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Park Ranger (Interpretation) Education

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

Summary

** Applicant limit has been reached. This announcement will close tonight August 20, 2018 at 11:59 PM (EST) **

These positions are located in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, in the Division of Interpretation, Education and Outreach Office.

Open to the first 50 applicants or until 08/20/2018 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
08/20/2018 to 08/20/2018
Salary
$37,793 to - $37,793 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 5
Locations
Los Angeles, CA
1 vacancy
Newbury Park, CA
5 vacancies
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You will be expected to occasionally travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Temporary - 1039 Hours
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
5
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Announcement number
PW-1547-SAMO-18-10285517-DE
Control number
508479200

Duties

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Temporary positions not-to-exceed 1039 regular hours in a service year may be terminated sooner or extended depending on management needs. Anticipated Entry on Duty: October 2018.

  • Provides prepared orientation, information and directions, and answers questions to customers from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds.
  • Present talks and lead tours providing general information relating to the historical themes of the park.
  • Present programs to children and assist teachers with their visit.
  • Responds in writing to customers' inquiries for information, direction and/or guidance.
  • Writes letters, reports, program/presentation outlines, or other documents for information purposes.
  • Drafts bulletins, brochures, or articles for eventual publication.
  • Assist in making interpretive products (such as preparing labels or signs) for natural, historical, or cultural programs, publications or exhibits.
  • Utilize interpretive techniques (such as metaphors, storytelling, analogies) suggested by others to facilitate intellectual and/or emotional connections between audiences' interests and their surroundings.
  • Present pre-established interpretive programs.
  • Provide prepared orientation, information and directions and answer visitor questions.
  • Foster good relations with patrons and maintain order.
  • Provide facilitation and partnership building through community outreach to a variety of partner organizations (federal, local, state and private entities).
  • Operate audiovisual and electronic equipment (e.g., film projectors, DVD players, computers, etc.) to provide area information to visitors. Operate computer software programs such as word processing, spreadsheet or database.

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.
  • 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.
  • Occupancy of government quarters is not required but may be available for rent.
  • You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • You will be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
  • You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you 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 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; 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.. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least four years of education above high school (120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours) leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or 24 semester hours of course work in a related field. (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-
COMBINATION: Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. 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.

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.

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

For additional information about this position please contact:
Lisa Okazaki, Park Ranger (Environmental Education)
Lisa_Okazaki@nps.gov
(805) 418-3171

Jerald Weaver, Acting Chief of Interpretation
Jerald_Weaver@nps.gov
(805) 370-2339

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

Individuals selected under this vacancy announcement are eligible for the possibility of extensions or rehire in subsequent service years.

Physical Demands: The work involves extensive periods of standing and walking, in some cases over rough surfaces or inclines, carrying backpacks, tools, rescue equipment, etc.

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 conditions.

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 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.

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:
  • Applies Technology to Tasks
  • Education and Training
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Oral Communication
  • Written Communication

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