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Supervisory Park Ranger (P)

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Big Bend National Park

Summary

This position is located in Big Bend National Park, in the Visitor and Resource Protection Division.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
03/17/2026 to 03/31/2026
Salary
$91,985 to - $119,583 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
Big Bend National Park, TX
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Employer paid and reimbursed relocation expenses are considered taxable income. The National Park Service does not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. Employees should consult professional tax, legal and accounting advisors regarding concerns about the financial implications of a Permanent Change of Station (PCS).
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
IM-1538-BIBE-26-12908124-MP
Control number
861349000

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Current Department of Interior Career or Career-Conditional Employees in the competitive service; Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) eligible; CTAP eligible in the local commuting area.

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Duties

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Major Duties of this position include:

  • Supervising Park Ranger LE both permanent and season staff, to provide for leadership & guidance for Backcountry and River operations
  • Maintain training, administrative duties of self and staff. Not limited to approval of leave, work schedules, training, development of staff.
  • Be a representative of the Backcountry and River operations during staff meetings.
  • Maintain equipment of the district and park operations related to Backcountry, SAR, River Operations.
  • Develop plans and procedures to support overall goals and protection of the resources we are entrusted with.
Area Information:

The park encompasses 801,000 acres of the Chihuahuan Desert with more biodiversity than almost any other national park and a boasts a dark sky designation. Elevation in the park varies from 7825' to 1850'. The climate is generally pleasant with hot summers (90-110 degrees F) and mild winters (30-50 degrees F). Recreational opportunities include hiking, bird watching, photography, backcountry camping (backpacking) bicycling and river rafting. The park has a post office, gas stations, camper stores, restaurant, library, gym and lodge.

The gateway town of Terlingua has lodging, restaurants, hardware store, 2 small grocery stores and gift stores, churches and a bank. Lajitas has limited shopping, lodging, restaurants, golf course and churches. Alpine, TX (100 miles from PJ) has most necessities including supermarkets, a variety of stores, a regional medical center with emergency room, pharmacies, churches, a movie theater and a university. The nearest larger cities are Midland/Odessa (225 miles) and El Paso (325 miles).

An active employee/community association sponsors social events throughout the year. Visit our website for more information https://go.nps.gov/bigbendareainfo.

Daycare and School Information:
The San Vicente Independent School District (SVISD) and SVISD Early Learning Center (ELC) are in Panther Junction (PJ) and serve those that live and work in Big Bend National Park (the park). SVISD ELC, is a state-accredited daycare facility for children ages 6 months to 4 years or of school age. Daycare services are currently free of charge (subject to change). The SVISD elementary school is a Texas Education Agency, A-rated, elementary school (K-8). SVISD includes a High School (9-12). For more information about the daycare and schooling contact Jessi Milam Ed.D. Superintendent, Cell: (830) 333-1074 or SVISD School Office (432) 244-3131. Sul Ross State University in Alpine, TX (100 miles) has a four-year university offering both in-person and online graduate programs.

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 level NPS 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.
  • 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 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.
  • 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.
*Additional Requirements located under qualifications*

Qualifications

Requirements Continued...

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • As a condition of employment the selectee will be required to obtain and maintain the following certification within one year from EOD. If you currently possess any of the following below, please provide a copy of your certification with your application:
    • Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or higher certification within one year from EOD.
    • Wildland Fire Fighter certification (S130/S190) (Red Card FF Type I or Incident Commander Type IV).
    • National Fire Protection Association Fire Fighter II certification. This is a two week course that contains approximately 80% classroom and 20% drills.
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-03/31/2026-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 National Park Service (NPS) Law Enforcement Commission, or equivalent, by 03/31/2026. More information can be found in the 'Education' section of this job announcement.
  • 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.
- AND -

Applicants must possess the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
  • Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level or higher in the federal service. Examples of qualifying specialized experience includes but is not limited to law enforcement, investigative work, emergency medical services or other similar duties involving the protection, conservation, or management of park areas; management 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. Equivalency to the GS-11 level may be demonstrated by performing tasks such as analyzing law enforcement program activities to make improvements of operations; ensuring compliance of a law enforcement program with policy; making recommendations to higher level management regarding law enforcement program; and/or leading or supervising a law enforcement program; or similar work with a similar level of responsibility and analytical skills. Include months/years and hours worked per week on your resume.
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

Law Enforcement Commission: This position requires applicants to possess, previously held (within the past three years), or be able to possess by 03/31/2026 a valid Type I National Park Service (NPS) Law Enforcement Commission (or equivalent), which requires completing training from an accredited institution, which currently consists of over 650 class hours and lasts on average 17 weeks. Please visit the Association of National Park Rangers' Seasonal Law Enforcement Training Program (SLETP) for additional information on approved training courses and equivalency for commissioning.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-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.

ICTAP/CTAP Statement: 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.

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.

Physical Demands: Work requires considerable physical exertion including long periods of standing, walking over rough terrain, climbing, recurrent bending, lifting, reaching or similar activities. Because of unpredictable emergency demands employee must be able to operate safely and effectively in extreme environmental conditions for several days duration.

Strenuous exertion is frequently required in law enforcement activities. Dangerous persons must be physically confronted, subdued and apprehended, many of whom are known to carry weapons. Prisoners must be kept under physical restraint during transport and processing. Criminal investigations often must be carried out without regard to fixed work schedules, days off, or opportunities for proper rest or nutrition. The work may include the pursuit and physical apprehension of dangerous suspects. Incumbent must be able to provide for his/her unarmed self-defense. The work requires at least average physical agility, strength and dexterity.

Working Conditions: Work includes both office and outdoor settings. The incumbent is routinely exposed to discomforts including weather extremes of high and low temperatures, rarified air and dust. Environment includes rough terrain exposed cliff faces, poisonous snakes and insects, cactus and thorny plants and shrubs. Some work is performed on the river with up to Class III rapids. Law enforcement duties may expose the employee to dangerous persons involved in criminal activities, or mentally unstable persons.

Patrol and emergency response operations may require prolonged exposure to hazardous conditions. Communications are often poor. In case of emergency, help may not be readily available and may be hours or even days away.

The incumbent must be able to meet park and NPS medical and physical fitness requirements for law enforcement service personnel.

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:

  • Administration and Management
  • Financial Management
  • Leadership
  • Oral Communication
  • Partnering


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 Subject Matter Expert 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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