Visitor Services Assistant Job

Vacancy No. NS-1611-GATE-25-12643813-DE Department National Park Service
Salary $15.10 to $24.65 Grade 3 to 5
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Part-time
Open Date 12/16/2024 Close Date 12/20/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Highlands, NJBrooklyn, NYQueens, NYStaten Island, NY


Summary

Serve as representatives to answer questions and offer guidance. Monitor sites and maintain relations with park partners and concessions on roving patrols throughout National Parks.

Likely Entry On Duty: March-July 2025.

Open to the first 100 applicants.

Applications must be submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the 12/20/2024 to be considered.

For more park(s) information, select "Learn more about this agency" below:

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

This announcement is for the Northeast Region, Gateway National Recreation Area. Please refer to the "Location" section to see which locations are included on this announcement.

Duties

Visitor Services Assistant Standard Duties for GS-03:

  • Provide visitor services including patrol, roving, fixed post assignments and public programs.
  • Participate in day-to-day operation of a seasonal contact station.
  • Site monitoring, and resource protection.
  • Operates two-way radio equipment.
  • Responds verbally to visitor inquiries, offering information and guidance.
  • Public can include individuals who are distressed, confused, frustrated, difficult or even hostile.

Additional duties for GS-04:
  • Monitors special use permits and maintains good relations with partner organizations, concessions and stakeholders.
  • Relates effectively to people from varied cultural backgrounds and is sensitive to diversity, race, gender, religion, disabilities and other individual differences.
  • Educates customers regarding rules, regulations, and safety concerns to ensure visitor safety and resource preservation.
  • Direct visitors and the public with problems, questions, or complaints to appropriate resource.
  • Assists in medical or other emergencies up to level of training.

Additional duties for GS-05:
  • Provide informal interpretation and public orientation to a park or recreation area (e.g. current events, resource management or environmental projects, and overview of areas natural, cultural, and/or historical resources).
  • Provide information to the public using information or materials on management policies and legislative updates on issues affecting the natural, historical, and/or cultural preservation of the area.
  • Operate general computer software programs such as word processing, spreadsheet, or database (e.g. Excel, Access, Word, or similar operating systems).
  • Gather information from reporting parties concerning accidents/incidents within the area to notify appropriate personnel.
  • Assess a situation to determine the appropriate response in accordance with policy guidelines.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Males must meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement.
  • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • Occupancy of government quarters may be required.
  • Government housing may be available but is not guaranteed.
    • Use find a park to contact specific parks for more information on government housing.
  • You may 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/or shift work.
  • You may be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties. Prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year thereafter (or more frequently if management determines such need exists), you will be required to sign an affidavit certifying to your possession of a valid State issued driver's license that is current and has not been revoked, suspended, canceled, or otherwise disqualified in any way to prohibit your operation of a motor vehicle. You will also submit a photocopy of your valid State issued driver's license prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year, or more frequently if management determines such need exists. Lastly, you may be required to 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 discloses all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you. Please indicate in your application whether you possess a valid State driver's license.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-12/20/2024 (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 qualified specialized experience.

To qualify for this position at the GS-03 level, you must possess one of the following:

A. Six months of progressively responsible clerical, office, or other work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of a Visitor Services Assistant. General experience includes greeting the public, disseminating information, providing directions.
-OR-
B. One year of education above high school (30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours). This education was obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college, or university.
-OR-
C. Equivalent combination of experience and education that, together, equal 100% of the qualification standards listed above when combined.

To qualify for this position at the GS-04 level, you must possess one of the following:

A. One year of progressively responsible clerical, office, or other work that indicates your ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of a Visitor Services Assistant. General experience includes greeting the public, disseminating information, providing directions and fee collection.
-OR-
B. Two years of education above high school (60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours). This education was obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college, or university.
-OR-
C. Equivalent combination of experience and education that, together, equal 100% of the qualification standards listed above when combined.

To qualify for this position at the GS-05 level, you must possess one of the following:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 level in the federal service. Specialized experience demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of a Visitor Services Assistant. Specialized experience includes providing information or assistance to the public in a business or recreation setting; instructing groups of people or individuals; compiling and analyzing information to report; greeting the public, disseminating information, providing directions, fee collection, and using software programs such as, word processing, spreadsheet, or database (e.g. Excel, Access, Word, or similar operating systems).
-OR-
B. Four years of education above high school (120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours). This education was obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college, or university.
-OR-
C. Equivalent combination of experience and education that, together, equal 100% of the qualification standards listed above when combined.

Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or public sectors. The OPM Qualification Standards Handbook is available for review at: OPM Qualification Standards.

ICTAP/CTAP Statement: 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.

Education

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign education programs and that (1) deemed your education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program, or (2) given full credit for courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement will be used to fill one or more additional selections at anytime without notification.

Click here for the OPM Salaries and Wage to calculate locality pay.

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.

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

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Standing for long periods of time, walking, bending, lifting of moderately heavy items and sedentary work is required. Mental stress and physical fatigue occur due to high volume of personal contacts.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: Work is often performed in small, outdoor structures with open windows which results in exposure to extreme temperatures, rain, snow, wind, and direct sunlight. Park areas may be geographically located in areas of high elevation, rugged terrain or dense populations. High levels of vehicle noise and emissions may exist during heavy visitation periods. Duties may be performed alone in isolated locations.

Benefits

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.

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.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veterans' 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:
  • Conscientiousness
  • Public Service Motivation
  • Speaking


Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Required Documents

ALL required documentation must be submitted to receive full consideration for eligibilities and veterans' preference selected.

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/20/2024:

  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 qualified specialized experience. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
  2. Complete Assessment Questionnaire.
  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 SF-15, 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. College transcripts if qualifying based on education.
  5. 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.

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

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 12/20/2024. 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. You will be prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Apply."
  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.
    • To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
    • To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page.
  13. To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent a Federal job announcement includes the requirement that applicants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to EO 14043, that requirement does not currently apply. Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.

Agency contact information

National Staffing Office
Address
National Staffing Office-Gateway National Recreation Area
210 New York Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10305
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Many similar positions are advertised by various offices within the National Park Service. You MUST apply to each announcement for consideration. Officials may hire at any grade level, location or work schedule. All positions may or may not be filled. Dates and length of employment will vary between park sites depending on funding, weather conditions, and visitation. Positions are TEMPORARY positions, not to exceed 6 months (1,039 hours), and have no promotion potential.

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.

Applicants will get a response from this announcement by approximately 1 March 2025.


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


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