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Park Ranger (Protection)

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The primary purpose of this position is to serve as a Federal Law Enforcement Officer, commissioned by the National Park Service with responsibility for performing duties including detection and investigation of violations of the Federal criminal laws, apprehension, and detention of violators, the protection of life and property, and enforcement of all applicable laws, rules, and regulations protecting and ensuring the safe use of National Park resources.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Posted 06/16/21
Location
5 vacancies in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$20.84 - $24.42 per hour
Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 7
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time - You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, and overtime.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 2 nights per month. 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.
Appointment type
Temporary - 1039 Hours; The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period is Jul-Oct, but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: July 2021
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Announcement number
MW-1542-THRO-21-11147097-DE
Control number
604941500

Duties

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Positions are in the Resource and Visitor Protection Division.
? Conducts law enforcement patrol duties, criminal investigation, and special operations.
? Completes a wide variety of enforcement and investigation duties in both the front and back country.
? Performs emergency operations including emergency medical services, search and rescue, and wildfire suppression.
? Conducts resource protection and management duties relating to wilderness and backcountry, wildlife management, prescribed fire, and boundary protection.
? Works with coworkers, other work units, other divisions, outside agencies, the general public, and a variety of special interest groups.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

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 or 1730 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.

REQUIREMENTS:

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
  • Subject to pre-employment physical and drug testing.
  • Must possess a Type II or higher Law Enforcement Commission.
  • Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required
  • Direct Deposit: Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • Firearm Proficiency: Selectee(s) will be required to carry a firearm while performing duties and maintain firearm proficiency.
  • Security Investigation: Selectee(s) must be free of any domestic violence convictions. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

(Cont.)

  • Physical Fitness: Prior to appointment, you must be determined physically fit by an authorized government physician to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties; and also pass a medical examination (which includes vision, hearing, cardiovascular, and mobility of extremities) given by an authorized government physician. You will also be required to undergo periodic medical examinations throughout employment.
  • Physical Efficiency Battery: Prior to appointment, the people selected for these positions must be determined physically fit by an authorized physician to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties, pass a medical examination, and pass the Physical Efficiency Battery (PEB). The PEB is a fitness test consisting of five different components: 1) agility run - measures the ability to get up from the ground and sprint while changing directions; 2) bench press - measures upper body strength for one repetition; 3) 1.5 mile run - measures cardio/respiratory fitness; 4) sit and reach - measures flexibility in the lower back, legs and shoulders; and 5) body composition - measures body fat. Prior to appointment, selectees will be tested in all five components, and must pass the agility run, bench press and 1.5 mile run in the 25th percentile.
  • Vehicle Operation: You may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.
  • Uniform: You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • Minimum Age Requirement: Applicants must be at least 21 years old.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-06/23/2021-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.

Selective Factors: Applicants must meet ALL of the following to qualify:

  • Law Enforcement Commission: Must currently possess, previously held (within the past three years), or be able to obtain a valid Type II (seasonal) or higher National Park Service (NPS) Law Enforcement Commission, or equivalent, by entrance of duty. More information can be found in the 'Education' section of this job announcement.
  • National Registry Emergency Medical Technician - Basic: Must currently possess or be able to obtain a National Registry Emergency Medical Technician-Basic certification by entrance on duty.
  • First Responder and Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certification: Must currently possess or be able to obtain a First Responder and CPR Certification (or higher level certification) by entrance on duty.
  • Valid State Driver's License: Must have a current, valid State Driver's License by entrance on duty.
- AND -

GS-05: Applicants must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
  • EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience could include Park Guide or tour leader; law enforcement or investigative work; archeological 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 worked.
  • EDUCATION: Successful completion of a 4 year course of study above high school leading to a Bachelor's degree (or higher level degree) with 24 semester hours of related course work. One year of full time undergraduate study is defined as 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
  • Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. NOTE: Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. You must include transcripts.

GS-07: Applicants must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
  • EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience could include Park Guide or tour leader; law enforcement or investigative work; archeological 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 worked.
  • EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one full academic year of graduate education 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. One year of full time graduate education is defined as 18 semester hours. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
  • Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. Only graduate education can be credited towards the education requirement. You must include transcripts.
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

Law Enforcement Commission: This position requires applicants to possess, previously held (within the past three years), or be able to possess by entrance on duty date a valid Type II (seasonal) or higher level National Park Service (NPS) Law Enforcement Commission (or equivalent), which requires completing training from an accredited institution, which currently consists of over 650 class hours and lasts on average 17 weeks. Please visit the Association of National Park Rangers' Seasonal Law Enforcement Training Program (SLETP) for additional information on approved training courses and equivalency for commissioning.

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

Physical Demands: Duties involve rigorous fieldwork requiring above average physical performance, endurance and superior conditioning. Work requires prolonged standing, walking over uneven ground, and recurring bending, reaching, lifting and carrying of items weighing over 50 pounds and shared lifting and carrying of heavier items, and similar strenuous activities requiring agility and dexterity. Duties involve performing physically rigorous assignments, often in isolated outdoor environments, while exposed to severe weather conditions. Dangerous persons must be physically confronted, subdued, and apprehended many of whom are known to carry weapons. There is a high-stress component associated with much of the incumbent's work assignment. Physical fitness requirements must be met prior to and on a continuing basis during employment.

Working Conditions: Duties require extended periods of outdoor work where the incumbent will be exposed to severe weather conditions including temperatures well below freezing to in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Investigations are conducted on foot, in four-wheel drive vehicles, or other forms of conveyance in remote backcountry settings. Emergency service and law enforcement work requires entry into hazardous environments, exposure to dangerous persons, animals, and substances, and potential exposure to infectious diseases. Long periods of surveillance work may be required in cramped or unpleasant locations and under unpleasant conditions. A wide range of personal protective equipment and clothing is required to be used and worn, some of which may be uncomfortable, hot or inconvenient to wear. Adherence to specific safety procedures and other precautions is required.

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 Occupational Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Occupational Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions may affect your rating.

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 https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11147097, and the result of the additional assessments required for this position.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed below that are required to successfully perform the job.


You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Attention to Detail
  • Criminal Law
  • Customer Service
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Public Safety and Security
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Writing


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.

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.

National Park Service

The Department of Interior places a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspectives and encourages applications from all interested eligible candidates, including candidates from all ethnic and racial backgrounds, women, LGBT individuals, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

Please visit find a park for additional park information.

For information about the area please visit: https://www.nps.gov/thro/getinvolved/where-we-live.htm

Agency contact information

MWR HR West Team
Phone
(605) 745-3663 X224
Email
mwr_nekota_hr@nps.gov
Address
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
PO Box 7, 315 2nd Ave
Medora, ND 58645
US

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https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/index.htm

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