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Park Ranger (Lead Backcountry Ranger)

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

Summary

These positions are located in Glacier National Park, in the Division of Visitor and Resource Protection.

Temporary positions not-to-exceed 1039 regular hours in a service year may be terminated sooner or extended depending on management needs. The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period for Glacier National Park is May - October, but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: 5/11/2021

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
12/23/2020 to 12/27/2020
This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$43,251 to - $56,222 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7
Locations
Few vacancies in the following locations:
Saint Mary, MT
West Glacier, MT
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Temporary - 1039 hours
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
IM-1540-GLAC-21-10991603-DE
Control number
587942500

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Duties

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Open to the first 50 applicants or until 01/06/2021 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

  • Perform backcountry patrols ranging from day trips to multi-day overnight camping trips, via foot, horseback, and/or self-propelled watercraft.
  • Assist with overall coordination of the Wilderness and Backcountry Program at Glacier National Park under the direction of the Area and District rangers.
  • Assist the District rangers with the execution the field implementation of the Wilderness Implementation Schedule (WIS), which are the strategies for managing the wilderness and backcountry park wide.
  • Assist in the mentoring of staff on bear management techniques, to include active hazing measures. Incumbent may be expected to qualify with and occasionally utilize firearms to carry out these activities.

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.
  • Direct Deposit: Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • Drug Testing: Due to search and rescue duties, 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.
  • Driver's License: 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.
  • Uniform: You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • Work Schedule: You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work. I
  • Travel: You may be required to travel in the backcountry overnight for this position. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
  • Government Charge Card: You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-01/06/2021-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.

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 include the following: patrolling wilderness areas or backcountry patrols for the primary purpose of: collecting inventory and monitoring data and evaluations; completing patrol reports; contacting visitors; inspecting and monitoring park resources; completing routine maintenance on backcountry facilities, or similar operations.

-OR-

EDUCATION: Successful completion of 1 full academic year of graduate education related to the occupation. (Graduate education: major study--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. Coursework 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.) This determination is made based on normal course loads for a full year of study in the graduate program. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. PLEASE NOTE: If you are using education to qualify you must submit a complete copy of your transcripts.
-OR-
Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. For example, 6 months of the specialized experience (50% of the experience requirement), and one half year of graduate education (50% of the qualifying education) would qualify an applicant for these positions.

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

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

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.

1,730 Waiver Information: Only for approved positions in identified geographic locations, the Not to Exceed limit for seasonal temporary time limited appointments is increased to 1,730 hours which will be determined upon selection.

Physical Demands: The work requires strenuous physical exertion, and can involve lifting moderately heavy loads. The incumbent may be exposed to very strenuous exertion by assisting with one or more of the following emergency services (search and rescue, EMS, wildland fire, bear management).

Working Conditions: Work is performed primarily outdoors in a remote backcountry setting. The incumbent is exposed to a variety of temperature extremes and climatic conditions common to the Northern Rockies. Elevation ranges from 3,500 ft. to over 10,000 ft. above sea level. Extreme elevation gains or losses are common while patrolling the backcountry with steep, rocky trails, hazardous snow fields, loose scree and talus, thick brush and blow down, and other terrain features making backcountry travel hazardous and strenuous. The incumbent is required to camp overnight in the backcountry for extended periods of time and must be both mentally and physically prepared to cope with the inherent potential hazards associated with hiking and camping in bear country.

The duties of this position are not suitable for telework.

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:
  • Attention to Detail
  • Compliance Inspection
  • Leadership

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