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Park Ranger (I)

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Katmai National Park and Preserve
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Please visit find a park for additional park information.

These positions are located in Katmai National Park and Preserve, in the Interpretation Division.

Government housing is available, but limited.

Please see the "required documents" section and occupational questionnaire to ensure you've submitted all required documents to prove your eligibility.

Clarification on "this job is open to:" excepted service employees must fall under the OPM Interchange Agreement.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open date: 02/26/2020
Closed date: 03/03/2020
Location
2 vacancies in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Salary
$29.60 - $38.48 per hour

Salary includes a 4.40% Cost of Living Allowance (COLA)

Pay scale & grade
GS 9
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time - See the "duties" section for more information
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
Yes
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Other
Announcement number
AK-1537-KATM-20-10735602-ST
Control number
560941800

Duties

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These positions serve as Park Ranger (Interpretation) in King Salmon and Brooks Camp, KatmaiNational Park and Preserve. During summer months, you will be duty stationed in Brooks Camp, AK. During winter months, you will be duty stationed in King Salmon, AK. Duties include but are not limited to:

  • Interpretation and Communication
    • Develop and present a wide range of formal and informal audience and learner- centered interpretive experiences delivered in a variety of mediums.
    • Conduct research and apply information in design of interpretive experiences.
    • Evaluate and improve programs on an ongoing basis.
    • Develop interpretive materials.
    • Engage both local and national audiences.
    • Coordinate the operation at Brooks Camp.
    • Help to develop and deliver seasonal training with other park staff.
    • Promote safety for staff, volunteers, visitors, and the resources.
    • Provide and model high quality customer service.
    • Engage in interpretive planning and project coordination.
    • Work with internal and external park partners to deliver programming.
  • Supervise onsite seasonal staff (supervision is to occur less than 20% of the time).
    • Observe and mentor seasonal staff and recommend improvements.
    • Clearly communicate expectations and operations to seasonal staff.
    • Engage in midseason and end of season performance ratings.
    • Elevate issues up the chain of command.
  • Education Program Coordination
    • Work to develop and deliver onsite, community and /or online interpretation and education programs that connect with national, state and local standards for both teachers and students.
    • Build a community of learners (students, parents, teachers, school administrators, etc.) and gain these partners input in program development.
    • Coordinate logistics.
    • Train seasonal staff and/or volunteers for program needs.
    • Evaluate and update programs as needed.
  • On site point of contact for interpretation with concessions and CUA
    • Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes tour (done with lodge).
    • Campground reservations for CUAs.
    • Communicating any issues that come up with chain of command.
  • Lead for Alaska Geographic shop
    • Inventory and reporting as needed.
    • Assisting with the selection of products.
    • Training seasonal staff in operations.
  • Co-Lead for Recreation.gov reservations for campground
    • Serves as a liaison for recreation.gov.
    • Supports training of seasonal staff.
    • Trouble shoots any issues that come up.
    • Reporting.
  • Interpretive Media / Visual Information Production
    • Assist seasonal staff with making sure presentations and flyers are professional and meet NPS guidelines / standards.
    • Update or create, or work with others to do so, fliers, brochures, signs, waysides, and other interpretive media as needed.
    • Inventory and communicate needs of park media and assist with ordering replacements as needed.
  • Volunteer & Youth programs coordinator
    • Coordinate the park volunteer & youth programing.
    • Work with all divisions to assess park volunteer and youth program needs and create clear position descriptions.
    • Work to recruit and coordinate volunteers and interns including communicate schedules, housing, training, etc.
    • Make sure volunteers and youth program participants are properly supervised, trained, evaluated, recognized for their contributions by each division.
    • Complete forms, administrative paper work, and reports as needed.
  • Take training to become a boat captain to assist in getting interpretive staff and gear around the park as needed.
The work schedule provides for at least 44 weeks (22 pay periods) of full-time work and up to 10 weeks (5 pay periods) of non-duty/non-pay time per year. It is anticipated that this position will be in a non-duty/non-pay status from 4 weeks (2 pay periods) to 10 weeks (5 pay periods) between November and January of each service year. It is possible that work time can be extended. When your services are not required due to lack of work, lack of funds, weather conditions or for other reasons, you will be placed in a non-work/non-pay status. You will have the option to continue your health coverage while in non-pay status.

For more information about these positions and/or the location, please contact Amber Kraft at 907-246-2137 or amber_kraft@nps.gov.

Requirements

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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.
  • Any individual who is currently holding, or has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet time-in-grade requirements (must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent in the Federal service). Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
  • 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.
  • Operation of a motorboat is required.
  • 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 and overtime.
  • If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
  • You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 1 week a year. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
  • You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
  • Fee collection and money handling is required for this position.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-03/03/2020-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). The resume must reflect either: "full-time" or "total number of hours worked per week (i.e., work 40+ hours a week)." If part-time, the number of hours worked per week must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience.

To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level, you must possess one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience include developing interpretive or interpretive education programs; leading interpretive or interpretive education programs; assisting with planning, programming, and budgeting activities for similar programs; assisting with the coordination and planning efforts for interpretive/education programs; or other similar work.

OR

EDUCATION: Two full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a master's or equivalent graduate degree in a directly related field such as natural resource management, natural sciences, earth sciences, history, archeology, anthropology, park and recreation management, law enforcement/police science, social sciences, museum sciences, business administration, public administration, behavioral sciences, sociology, or other closely related subjects pertinent to the management and protection of natural and cultural resources. Course work in fields other than those specified may be accepted if it clearly provides applicants with the background of knowledge and skills necessary for successful job performance in the position to be filled. (Two years of graduate education is 36 semester hours or 54 quarter hours or the number determined by the school attended.) (You must submit a copy of your transcripts if you select this option.)

OR

A COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: To calculate your percentage of qualifying graduate education, divide your number of semester hours in excess of 18 semester hours by 18 or the number your school uses to represent one year of full time graduate academic study. To calculate your percentage of experience, divide your months of qualifying specialized experience by 12. Add the two percentages. They must equal at least 100% to qualify using this option. (You must submit a copy of your transcripts if you select this option.)

Volunteer experiencerefers 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

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 interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

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.

Physical Demands: The work requires some physical exertion and can involve extensive periods of standing and walking, in some cases rough surfaces or inclines outdoors on in caves and carrying backpacks, tools, rescue equipment or other tools.

Working Conditions: The work is performed in settings in which there is regular and recurring exposure to moderate discomforts and unpleasantness, e.g. high or low temperatures, confined spaces or adverse weather.

The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.

Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will be paid if the person selected for the position is from outside the local commuting area and is otherwise eligible for reimbursement of relocation expenses under the Federal Travel Regulations. Or a relocation incentive may be offered.

The employees of the National Park Service care for special places that are the heritage of all Americans. Since its inception in 1916, the National Park Service has been dedicated to the preservation and management of this country's outstanding natural, historical, and recreational resources. Park ranger - interpreters connect people to parks. They play a key role in ensuring that visitors have a meaningful, satisfying, and safe park experience, help visitors decide how to spend their time in the park, and inform them about the wonders that await their discovery. Park ranger - interpreters are specially trained to engage the public so that each park visitor can find a personal connection with the meanings and values found in the places and stories of that park. They help visitors explore the many dimensions of parks by introducing them to a variety of perspectives. By providing the opportunity for visitors to care about the places they visit, they promote stewardship and the opportunity for those visitors to care for park resources. National parks are among the most remarkable places in America for recreation, learning, and inspiration. The work done by park ranger-interpreters through effective interpretive and educational programs encourages the development of a personal stewardship ethic and broadens public support for preserving and protecting park resources, so that they may be enjoyed by present and future generations.

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.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information.

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 who apply under Competitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are highly qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Best qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

Candidates who apply under Noncompetitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are minimally qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

You will be evaluated on the following competencies:

  • Customer Service
  • Managing Human Resources
  • Problem Solving
  • Teaching Others
  • Writing


ALL APPLICANTS:
Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it consideration during the overall selection process.

If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.

National Park Service

Agency contact information

Cherilyn Alexander
Phone
(907) 644-3345
Email
cherilyn_alexander@nps.gov
Address
Katmai National Park and Preserve
PO Box 7
King Salmon, AK 99613
US

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