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Supervisory Park Ranger (Law Enforcement) (Protection)

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Everglades National Park

Summary

This position is located in Everglades National Park, in the Division of Visitor and Resource Protection.

This position serves as a sub-district Supervisory Park Ranger (Protection) in the Flamingo District of Everglades National Park. This is a required occupancy position. The selected applicant for this position will be required to reside in park housing and meet response requirements associated with required occupancy.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
03/13/2026 to 03/26/2026
Salary
$81,734 to - $106,260 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11
Location
Monroe County, FL
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - 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
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
SE-1628-EVER-26-12899971-IM
Control number
861011800

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Duties

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As a Supervisory Park Ranger you will lead daily operations and direct the completion of collateral duties related to training and leadership. You will supervise GL-9 permanent and seasonal law enforcement rangers as well as non-commissioned staff 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.

Area/Duty Station Information: At 1.5 million acres in size, Everglades National Park contains a vast ecosystem, with wetland sloughs and prairies, tropical hardwood hammocks, pine rocklands, extensive mangrove estuaries, and Florida Bay with its expansive seagrass meadows. This vast ecosystem is the largest subtropical wilderness area in North America and the largest legislated wilderness area east of the Rocky Mountains. More than 5 million people live on the edge of the park in the communities of Miami, Homestead, Naples and the Florida Keys. Park headquarters is located in Homestead, Fl.

South Florida has two distinct seasons (rainy and dry). The rainy season occurs from mid-April to mid-November and the dry season is from mid-November to mid-April. Heavy downpours, tropical storms and hurricanes are frequent in the rainy season, and temperatures can exceed 90'F for extended periods of time. During the dry season the skies are clear and sunny, and temperatures vary from mid 60's to mid 70's. Occasional cold fronts can cause temperatures to dip into the 40's and 50's. South Florida offers a wide variety of recreational activities including diving, paddling, fishing, bicycling etc. Urban communities adjacent to the park offer a wide variety of sporting events, performances and concerts, museums, festivals and more! The vibrant diversity of South Florida offers unique opportunities for an immersive cultural living experience.For more information about the local area, please visit:

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
  • Subject to pre-employment physical and drug testing.
  • Must possess a Type I Law Enforcement Commission.
  • 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) will be required to carry a firearm while performing duties and maintain firearm proficiency.
  • 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.
  • 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 complete a Respirator Fit Test
  • You will be required to obtain a Department of the Interior Motorboat Operator Certification Course (MOCC) certification and First Aid and CPR certifications within 12 months of Entrance on Duty. You must maintain these certifications for the duration of employment in this position.
  • You must maintain the ability to lift up to 40 lbs.

Qualifications

REQUIREMENTS CONTINUED...

  • Prior to appointment, the people selected for these positions must be determined physically fit by an authorized physician to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties, pass a medical examination, and pass the Physical Efficiency Battery (PEB). The PEB is a fitness test consisting of five different components: 1) agility run - measures the ability to get up from the ground and sprint while changing directions; 2) bench press - measures upper body strength for one repetition; 3) 1.5 mile run - measures cardio/respiratory fitness; 4) sit and reach - measures flexibility in the lower back, legs and shoulders; and 5) body composition - measures body fat. Prior to appointment, selectees will be tested in all five components, and must pass the agility run, bench press and 1.5 mile run in the 25th percentile.
  • 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. 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.
  • Occupancy of government quarters is required.
  • You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 5 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 21 years old.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, if you have not already completed the required probationary period for this position, you will be required to serve a one-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider:
  • your performance and conduct;
  • the needs and interests of the agency;
  • whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
  • whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

This is a secondary-administrative law enforcement position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S. C. 8336 (c) (CSRS) and 5 U. S. C. 8412 (d) (FERS). PLEASE NOTE: Applicants may meet qualification requirements, but may not be eligible for special retirement coverage. If such an applicant is selected, they will be placed in the regular retirement system. To be eligible for Secondary retirement coverage under CSRS, an employee must transfer directly (without a break in service exceeding 3 days) from a primary position to a secondary position. To be eligible for Secondary retirement coverage under FERS, an employee must: 1) transfer directly (without a break in service exceeding 3 days) from a primary position to a secondary position, AND 2) complete 3 years of service in a primary rigorous position including any such service during which no FERS deductions were withheld, AND 3) must be continuously employed in a secondary position(s) since moving from a primary rigorous position, except for any break in employment from a secondary position that began with involuntary separation (not for cause). It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure this office has enough information to determine your special retirement status to ensure you do not lose benefits (normally through submission of your work history or other documentation that demonstrates work history of approved covered positions). You must let this office know if you are in a Primary position.

QUALIFICATIONS

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-03/26/2026-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:
  • Must currently possess, previously held (within the past three years), or be able to obtain a valid Type I (permanent) National Park Service (NPS) Law Enforcement Commission by Entrance on Duty. More information can be found in the 'Education' section of this job announcement.
  • This is a secondary/administrative 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.
- AND -

Education

QUALIFICATIONS CONTINUED...

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 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. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include, but are not limited to, the following: 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; and/or 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 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: park and recreation management, law enforcement/police science, emergency management, behavioral sciences, or other closely related subjects pertinent to the field of law enforcement. 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. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
  • Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. To combine experience and education, first take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Then 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. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. (You must include transcripts.)
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.

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 (permanent) National Park Service (NPS) Law Enforcement Commission, which requires completing training from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) including a Ranger Specific Basic Training Program and an NPS Field Training and Evaluation Program.

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: Requires standing, sitting, walking over rough unseen rocky surfaces, wading through standing water, driving vehicles and operating power boats; as well as the use of hazardous equipment (i.e. chainsaws), fire suppression, and the ability to fly in fixed wing or rotary aircraft. Many assigned tasks require hazard and environmental pay differentials. Incumbent must maintain required fitness levels, as established by NPS-57, and participate in the Physical Fitness Battery (PEB) once annually. Incumbent must maintain "Red Card" qualifications, as a Squad Boss or Security Specialist lead, or above. The incumbent must successfully complete the Pack Test requirement annually.

Working Conditions: Work is performed indoors and outdoors, day and night, and is subject to weather and terrain variances. Field work can expose the employee to smoke, fire, high heat and humidity, heavy infestations of biting insects and to poisonous plants and dangerous animals. The incumbent is often exposed to environmental conditions which can produce hypothermia. Emergency operations frequently require entry into hazardous environments, exposure to dangerous persons, animals, plants and other substances.

The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

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. 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.

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.

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:

  • Communication
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Leadership
  • Technical Competence


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.

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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