to work for long hours exceeding normally scheduled shifts in case of emergencies. Position is sedentary with high amounts of stress. Incumbent is subject to shift work, rotating shift work, and uncommon tours of duty. Work requires use of the voice in vocal communications for periods of hours at a time. Voice must be clear, audible, and tone effective with words plainly spoken and understandable. Incumbent must be able to hear clearly and discern a variety of audible communications and signals simultaneously. Incumbent must be able to read critical information from multiple sources, including computer screen, fax, and written log quickly and accurately. The work is of an emergency nature and is emotionally stressful. Incumbent must possess manual dexterity sufficient to operate computer terminals/keyboards and related equipment and to maintain written logs. Work involves occasional lifting of boxes and supplies up to weights of 50 pounds.

Working Conditions: The work is normally performed in a well-lighted and temperature-controlled room. Noise levels are routinely high due to electronic equipment, telephones, radios, and other discussions ongoing in the performance of duties. The setting is typically confined and secure, and entrance and egress is controlled.

During the training period and/or on other occasions, the incumbent will be assigned to accompany a field law enforcement personnel in patrol vehicles to learn or gain a more detailed familiarization with agency operating procedures and jurisdictional boundaries.

Incumbent may not leave the center unless relieved by another qualified dispatcher.

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

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.

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), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessments required 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.

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. Only one resume will be used to evaluate your qualifications. 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 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.

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 successful completion of additional assessments, including a Subject Matter Expert Panel Review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/26/2025:

  1. 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 of qualified specialized experience. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade. 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. Only one resume will be used to evaluate your qualifications. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed.
  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 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.

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.

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 12/26/2025. 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.

WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES.

  1. Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account.
  2. Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application."
  3. Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS.
  4. Select documents you want included in this application.
  5. Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed.
  6. Select if you want to include your demographic information.
  7. After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site."
  8. Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.
  9. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown.
    • Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.
  10. Review and Submit Application.
  11. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.
  12. 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.
Please note, the eligibility section of the application process is designed to allow you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You will ONLY be considered for the appointment eligibilities that you select. You must provide the supporting documentation to support your claim. Please review the list of documentation provided in the eligibilities language to ensure you provide the appropriate information. You may choose more than one eligibility.

Agency contact information

Washington Office
Address
United States Park Police
1100 Ohio Drive S.W.
Washington, DC 20024
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.

Standing Register Open Continuous Information: The intent of this announcement is to establish multiple applicant lists for the US Park Police to conduct pre-employment testing on a regular and recurring basis. Cutoffs will be used to manage large applicant pools for this announcement. Consideration will be given to candidates in sequential order within each group as depicted below as each group is exhausted. Qualifications must be met for those applications submitted by the cut-off date. Applications will be considered for the following cut-off dates:

Cut-Off Dates:

  • Cut-Off 1: September 26, 2025
  • Cut-Off 2: October 26, 2025
  • Cut-Off 3: November 26, 2025
  • Cut-Off 4: December 26, 2025
All applications will be reviewed for minimum qualifications. Eligible candidates will be placed on applicant lists for further assessment by the U.S. Park Police. You must submit your application by one of the indicated cut-off dates listed above. You may not edit or update your application once it has been submitted. Once all vacancies are filled, this announcement may close without further notice.


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


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