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Seasonal Park Ranger (Interpretation)

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is based at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area within the Interpretation and Education Division.

These positions may be filled for a six month seasonal period, but can vary due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: March-July 2026

For more park(s) information, please visit find a park.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
11/25/2025 to 12/12/2025
This job will close when we have received 300 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$19.33 to - $23.94 per hour
Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 7
Locations
Lees Ferry Glen Canyon NRA
Lees Ferry, AZ
2 vacancies
Wahweap & Rainbow Bridge Glen Canyon NRA
Page, AZ
4 vacancies
Escalante Glen Canyon NRA
Escalante, UT
1 vacancy
Bullfrog Glen Canyon NRA
Kane County, UT
3 vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Temporary - Not to Exceed 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
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
IM-1538-IMRO-26-12840115-DE
Control number
850905100

Videos

Duties

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Interpretive Rangers are responsible for developing and delivering educational programs, including guided walks, talks, and interactive presentations. They engage with diverse audiences across various park settings to foster understanding and appreciation of the park's natural and cultural resources.

Park Ranger (Interpretation) for GS-5 - Core Responsibilities:

  • Design and deliver a variety of interpretive programs, including guided walks, illustrated talks (such as PowerPoint presentations, amphitheater sessions, and campfire programs), and hands-on demonstrations.
  • Create engaging content using the National Park Service's thematic interpretation model, incorporating thorough research and innovative presentation techniques.
  • Provide informal interpretation and visitor orientation at visitor centers, ranger stations, and while roving throughout the park.
  • Contribute to special projects that support the park's mission and operational goals.
  • Promote visitor safety and resource stewardship in all interactions and serve as a first point of contact for reporting accidents or providing emergency assistance.
  • Operate a motorboat to access and interpret remote areas of the park.
Additional duties for GS-7:
  • You will perform duties listed above as well as provide on-the-job training and assistance to team members.


Bullfrog - Kane County, Utah is a small, remote, in-park community of approximately 300 residents during the summer and 50 residents in the winter. Amenities include a marina, marina store and gas docks, seasonal lodge and restaurant, gas station/convenience store and garage, an urgent care clinic, and a K-12 school. Teacher/student ratio is 1 teacher per 2-5 students. Full-service communities are in Green River, Utah (113 miles), Blanding, Utah (139 miles), Moab, UT (175 miles) and Price, Utah (143 miles) each having a small hospital and dentists. Major services are available in Cortez, Durango, and Grand Junction, Colorado, or Page, Arizona, all 3 to 5 hours away via all-weather highways, and depending on Ferry operations across Lake Powell. The Bullfrog area encompasses beautiful red-rock canyon country, and the local Henry Mountains (highest peak is Mt. Ellen at 11,526 ft). Bullfrog is the main access point to Lake Powell in the Northlake District and visitation is heavy in the summer. Summer temperatures average in the low 100's and winter temperatures are in the 30's with sunshine most days of the year. Recreation runs the spectrum of outdoor activities with backpacking, mountain biking, canyoneering, skiing (water and snow), boating, whitewater sports, hunting and fishing all within a few hours' drive and some within walking distance of the housing area. The Northlake District of Glen Canyon is bordered by the Maze District of Canyonlands NP and by the Burr Trail Scenic Byway District of Capitol Reef NP--so the solitude and challenges of wilderness abound in and around Bullfrog. This is an active outdoor community, and social events are ad hoc but common.

Lees Ferry is located 45 miles from Page, Arizona and 130 miles from Flagstaff, Arizona, the nearest larger community. Lees Ferry looks out on beautiful Colorado River which offers boating, associated water sports recreation and fishing. The surrounding land of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area offers beautiful red rock country for hiking and backcountry recreational activity. Lees Ferry is centrally located to many other National Parks, such as the Grand Canyon, Zion, Arches, and Canyonlands.

Wahweap - Page, Arizona is located on the Arizona-Utah border. Page overlooks beautiful Lake Powell which offers a variety of water sports including boating, fishing, and river running on the Colorado River above and below Lake Powell. The surrounding land is beautiful red rock country perfect for hiking, hunting, and backcountry activities. Page is at the hub of the Grand Circle which contains America's largest concentration of national parks and monuments, such as, Grand Canyon, Zion, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and the Flagstaff Area Monuments. Page offers normal small community amenities such as an airport, shopping, medical and dental facilities, schools K-12, and college courses available through the local Community College. The elevation is 4300 feet with high-desert sunny days, cool nights, and low humidity. Home purchases are available in the area. Government housing may be available by a bid process.

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.
  • Depending on location, government housing may be available.
  • You may 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/or shift work.
  • You may be required to travel overnight away from home occasionally.
  • You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
  • This position requires watercraft operation, 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.
  • You are required to obtain Department of Interior Motorboat Operator Certification Course as a condition of employment.
  • 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 (or more frequently if management determines such need exists), 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.
  • Applicants must be at least 18 years old.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-12/23/2025-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.

To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess one of the following:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-04 level in the federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to 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. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to: park guide or tour leader; environmental educator or teacher; law enforcement or investigative work; archaeological 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; or other similar work. 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 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-

Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to l year of specialized experience. For example, I have 6 months of the specialized experience described in above (50% of the experience requirement), and 3 years of college study from an accredited institution (50% of the qualifying education) which included at least 12 semester hours of related coursework as specified above (50% of the related coursework required). You must include transcripts.

To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level, you must possess one of the following:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equips the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to: park guide or tour leader, work in a park, recreation or conservation area, environmental education, history and/or cultural resources education, and natural sciences education. Work will include independent research and presentation.

-OR-

B.
You must possess one full academic year of graduate education related to the occupation (one year of full-time graduate education is defined as 18 semester hours).-OR-C. Equivalent combination of experience and education that, together, equal 100% of the qualification standards listed above when combined.

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.

Click here for the OPM Salaries and Wages to calculate locality pay.

This job opportunity announcement will be used to fill one or more additional selections at any time without notification.

The locations listed on the announcement anticipate filling vacancies. However, not all grade levels may be filled at all locations. Eligibility and qualifications will be verified if there is a vacancy for the location and grade for which you applied.

*Positions will be filled at one grade level and have no promotion potential.*

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 regular and recurring physical exertion such as long periods of standing, walking, bending, lifting, carrying, pulling, and similar strenuous activities requiring agility and dexterity. Includes crawling under and throughout boats. May include performing duties in adverse weather conditions.

Work Environment: The work is performed in a setting 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 and extreme water temperatures that require personal protection to be worn.

The National Park Service has determined that most temporary positions are suitable for telework only on a situational basis or during an emergency or natural disaster.

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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement.

Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. You may only submit one resume. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed.

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)
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Interpretation
  • Technology Application

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