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Student Trainee (Park Ranger - Interpretation)

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Fort Scott National Historic Site
This job announcement has closed

Summary

  • This position is located in Fort Scott National Historic Site. For more info about this position, contact Carl Brenner (620-223-0310).
  • Open to the first 50 applicants or until 02/11/2019 whichever occurs first. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 (EST) on closing day.
  • Temporary appointment not-to-exceed one year; m­ay be extended if you meet eligibility and funding is available.
  • Interns may be eligible for non-competitive conversion to permanent employment.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
02/04/2019 to 02/11/2019
This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$16.10 to - $16.10 per hour
Pay scale & grade
GS 5
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Fort Scott, KS
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Internships
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Announcement number
MW-1543-FOSC-19-10379866-DE
Control number
522940700

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Students eligible to apply must be accepted for enrollment or enrolled in a degree or certificate seeking program, attending at least half-time and in good standing (minimum overall Grade Point Average of 2.0). Enrollment must be with an accredited educational institution or state-approved home school.

Duties

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The incumbent serves in the Division of Interpretation and Resource Management and is responsible for a wide variety of interpretive and visitor service duties and resource management/protection tasks. These include conducting independent research and developing original, thematic interpretive programs, and presenting interpretive, education, and living history demonstrations/programs about the area's cultural and natural resources to audiences ranging in size from 1-200, using a variety of props and techniques. The incumbent operates the park visitor center and ensure visitor safety. The incumbent is also responsible for opening and closing the site and basic resource protection tasks including exotic plant control and routine cleaning of museum objects and exhibit spaces. Other duties include making and maintaining interpretive products (such as signs and labels) and caring and accounting for interpretive props (such as living history clothing and equipment).

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.
  • Pathways participant agreement is required.
  • 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, 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, 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.
  • 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 evenings, weekends, holidays, and/or overtime.
  • 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.
  • You must be a student accepted for enrollment or enrolled in a degree or certificate program on at least a half-time basis and in good standing.
  • Your work schedule may vary from full-time to part-time or you may request to be placed in leave without pay while attending school.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

EXPERIENCE: Successful completion of one year of specialized experience, equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to that of at least the GS-4 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Experience may have been in technical, administrative, or scientific work, fish and wildlife management, recreation management, law enforcement, or other park related work. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to, Park Guide or tour leader; environmental educator or teacher; law enforcement or investigative work; archaeological or historical preservation research work; forestry and/or fire management work in a park, recreation, or conservation area; management, assistant, or program specialist work involving the development and implementation of policy related to protection, conservation, or management of park areas or similar operations; or other similar work. You must include hours per week.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least 4 years of course work above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with 24 semester hours of related course work. Related fields of study include natural resource management, natural sciences, earth sciences, history, archaeology, 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. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
A combination of general experience and education as described above, which when combined as percentages of the general and specialized experience requirements and the education requirements, respectively, would total 100 percent.


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.

You must include months, years and hours per week worked to receive credit for your work and/or volunteer experience. One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week. Part-time hours are prorated. You will not receive any credit for experience that does not indicate exact hours per week or is listed as "varies".

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.

You will NOT be considered under Pathways unless you provide supporting information from your school. Documentation may be provided in letter format from your academic advisor, school counselor, admission office, etc. to prove enrollment OR it may be provided in the form of several official documents from your school such as a copy of your official transcripts and a copy of your class schedule for next semester. Copies of documents from your school website are acceptable if they contain all relevant information as listed above. Letters from advisors or other school officials must be on school letterhead.

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.

If selected, you will be required to sign a Pathways Agreement which specifies the conditions of your employment as we've indicated in this job announcement. You must continue to meet the Pathways Program requirements throughout the duration of your appointment. We will require proof of your continued enrollment and good standing each semester or grading period throughout your internship. Failure to do so will result in termination of your internship and employment.

Conversion: Although we do not currently anticipate this position to continue after you have completed your educational requirements, if you successfully complete your internship, you may be eligible for non-competitive placement into a term or permanent position if one should become available. Conversion into a term or permanent position is neither guaranteed nor implied, but successful completion of your internship will give you the eligibility to be converted.

Physical Demands: The work is performed indoors and outdoors. Interpretive work is usually not strenuous, but the employee is required to walk extensively, in some cases over rough surfaces or inclines, carrying backpacks, rescue equipment or other items.

Working Conditions: Work is performed in setting in which there is regular and recurring exposure to moderate discomforts and unpleasantness, e.g. high or low temperatures, insects, and in some cases, hazards of rough terrain.

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 to ensure 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 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:
  • Customer Service
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Interpretation
  • Oral Communication
  • Writing

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