Summary

These positions are temporary/seasonal not to exceed 1560-hour appointments. they are located at Gateway National Recreation Area. Temporary positions not-to-exceed 1560 hours in a service year may be terminated/extended based on management needs. Defined seasonal May through September.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens, Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)

Duties

MAJOR DUITES:

Manages and oversees lifeguard operations at a large, high-volume surf beach, ensuring the safety of visitors through effective supervision, coordination of staff, and enforcement of established safety protocols.
Directs and supervises lifeguard staff and subordinate supervisors, including training, scheduling, performance management, and ensuring compliance with recognized lifeguarding and operational standards.
Coordinates emergency response operations, including search and rescue activities, medical emergencies, and incident command functions, ensuring timely and effective response to life-threatening situations.
Develops and implements operational plans, reports, and program improvements, including preparing statistical data, evaluating performance trends, and recommending enhancements to lifeguard program effectiveness.
Ensures compliance with park regulations and public safety requirements, conducting inspections of facilities and equipment, addressing hazards, and maintaining readiness of rescue equipment and personnel.

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.
You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required. You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's License and Driving Record. You must also 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 disclose all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.
You may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.
Government housing maybe available in New Jersey location only.
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.
Must have the ability to lift 50 pounds.
Applicants 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.
Pre-employment physical examination required prior to entry on duty at applicant's expense.
You must be able to pass the surf-lifeguard test. Candidates must pass all parts of the test - includes the following: Swim 550 yards continuously in less than 10 minutes using a swimming stroke performed on the front only; and Run 1.25 miles continuously in less than 12 minutes. All applicants will be tested upon entry on duty. Inability to pass this test is grounds for termination.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-05/08/2026-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-08 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

EXPERIENCE: To qualify for this position at the GS-08 grade level, applicants must possess one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the following: Applying advanced knowledge of surf lifeguard operations at a major ocean or surf-beach recreational area, including open water rescue techniques, emergency medical response, surveillance operations, and coordination of lifeguard coverage across designated swimming areas; Serving as a supervisor or lead over subordinate first-level surf lifeguard supervisors or lifeguard staff, including assigning work, directing operational activities, monitoring performance, and ensuring adequate staffing and safety coverage for beach operations; Ensuring compliance with park regulations and compendium rules governing designated swimming areas, including enforcing safety regulations, monitoring visitor activities, and taking appropriate action to prevent unsafe behavior or hazardous conditions; Demonstrating strong interpersonal and communication skills ("people skills") to effectively interact with visitors, staff, and cooperating agencies, including resolving conflicts, providing safety information to the public, and maintaining order in high-use recreational beach environments; Adhering to Merit System Principles, advancing Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies, and promoting ethical conduct in the workplace, including fostering a respectful work environment and ensuring fair and equitable treatment of employees.

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

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

Additional information

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

Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1040 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (NPS).

If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1040 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1040 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility.

The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1040 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1040 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM.

NOTE: In support of Executive Order (EO) 14189 "Celebrating America's 250th Birthday" and EO 14314 "Making America Beautiful Again by Improving our National Parks" the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has approved an exception to the 1039 hour time limitation for this position. This approval extends the time limitation to 1560 hours for this temporary seasonal appointment.

Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations.

Physical Demands: The work is primarily management and supervision requiring periods of time working indoors in an office setting, driving off road vehicles and walking on paved, beach sand, or other uneven surfaces. Second level supervisors involved in ocean rescue require demonstrably above-average speed, but also endurance capacity, in running barefoot over rough, uneven surfaces, then without a second's interruption, plunging into turbulent surf, and swimming at is someone else's life is on the line. The work requires lifting objects over 45 pounds (e.g., lifeguard stands, surfboats), jumping from an elevated height (10ft), running with a surf-rescue board, then paddling it vigorously using both arms; paddling an ocean kayak; and rowing a surfboat crewed by 4 persons. The following is required physical-conditioning and skill-proficiency training for surf rescue work:- Distance runs and swims for time. (Daily)- Paddle surf-rescue board 1,000 yards. (Daily)- Participate in rescue drill. (Weekly)- Urgent first-aid care, CPR, AED drill. (Weekly)

Working Conditions: The work involves potentially high risks; developing skin cancer from prolonged exposure to the sun, a shark attack, inadvertently being pinned under a 300-pound surfboat in attempting to beach it. The representative sample of potentially high risks associated with surf-lifeguard work, however, equates the employee to be mindful of such risks, and to take prudent precautions to eliminate-or if not eliminate, at least to minimize-such risks. For the conditions of the work setting are literally uncontrollable.

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.

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.

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.

Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. You may only submit one resume. 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 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.

You will be evaluated on the following competencies:

First Response
Leadership
Oral Communication
Technical Competence

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/08/2026:

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. 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. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. 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.
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 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.
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.

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 05/08/2026. 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.

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Select documents you want included in this application.
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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.
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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.

ICTAP/CTAP Clearance (Example: Rehires): REMEMBER TO UPDATE THE "WHO MAY APPLY" FIELD- Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (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. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating, and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location. 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).

Agency contact information

William Trimble

Email: william_trimble@ios.doi.gov

Address: Gateway National Recreation Area
210 New York Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10305
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.

Seasonal Supervisory Recreation Assistant (Surf Lifeguard) Job in Highlands, NJ