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Park Ranger Interpretation

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

Summary

The position being advertised is located at Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument for the National Park Service in Jackson Mississippi.

See the "Duties" section for locations, salary and anticipated Term Not to Exceed (NTE) periods.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
11/14/2023 to 11/21/2023
This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$57,118 to - $74,250 per year

Salary does not include locality pay. For specific wage information see duties section.

Pay scale & grade
GS 9
Location
Jackson, MS
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—Situational as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Term - Not To Exceed 13 months, but with possible extensions.
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
NPS-IRA-24-12195934-DE
Control number
760308500

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens; Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)

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Duties

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This is a term position (more than 1 year) with an initial appointment expecting to last at least 13 months but may be extended up to a total of four years, or more based on any changes to regulations governing the number of years term appointments may last, without further competition. Term positions do not convey permanent status in the Federal service. The National Park Service retains the right to extend the duration of this appointment after selection and/or appointment, based on changes to the regulation governing the number of years term appointments may last. This change, which may be made at the agency's sole discretion and without further competition, shall not be construed or interpreted as the granting of a right to a selectee or employee to such an extension. No extension to a term appointment shall be granted to a selectee/employee to an amount of time that exceeds the maximum number of years authorized under any present or current regulation, unless such regulation expressly allows such action.

The following park location is included in this announcement. See information for the Term period, salary and park location below:

Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument (MEMY)-Jackson, MS-TERM-NTE: 4 years. Salary Range -$57,118 to $74,250 Per Year
A Civil Rights Partnership: Medgar and Myrlie Evers exemplify civil rights organizing that combined grassroots strategies with efforts of national organizations to change laws and policies related to voting rights, public education, and public accommodations, to redress criminal injustice, and to contest the systemic nature of racial discrimination. Learn more about MEMY at Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)


Major Duties:

  • Develop and present formal and informal audience and learner-centered interpretive experiences using interpretive skills, techniques, and tools delivered in-person and through interpretive media and technology.
  • Conduct straightforward research, develop, and present interpretive programs on a variety of interpretive and educational themes.
  • Enhance in-park experiences by developing and offering a wide variety of fully accessible nonpersonal services and interpretive media.
  • Contribute engaging and quality content that harnesses the power of digital platforms and creates valuable, audience-centered interpretive experiences that are relevant to the message and audience and rooted in existing digital strategies.
  • Review existing park policies, standards, methods, controls, and procedures.
  • Plan, schedule, prepare and effectively conduct education programs; workshops, seminars, and conferences to promote the parks education program, to include distance learning.
  • Plan, distribute, and monitor work assignments; evaluate work performance and provide feedback to others on their performance.
  • Communicate effectively and apply interpersonal skills. Develop and maintain effective relationships with others; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.
Additional major duties: Education Program Coordination, Historic Weapons Safety and Demonstrations, Interpretive Media/Visual Info Production, Special Park Uses, Technology, Web, Social Media Coordination, and/ or Youth Program Coordination.

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. If selected, 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.
  • 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, overtime and shift work.
  • You will be required to complete a one-year trial period.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Qualifications


All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/21/2023-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.

Candidates who do not meet this requirement by close of this announcement will receive no further consideration for this position.

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

EXPERIENCE:

  • Must possess at least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors), performing work that demonstrates specific knowledge of interpretive principles. Create, develop, and design formal and informal interpretive curriculum using a variety of fully developed skills, techniques, and tools. Develop interpretive curriculum, structured programs, tours, presentations, demonstrations, events, and virtual interactions. Conduct research on different scientific and /or historical subjects. Develop or design interpretive material, provide non-personal services and interpretive media (e.g., signs, waysides, publications, exhibits, audio, video and other digital content). Engage public with formal structured interpretive programs (e.g., walks, talks, tours, presentations, demonstrations, events, and virtual interactions). Lead others, provide oversight, resource education, mentorship, training, and coaching. This experience could have been gained serving as a Park Ranger directly conducting interpretive work, Park Interpretive Specialist, Outdoor activities Director, Park Activities Coordinator providing formal educational resource training, developing curriculum, or other similar work. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-

EDUCATION:
  • Successful completion of at least 2 full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education or master's, or equivalent graduate degree related to the occupation. Fields include 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 graduate education is 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours). You must include a copy of your transcripts.
-OR-
  • A combination of specialized experience and higher-level graduate education. The total must equal at least 100 percent in order to meet this description.
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.


Physical Demands: The work requires some physical exertion and can involve extensive periods of standing and walking, in some cases over rough surfaces or inclines outdoors or in caves, and carrying backpacks, tools, rescue equipment, or other loads. Some employees may engage in firefighting, search and rescue, and other strenuous activities; these employees may be required to lift or carry equipment weighing more than 50 pounds over long distances. Employees who participate in all-risk operations will be required to meet fitness requirements on a continuing basis.

Working Conditions: The work can include moderate risks or discomforts that require safety precautions (e.g., exposure to extreme temperatures, climates, rough terrain, wild animals, pests, and/or insects). The incumbent may be required to use protective clothing or gear, such as masks, boots, gloves, etc. Some employees may be engaged in all risk operations and be exposed to high risk and potentially dangerous situations which require a range of safety and other precautions.

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

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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.


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, and the result of the additional assessments required for this position. 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:
  • Education and Training
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Interpretation
  • Leadership
  • Oral Communication
  • Technical Competence
  • Technology Application

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