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Park Ranger (P)

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Interior Regions 3,4,5, Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, Visitor Resource Protection.
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position serves as the Senior Law Enforcement Officer in the Visitor and Resource Protection Division at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield located in Republic, Missouri. As the manager of the Visitor and Resource Protection Division, the incumbent plans, develops, and directs programs related to the division functions, including supervision of subordinate(s).

This position is located at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield,

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
08/11/2025 to 08/25/2025
Salary
$73,939 to - $96,116 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Republic, MO
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
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
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
11
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
MW-1543-WICR 12777171-MP
Control number
843006100

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Duties

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As a Commissioned Ranger, you will be responsible for performing law enforcement duties including detection, investigation, apprehension, and prosecution under applicable laws, rules, and regulations enacted to insure the protection and safe use of National Park resources. You will also educate, interpret, and inform visitors about resources, conservation, laws, and regulations. Collateral duties may include emergency medical services, special response, technical rescue, swift water rescue, and helicopter rescue.

As a Park Ranger you will lead daily operations and direct the completion of collateral duties related to training and leadership. You will supervise one GL-9 permanent and park volunteers. You will conduct and supervise the detection of criminal activity, investigation of criminal violations, and custodial arrests. You may prepare and execute warrants, interview witnesses, and detain suspects. You will ensure the completion of comprehensive written reports. You will conduct and/or supervise gathering of law enforcement, security, and intelligence information relating to the park, its facilities, events, mission, or visitors.

You will set work goals and ensure all employees receive required training in a timely manner; identify operational requirements and make recommendations to your supervisor regarding programming, budgeting, training, administration, and evaluation of operations; and schedule patrols to maximize visitor contact with special consideration to problem areas. You will supervise and lead complex law enforcement, all hazard, emergency medical, and search and rescue operations as well as provide emergency medical services to park visitors and residents. In addition, you will participate in all aspects of employee supervision including performance planning and appraisals, employee recognition, and employee counseling.

Major Duties include but are not limited to the following.

  • Serve as the Senior Law Enforcement Officer in the Visitor and Resource Protection Division at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield located in Republic, Missouri, requiring a Type 1 Law Enforcement Commission.
  • Maintain a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the park's natural and cultural resources and the extensive body of specific laws and regulations pertaining to the protection and use of these resources.
  • Exercise arrest authority consistent with state and federal laws and regulations. Controls, operates, and maintains proficiency with firearms, LE defensive equipment, and various LE vehicles and communication devices.
  • Provide technical direction, plans, and implements a visitor and facilities protection program, with emphasis on crime prevention and physical security of park facilities and grounds.
  • Serve as a member of the park's core management team, assists, and advises the Superintendent on a wide range of activities and issues, assists with development and review of park plans.
  • Lead, plan, coordinate, implement, and evaluate short- and long-range goals and objectives, operating plans and program requirements within the Division of Visitor and Resource Protection.
  • Prepare, review, and update budget documents, budget formulation, and programming, and other special budget documents required by others covering all activities relating to money, equipment, staffing/personnel, special projects, project requests, grant requests, etc. that effect the division
  • Manages the Special Park Use and Commercial Use program.
  • Serve as the collateral Duty Safety Coordinator (CDSC) as well as the park Structural Fire and Wildland Fire Coordinator.
Requirements.
  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
  • New employees of the Department of the Interior must identify a financial institution for direct deposit of net pay within 30 days of entrance on duty.
  • Any individual who is currently holding, or has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet time-in-grade requirements (must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent in the Federal service). Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal civilian employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.
  • 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

  • Must possess a Type I Law Enforcement Commission.
  • Selectee(s) will be required to carry a firearm while performing duties and maintain firearm proficiency.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
  • You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
  • You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
  • Applicants must be at least 21 years old.
  • The position to which you will be appointed is subject to a financial disclosure reporting requirement and you will be required to complete a new entrant Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of your appointment.
  • This is a primary position covered by enhanced retirement provisions which stipulate mandatory retirement at age 57 after 20 years of service. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and must not have reached their 37th birthday upon appointment to this position. Two exceptions are allowed: 1) an applicant has prior Federal service in a primary covered position sufficient to complete 20 years of service on or before the mandatory retirement age of 57; or 2) an applicant is a qualified veterans' preference eligible, in which case the MEA is waived and their corresponding retirement age may be higher than 57 after completing 20 years of service.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement--unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 for each federal position listed as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of qualifying experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience.

For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.

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

  • Required to carry a firearm while performing duties and required to maintain firearm proficiency and subject to the Lautenberg Amendment.
AND

GS-11 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/GL-09 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 includes three of the five items:
    1. Providing technical direction, planning, and implementing a visitor and facilities protection program, with emphasis on crime prevention and security of park facilities and grounds, poaching and other criminal activities.
    2. Leading, planning, coordinating, implementing and evaluating short- and long-range goals and objectives, operating plans and program requirements.
    3. Conducting full range of law enforcement operations, including investigations, reporting, and patrols, averaging 40+ hours per week. Performing investigations involving criminal acts and civil torts, including evidence collection, witness interviews, and case reporting and includes surveillance using various technologies and methodologies.
    4. Develops, coordinates activities and maintains effective relationships with local, state, and other federal law enforcement and public safety agencies and departments.
    5. Educating and instructing various audiences regarding park significance and resources, including laws and regulations necessary to protect the park resources and visitor experience. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
  • EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least three full years of graduate level study leading to a Doctorate, Ph.D., or equivalent degree at an accredited college or university in directly-related fields such as 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, or sociology. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
  • Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours or equivalent earned towards a graduate degree, in excess of 36 semester hours, and divide by 18 semester hours or equivalent. Then, take the number of months of experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.
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.

ICTP/CTAP: Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level on all competencies. Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(2) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating, and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP/ICTAP eligible. If you are selected for Federal employment, you will be required to fill out a Declaration of Federal Employment, OF-306, prior to being appointed to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. Failing to answer all questions truthfully and completely or providing false statements on your application may be grounds for not hiring you, or for firing you after you begin work. Also, you may be punished by fine or imprisonment (U.S. Code, Title 18, section 1001).

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 a valid Type I National Park Service (NPS) Law Enforcement Commission (or equivalent),

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.

A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR 575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.

A Relocation Incentive May Be Authorized for a Federal employee when the employee must move, as directed by the National Park Service (NPS) either through a management directed reassignment or selection for employment, to a different location at least 50 miles away from the one where his/her position of record held at time of selection is currently located, due to a need of the NPS. A relocation incentive is not the same as a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move and, as such, may be granted in conjunction with one another.

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 incumbent is required to meet and continually maintain physical fitness. Participation in the NPS Physical Fitness program and regular medical examinations in accordance with NPS- 57 guidelines is mandatory. The position is required to meet and continuously maintain the physical/medical standards as set forth in the requirements of D.O. #57. A NPS Type 1 Law Enforcement Commission is required. Duties require prolonged periods of sitting, standing, walking, etc. The incumbent will experience periods of stress and physical effort requiring strenuous exertion in harsh conditions. May lift and carry objects or equipment over 50 pounds over long distances and uneven terrain. The incumbent must be capable of engaging in search and rescue activities, patrols, firefighting, and similar activities. Position is required to meet and continuously maintain the physical/medical standards as set forth in the requirements of D.O. #57

WORK ENVIRONMENT: While extended periods of time may be in an office setting, work will be performed both indoors and outdoors. The incumbent is subjected to weather extremes, hazardous wildlife including insects and venomous snakes, and other discomforts such as operating small equipment, rough terrain, and confined spaces. Regularly works outside in all types of weather including summer temperatures into triple digits and winter wind chill factors of below freezing. The work is performed at various hours of the day and night and may be for prolonged periods during emergency situations. The incumbent may be exposed to high-risk and potentially dangerous situations in law enforcement and emergency situations requiring use of a wide range of personal protective gear, adherence to specific safety procedures and other precautions. Weekend and holiday work are often required. Law enforcement and other emergency operations will require entry into hazardous environments, exposure to dangerous persons, animals, substances, and potential exposure to infectious diseases.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

Please limit your resume to no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

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 who apply under Competitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are highly qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Best qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

Candidates who apply under Noncompetitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are minimally qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

You will be evaluated on the following competencies:

  • Administration and Management
  • First Response
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Managing Human Resources
  • Public Safety and Security


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 successful completion of additional assessments, including a panel resume review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.

The Subject Matter Expert assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process.

If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.

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