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Park Ranger (River Patrol) (Temporary Seasonal)

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Colorado state Office

Summary

These positions are located in the following cities (click on the links for more information regarding the surrounding area):

We expect to fill many vacancies.

Note: These are notLaw Enforcement positions.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
12/23/2025 to 01/07/2026
This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$23.94 to - $31.12 per hour
Pay scale & grade
GS 7
Locations
Upper Colorado River District
Grand Junction, CO
1 vacancy
Northwest District
Kremmling, CO
1 vacancy
Southwest District
Montrose, CO
1 vacancy
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 - This is a temporary appointment. Appointment to this position will not convey permanent status and will be for a period not-to-exceed 1039 hours in a service year.
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
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
COTEMP-26-12854747-NRO
Control number
853110400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens - No previous Federal Service is required. CTAP and ICTAP candidates in the local commuting area.

Duties

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  • Works with the public to provide information. Conducts permit compliance, safety inspections, and river patrol. Responds to emergency situations, including swift river rescue and administering first aid.
  • In certain locations, must be able to row a raft in whitewater rapids rated on the International Scale from Class III to IV.
  • In certain locations, must be able to swim in swift water to perform rescues; raft to remote recreation sites; and/or operate an oar powered raft in Class III to IV waters.
  • Prepares recreation areas/sites for visitor use, to include planning, operation, and required maintenance.
  • Plans day-to-day operations of a recreation area or site that provides such facilities as camping, water sports, or picnic areas; coordinating routine activities with maintenance personnel.
  • Performs day-to- day operations at a visitor center or customer use area that provide facilities such as campgrounds, picnic areas, trails, and/or other specialized recreational opportunities.
  • Coordinates projects identified in the annual work plan; including planning, designing, surveying, construction, and maintenance of trails, campsites, etc., as required.
  • Gathers and analyzes data related to existing recreational resources to recognize prominent trends.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Be sure to read the 'How to Apply' and 'Required Documents' Sections.
  • You cannot hold an active real estate license: nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
  • Direct Deposit Required.
  • Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination.
  • Your resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the qualification requirements as defined in the announcement. In addition, your responses to the questions must adequately reflect in your resume.
  • Some locations may require that you possess (or obtain within 30 days of entrance on duty) and maintain a valid state driver's license while employed in this position.
  • You must have skill and expertise to row a raft in whitewater rapids rated on the International Scale from Class III to V is required.

Qualifications

Selective Placement Factors: This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. Those who do not provide evidence they possess the following selective factor(s) will be rated not qualified:

  • You must possess a valid driver's license.
  • You must have the ability to row a raft in whitewater rapids rated on the International Scale up to Class IV.
TO QUALIFY FOR THE GS-07 GRADE LEVEL

EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: (1) park guide or tour leader; (2) archaeological or historical preservation research work; (3) forestry and/or fire management work in a park, recreation or conservation area; (4) 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; (5) planning day to day operation of a recreation area providing such facilities as camping, water sports, picnic areas, or coordinating routine activities with maintenance personnel; (6) advising visitors concerning safety, fire prevention, and proper and authorized uses of recreational facilities; and (7) navigating through Class III-IV whitewater rapids.

OR

EDUCATION: Successful completion of one full academic year of graduate education with course work 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. Please provide transcripts.

OR

COMBINATION of EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE: You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate graduate education as listed above. Graduate level education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. The combined total must equal 100%. Please provide transcripts.

OR

SUPERIOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT (S.A.A): Completion of a bachelor's degree, with Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.), in a curriculum directly related to the management and protection of natural and cultural resources (see list of acceptable courses under 'Education' above.)S.A.A. is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership.
  1. Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.
  2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.)-- Applicants must have a grade-point average of:
    1. 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on your official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or
    2. 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.
  3. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society -- Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies listed below. These honor societies are listed by the Association of College Honor Societies (external link). Agencies considering eligibility based on any society not included in the following list must ensure that the honor society meets the minimum requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies. Membership in a freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this provision.
Superior Academic Achievement (See OPM's General Policies, Application of Qualification Standards Section 4.f.) S.A.A. must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled.

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.

You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Physical Demands: The work is performed mostly outdoors in rugged terrain; to include very steep, wet, muddy, rough, uneven or rocky surfaces. The position requires physical exertion such as, but not limited to, driving over unpaved roads, walking over rough terrain or inclines, standing for long periods of time, bending, crouching and stooping, digging, hiking, lifting, biking, stretching, reaching, or similar activities. Work may involve early morning hours, night hours, or daytime hours and may require working on holidays. It can require carrying heavy backpacks, tools, rescue equipment, or other loads.

Work Environment: Most work will be performed out of doors, in all types of weather conditions, terrain, and elevations. Work may take place in an extremely remote environment and may require primitive camping and living skills for upwards of two weeks in duration. Indoor duties are performed in a normal office setting.

Education

Applicants may qualify for these positions based on experience, education, or an equivalent combination as described in the Qualifications section of this announcement.

Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-5 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. One full year of graduate education meets the requirements for GS-7.

If using education to qualify, you must submit copies of all transcripts or a list of college courses that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college/university. See Required Documents section for more information.

Additional information

This announcement will close when we have reached 50 applications, which may be sooner than the closing date listed.

DOI uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit E-Verify.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information: CTAP or ICTAP

Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service

Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid by the Department of the Interior. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee.

This position is not eligible for Telework.

All positions may not be filled or they may be filled at different times depending on budget, hiring needs, and requirements. These positions are temporary and are expected to last for up to 6 months. These positions have no promotion potential, if you want to be considered for a higher grade you must apply for the higher grade.

If selected from this announcement you may be rehired for identical positions without further competition based on work needs, funding, or any other condition of employment.

If selected from this or a similar competitive, seasonal announcement, your appointment may be creditable for consideration under PL-114-47, Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA). The Act allows certain individuals, who have or had time-limited appointments at land management agencies, to compete for any permanent position in the competitive service under "internal" merit promotion procedures. For more information, see the section under Eligibility, which starts with Question #15 (Q15. Who is eligible for appointment under these provisions).

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.

Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made. Your responses to the online questionnaire will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. Qualified applicants will be placed in one of three predefined categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified and Qualified. However, your resume must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Candidates placed in the Best Qualified category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be contacted for an interview.

Your answers to the online questionnaire will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:

  • Customer Service
  • Project Management
  • Technical Competence

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