Recreation Assistant (Winter Outdoor Activities) (Seasonal)

Clarification from the agency

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

The Pacific West Region is recruiting for TEMPORARY seasonal positions not to exceed 1039 hours work in a service year. Dates of employment will vary depending on funding, weather conditions, and visitation. Within regulatory limitations, the length of initial appointment may be shortened or extended depending on work availability and funding.

Major Duties:

• Presents informal and formal educational talks pertaining to resource protection to all types of audiences. Responds to visitor's inquiries for information, direction and general knowledge. Provides answers to recurring questions.
• Provides a wide range of services to visitors including assistance with lost articles, equipment failure, and first aid.
• Uses multimedia (such as, audio-visual equipment, computer software) to create informational presentations or products and to communicate operational status and needs.
• Performs day-to-day patrol operations to facilitate visitor understanding, enjoyment and protection of the resource and to induce behavior that complies with park regulations. Negotiate with individuals or organizations to resolve conflicts, disputes or grievances.
• Performs emergency services to ill and injured visitors in a variety of settings. Assists with trip itinerary planning using the "Preventive Search and Rescue" concepts.
• Possesses excellent skills in alpine and/or Nordic skiing in steep backcountry avalanche terrain in order to safely conduct field patrols, make field observations, perform snow surveys, and participate in search and rescues. Practices mountain and avalanche safety measures while patrolling in high-elevation and avalanche prone terrain by ski, snowshoe or snowmobile.

Physical Demands: The work requires strenuous physical exertion for extended periods including skiing, walking, climbing, throwing, lifting, shoveling, and carrying objects weighing 50 pounds or more for long distances and while performing mountaineering activities. The work requires regular strenuous physical exertion, such as shoveling several feet of snow off of critical infrastructure, carrying a litter, climbing on steep snow and ice, walking over rough terrain, carrying heavy objects, such as climbing ropes, technical climbing equipment and litters equipped with sleeping bags, first aid supplies, and splints. Must be able to withstand the physical demands of extended search and rescue missions in winter above tree line in very high winds potentially at night in whiteout conditions. The incumbent's duties require navigating rough, uneven or rocky terrain, carrying and using snow survey equipment/instruments, bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, and reaching to conduct tests and gather data from the air or snow depths while standing on ground which may be uneven, unstable, or slick at high altitudes (elevations over 10,000 feet above sea level).

Work Environment: Work may be performed on uneven, steep, rough, slippery and/or rugged terrain and in all types of weather. The work environment involves regular and recurring exposure to potentially dangerous situations or unusual environmental stress where safety precautions cannot completely eliminate the danger and the high-risk factors cannot be reasonably controlled. Incumbent may be expected to perform duties at elevations over 10,000 feet above sea level in alpine environments covered in snow and ice that pose unique winter challenges and dangers. This work requires specific skills and experience, including winter backcountry travel, and the ability to assess hazardous winter environments. The hazardous nature of the work requires protective clothing (helmet, boots, gloves, etc.) to be worn and protective equipment (avalanche beacons, probes, and climbing equipment) to be used on a routine basis. Incumbent may work alone at times and must be able to drive to different field sites. The island of Hawaii is subject to high concentrations of volcanic fumes (VOG), especially sulfur dioxide gasses and fine particulates. The fumes are known to be hazardous to an unborn fetus, and persons with heart and respiratory problems. The coastline primarily experiences VOG conditions throughout the year, and occasionally eastern Hawaii Island and other Hawaiian Islands. Long-term effects on normal healthy persons are unknown.

Conditions of employment

• Must provide proof of U.S. citizenship.
• 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 www.dhs.gov/EVerify/.
• You will be required to possess a current Wilderness First Responder certificate or higher.
• You are required to wear a uniform and comply with the uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-08/19/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

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.

This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. If you do not provide evidence that you possess the following selective factor(s), you will be rated not qualified.

• Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification

To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess at least one 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-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: Group leader, counselor, or similar work in public and private recreation programs for adults or children such as summer camps, local playgrounds, YWCA and YMCA clubs, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, urban community centers, or resort recreational activities. Teacher's aide in elementary school recreation or physical education program, with emphasis on development of general recreational skills and abilities. Aide or assistant assignments in recreation while on active military service. Aide or assistant in the organization and administration of recreation activities, such as preparing activities calendars, maintaining attendance records, and providing information concerning schedules and activities. Summer aide in a State or national park, with duties related to the recreational activities of visitors to campsites, trails, picnic areas, nature and raft centers, and boating and fishing areas (e.g., demonstrating camping techniques and park safety, conducting nature tours, and overseeing farm animal areas provided for children). Sales or stock clerk in a recreation supplies and equipment shop. Aide or assistant in the issuance of authorized property, and in the maintenance of inventory control and accountability for such property in a recreation facility. Aide or assistant in a hotel or resort recreation service, with duties such as setting up areas for games, tournaments, and other organized group recreational activities. You must include hours per week worked.

-OR-

EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in courses related to recreation or physical education. You must include transcripts.-OR-Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. For example, I have 6 months of the specialized experience described above (50% of the experience requirement), and 3 years of college study from an accredited institution (50% of the qualifying education). NOTE: Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to l year of specialized experience. You must include transcripts and a resume which indicates hours/week worked.

To qualify for this position at the GS-06 grade level, you must possess at least one 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 includes activities such as: knowledge of and experience in monitoring winter recreational activities, providing education, and applying search and rescue techniques while in the field; knowledge of and skill in applying established educational practices, procedures, and methods sufficient to assist in the delivery of Leave No Trace educational programming to the public; use personal computers with office applications to provide field reports and data collection; makes decisions on appropriate actions to take to better protect the resource and park visitors (e.g., which trail to patrol, what questions to ask visitors, how to locate a missing visitor). You must include hours per week worked.

-OR-

EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one year of graduate education with major study directly related to recreation or physical education. You must include transcripts.-OR-Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. For example, I have 6 months of the specialized experience (50% of the experience requirement), and 9 semester hours of directly related graduate education (50% of the qualifying education). You must include transcripts and a resume with hours/week worked.

To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level, you must possess at least one 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 includes activities such as: receive complex assignments that involve problem-solving and independent decision making; solve operational problems and provide educated input to the work planning process to benefit the success of the program; serves as the unit lead and resident expert for operational functions on-site and in the field; operates independently in remote settings maintaining recreational equipment and government structures; travels independently and safely in variable winter conditions using a variety of different equipment and winter travel techniques; ability to assess terrain for avalanche danger and make appropriate decisions based on assessment. You must include hours per week worked.

-OR-

EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one year of graduate education with major study directly related to recreation or physical education. You must include transcripts.-OR-Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. For example, I have 6 months of the specialized experience (50% of the experience requirement), and 9 semester hours of directly related graduate education (50% of the qualifying education). You must include transcripts and a resume with hours/week worked.

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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

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 any additional assessment(s) required for this position.

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
• Interpersonal Skills
• Leadership
• Oral Communication
• Teamwork
• Technology Application

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.

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.

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 (EST) on 08/19/2026:

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 Assessments.
3. Selective Factor Documentation
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