Superintendent, Yellowstone National Park Job in Yellowstone National Park, WY

Vacancy No. WO-1614-SESO-26-13051781 Department National Park Service
Salary $162,740.00 to $228,000.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/22/2026 Close Date 10/5/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Yellowstone National Park, WY


Superintendent, Yellowstone National Park

Department of the Interior
National Park Service

Summary

Yellowstone National Park spans 2.25 million acres across Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho and is one of the world's most complex national park operations. The park protects extensive natural, cultural, and historic resources, including more than 10,000 thermal features, Yellowstone Lake, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and thousands of years of cultural history. Yellowstone is also a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site.

Duties

The Superintendent is responsible for the management and protection of Yellowstone National Park, including its infrastructure, employees, and visitors.
Performs the following key responsibilities:

  • Manages daily park operations, park planning, and policy implementation to optimize resources, conservation, and visitor enjoyment.
  • Executive leadership to over 800 park staff and evaluation of park programs that include an annual budget of $60 million, $4 billion in infrastructure assets, and operations for over four million annual visitors.
  • Leads strategic planning and establishes short- and long-range goals and standards of operations to ensure effective park operations and policy.
  • Monitors and evaluates the operating efficiency and effectiveness of all phases of park operations, including public use management, resource preservation, park development, resource education and interpretation, facility management, park maintenance, visitor services, safety management, law enforcement, concessions management and park partnerships, public affairs, budget planning and execution, and fiscal and human resources management.
  • Coordinates planning efforts with other offices, such as Regional Offices and Directorates.
  • Establishes and maintains close relationships with local, state, and federal agencies, educational institutions, as well as private organizations interested in park uses and restoring and monitoring the integrity of the ecosystem.
  • Manages and directs the parks' partnerships and public awareness programs, encompassing concessions, public use management, stewardship, and community outreach.
  • Responsible for providing full development of project cost, scope, scheduling, and contract management for large-scale projects from multiple fund sources. This includes environmental planning, compliance, design development, construction management, and coordination of the park's accessibility program.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Must be able to obtain/maintain a background/suitability investigation/determination commensurate with the risk and sensitivity level of the position (Tier 5, critical sensitive).
  • Selectees may be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use.
  • Males must meet Selective Service Registration Act requirements. To verify registration visit SSS.gov.
  • You will be required to make occasional travel.
  • Selections are subject to Department approval. Initial appointments to the SES must undergo an ECQ based structured interview with an OPM Qualifications Review Board and obtain SES certification for appointment by OPM.
  • New SES appointment will be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
  • Agencies must request OPM approval to appoint the current or former (within five years) Executive Branch political appointees to permanent competitive service, non-political excepted service, or career SES position. Please make a note in your application package if you have held any of these positions within the last five years.
  • The applicant selected for this position will be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-278, and the supplemental form, Confidential Statement of Employment and Financial Interest. All forms must be filed within 30 days after the selection for this position.
  • The incumbent may be required to wear the of?cial uniform on an intermittent basis.

Qualifications

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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

To meet the minimum qualifications, you must submit a two-page resume (max) that shows you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and two Technical Qualifications (TQs). To be considered, only the first 2 pages of your resume will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

Technical Qualifications (TQs) are designed to assess an applicant's experience relevant to the specific position requirements. Your resume should clearly demonstrate your experience and accomplishments related to the two TQs below:

TQ 1: Describe your ability and experience in managing a complex land management program(s) that typically extend and apply to an entire organization or major components of an organization. This should include describing experience in public land management, strategic planning, project management, law enforcement and emergency services, natural/cultural resource management, visitor services, safety, infrastructure planning and maintenance management, concessions management and conservation and recreation management.

TQ 2: Describe your experience establishing and managing partnerships directly related to park stewardship and operations oversight.

Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs). Your two-page resume should also show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) listed below. Your resume should clearly demonstrate your experience and accomplishments related to the ECQs. By statute, the Office of Personnel Management prescribes ECQs for the appointment of career SES members. The ECQs were designed to assess executive experience and not technical expertise.

ECQ 1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding: This core qualification requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people. Competencies: Knowledge of the American System of Government, Commitment to the Rule of Law, Civic-Mindedness

ECQ 2: Driving Efficiency: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades. Competencies: Fiscal Responsibility, Managing Resources, Leveraging Technology

ECQ 3: Merit and Competence: This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability, and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality. Competencies: Technical Skill, Problem Solving, Agility, and Resilience.

ECQ 4: Leading People: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable. Competencies: Accountability, Developing Others, Executive Judgement

ECQ 5: Achieving Results: This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors. Competencies: Operational Mindset, Innovation, Strategic Thinking

Already SES Certified? If you are currently serving under a career Senior Executive Service appointment, are eligible for reinstatement into the Senior Executive Service, or have completed a Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program (SES CDP) approved by OPM, you only need to submit a two-page resume and personnel action showing you have held a career SES position. SES CDP graduates must submit a two-page resume and a copy of their CDP program certification with their package.

Education

No mandatory education requirement.

Additional information

  • Veteran's Preference and time in grade restrictions are not applicable to the SES. Competitive status is not required.
  • Individuals selected for Senior Executive Service positions may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines.
  • The Department of the Interior structures its SES positions into categories to determine the minimum pay for each position. This is a category 4 position; the pay range is $162,740 -$228,000.
  • Annual pay increases and recognition, if applicable, are based on performance in the SES.
  • A recruitment incentive may be authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR §575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.
  • A relocation incentive may be authorized for a Federal employee when the employee must move, as directed by the National Park Service (NPS), to a different location at least 50 miles away from the one where his/her position of record is currently located, due to a need of the NPS.
  • If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document that you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application. Click the following link for more information, https://help.usastaf?ng.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information.

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 on the quality and extent of your accomplishments and experience. ECQs and TQs must be demonstrated within your two-page resume. Applicants who do not demonstrate sufficient possession of the ECQs and TQs will be determined ineligible for further consideration. If you meet the basic qualifications and eligibility requirements, a panel of SES members will evaluate your resume and determine the degree to which you possess each of the listed qualifications. The highest quallified applicants will be considered for one or more interviews.

If the selectee does not have Qualifications Review Board (QRB) certification by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), he/she will be required to undergo an ECQ based structured interview with OPM for SES appointment approval.

Required Documents

Please upload the following documents:

  • Resume (not to exceed two pages). If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
  • We highly recommend that you DO NOT use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to create your resume.
  • If a current or former Federal employee, submit SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (or equivalent); please do not send an SF-50 for an award.
  • Strongly Recommended: Performance Evaluation (not more than 2 years old)
  • If you are already SES Certified but have NOT held a career SES position, please upload your OPM QRB SES certification.

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

You must submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date. 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 log in or create an account.
    1. Prompted to start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application."
    2. Click here for USAJobs Help with "How to create an application.
  2. Add your two-page resume.
  3. Select the documents you want to be included in this application.
  4. Review the package to acknowledge that your documents were reviewed.
  5. After reading and certifying that the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site."
  6. Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.
  7. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown.
    • Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.
  8. Review and Submit Application.
  9. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.
  10. 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, you must select all documents you want to use in the re-application.

Agency contact information

Sharon Benitez

Next steps

The NPS will conduct a qualifications evaluation of applicants who supply all requested material. Qualified applicants will be rated and ranked by an SES panel. Best qualified candidates will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration and possible interview. You will be notified of the outcome after completion of the selection process.

National Park Service

Agency contact information

Sharon Benitez

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