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Park Ranger (Interpretation)

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

Summary

These temporary NTE 1039-hour positions are located in Isle Royale National Park; season varies due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding.

Open to the first 75 applicants or until 03/18/2024 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

For more info about job/location, contact liz_valencia@nps.gov.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
03/12/2024 to 03/16/2024
This job will close when we have received 75 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$59,966 to - $59,966 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9
Locations
Houghton, MI
1 vacancy
Isle Royale National Park, MI
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
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
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
MW-1543-ISRO-24-12332974-DE
Control number
780916100

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Duties

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The major responsibility of this position is to lead the operation of a district visitor center. The Ranger leads and directs the work of paid seasonal and volunteer staff; develops schedules and assigns tasks and projects; and provides coaching and mentoring for staff on interpretive products, including programs and interpretive writing. The position may be responsible for leading park social media efforts. The position is also responsible for researching, preparing, and presenting effective, competent, and original interpretive products. Programs should facilitate opportunities for the audience to make their own intellectual and emotional connections to the meaning/significance of the resource, through the cohesive development of a relevant idea or ideas. Other responsibilities include informing visitors about park facilities and resources; contacting visitors in a variety of settings using different techniques; collecting and accounting for fees and teaching staff fee collection procedures; processing backcountry permits; helping visitors plan trips; and promoting resource protection through park rules, regulations, and Leave No Trace Principles. Occasionally the incumbent may have responsibilities in visitor management related services such as dispatching, managing small programs, maintenance, medical treatment to current level of training, and participating in emergency response for accidents and incidents. Operation of small vessel watercraft may be required based on duty station.
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NPS employees care for special places that are the heritage of all Americans. Since its inception in 1916, the NPS has been dedicated to the preservation and management of this country's outstanding natural, historical, and recreational resources. Park Ranger Interpreters (PR-I) 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. PR-I 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 PR-I 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.

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 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.
  • This position is subject to drug testing based on the collateral duty.
  • 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, or otherwise disqualified in any way 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, 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.
  • For incumbents stationed on the island: Occupancy of government quarters is required. The incumbent will occupy government housing for which they will pay rent each pay period.
  • 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-03/18/2024-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 FACTOR: This position performs money handing duties, and prior experience is required. Candidates who do not meet this requirement by close of this announcement will receive no further consideration for this position.
- AND -
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: 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). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the 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. This experience includes activities such as: 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. You must include start/end dates and hours per week worked.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least two full years of graduate study leading to a master's or equivalent degree in a field of study such as in 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, or course work in other appropriate fields. (Two years of graduate education is 36 semester hours or 54 quarter hours). You must include transcripts.
-OR-
Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above; total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts. You must include start/end dates and hours per week worked.

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 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.

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, and carrying backpacks, tools, rescue equipment or other loads. Some employes may engage in other strenuous activities that require lifting or carrying equipment weighing more than 50 pounds over long distances, such activities will need to meet fitness requirements.

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, pets, and/or insects). May be required to use protective clothing or gear. Some employees may engage in all-risk operations and be exposed to high risk and potentially dangerous situations which require a range of safety and other precautions.

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:
  • Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
  • Interpretation
  • Money Handling
  • Oral Communication
  • Teaching Others
  • Technology Application

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