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Park Ranger (Interpretation)

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Great Basin National Park

Summary

You will serve as a Park Ranger (Interpretation) with the National Park Service at Great Basin National Park: each of three positions will lead a different program within the Division of Interpretation.

Career-Seasonal appointments are permanent positions and include the same benefits as Career appointments, but do not provide work on a year-round basis. You will work for approximately 11.5 months, and you will be in a non-pay status for the remainder of the year.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
3 vacancies in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$40,736 - $80,243 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 9
Promotion potential
9
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent - Career-Seasonal
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
CAHS-26-13041928-IMP-KG
Control number
883007100

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This is a Merit Promotion announcement for career and career conditional National Park Service employees, Career Transition eligibles (CTAP), Current or former time-limited employees eligible under Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) and those who are eligible under the hiring paths listed above. Refer to Required Documents section for more information.

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Duties

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This announcement will be used to fill three positions within the Division of Interpretation at Great Basin National Park. Each position will lead a different program within the division:

The Lead Interpretive Ranger will be responsible for leading the park's extensive cave and surface interpretive programming:

  • Research, develop, and present personal and non-personal audience-centered interpretive programs, products, and experiences covering the park's diverse resources - alpine peaks, ancient trees, marble caves, sagebrush steppe, Great Basin geology, mining, Indigenous cultures, and more.
  • Provide leadership and vision for the park's extensive cave and surface interpretive operations, which include two visitor centers, cave tours, evening programs, ranger talks, roves, Cave Simulator, and more.
  • Serve as a frontline leader, recruiting and leading permanent and temporary staff, interns, and volunteers, coordinate work assignments, and coach/mentor/train team members to achieve high-quality visitor services and resource interpretation.
  • Perform and coordinate day-to-day operations of visitor center, information center, ranger station, or similar facility in accordance with standard operating procedures.
  • Develop and manage digital content on NPS.gov, the NPS app, social media, and other platforms.
  • Collect and account for recreation fee revenues using the RBMS platform.
The Lead Astronomy Ranger will be responsible for leading the park's world-class astronomy and dark skies interpretive programming, centered around the only dedicated Astronomy Amphitheater in the National Park System:
  • Research, develop, and present personal and non-personal audience-centered interpretive programs, products, and experiences, particularly astronomy and dark skies programming.
  • Provide leadership and vision for the park's popular dark skies interpretive programs, including the annual Great Basin Astronomy Festival and the park's unique partnership with the Great Basin Observatory.
  • Serve as a frontline leader, recruiting and leading permanent and temporary staff, interns, and volunteers, coordinate work assignments, and coach/mentor/train team members to achieve high-quality visitor services and resource interpretation.
  • Perform and coordinate day-to-day operations of visitor center, information center, ranger station, or similar facility in accordance with standard operating procedures.
  • Lead the park's digital media operations, providing oversight and strategy for digital content on NPS.gov, the NPS app, social media, and other platforms.
  • Collect and account for recreation fee revenues using the RBMS platform.
The Lead PSAR Ranger will be responsible for leading the park's fledgling Preventative Search and Rescue program, working closely with the Division of Visitor and Resource Protection to reduce visitor injuries and build emergency response capacity:
  • Research, develop, and present interpretive programs, services, and media products which encourage park visitors to make smart decisions about risk, promoting behaviors which reduce the likelihood of injuries and fatalities.
  • Serve as a subject-matter expert, providing training to staff and volunteers on how to effectively present and promote PSAR messages.
  • Serve as a frontline leader, recruiting and leading permanent and temporary staff, interns, and volunteers, coordinate work assignments, and coach/mentor/train team members to achieve high-quality preventative search and rescue services.
  • Develop and manage digital content on NPS.gov, the NPS app, social media, and other platforms.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • Direct Deposit participation required.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/.
  • Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment. Ranger will need to drive park vehicles as part of duties.
  • You are required to wear a uniform and comply with uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • You are required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel authority.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1 year probationary period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest.

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.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 09/08/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.

For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized 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 periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. 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.

To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level:
Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least 1 full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: Park Guide or tour leader, 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 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with 24 semester hours 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. 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-
Combination of education and experience. 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 1 year of specialized experience. For example, I have 6 months of the specialized experience described in A 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 in B above (50% of the related coursework required). PLEASE NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of courses with credit hours and grades listed if you are using education to qualify. Official transcripts will be required upon selection

To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level:
Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least 1 full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: Independently planned and presented interpretive talks, guided walks, educational programs, or demonstrations for diverse audiences; Researched and developed interpretive or educational program content, presentations, exhibits, or informational materials using established resource information; Provided visitor orientation and information while explaining park resources, regulations, recreational opportunities, and safety practices; Assisted in evaluating visitor programs by gathering participant feedback, maintaining program statistics, or recommending improvements; Worked collaboratively with coworkers, volunteers, interns, teachers, or partner organizations to support interpretive or educational You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
Education: 1 full academic year of graduate education in subjects listed above OR superior academic achievement.* You must include transcripts.
-OR-
Combination of education and experience as listed above. A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) by 18. Add the two percentages. You must include transcripts.

To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level:
Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least 1 full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: Supervising volunteers, interns, and youth work groups and assisting with oversight of seasonal staff, implementing a visitor services program, providing visitor services and develops guidelines and operating methods that reflect a thorough understanding of agency policies and objectives, developing and conducting interpretive presentations, and training staff and volunteers; presenting to a wide variety of audiences using a variety of fully developed interpretive skills, techniques, and tools delivered in person and through interpretive media and technology. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
Education: Successful completion of at least 2 full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education or master's or equivalent graduate degree in 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. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
Combination of education and experience as listed above. A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 24. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) by 18. Add the two percentages. You must include transcripts.

Superior Academic Achievement: Successfully completed a bachelor's degree in a directly related field AND meet one of the following: (1) Class Standing: rank in the upper 3rd of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, based on the completed courses; OR (2) Grade-Point Average (GPA): earn a GPA of (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) based on 4 years of education, or based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum -or- (b) 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 completed during the final two years. Note: GPA will be rounded to the one decimal place, for example, 2.95 = 3.0, 2.94 = 2.9; OR (3) Membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society.

Education

You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications

Additional information

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor.
All DOI employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, DOI Ethics Prohibitions | U.S. Department of the Interior.

Physical Demands: The work requires some physical exertion and can involve extensive periods of standing and walking, in some cases over rough surfaces or inclines outdoors or in caves, and carrying backpacks, tools, rescue equipment, or other loads. Some employees may engage in firefighting, search and rescue, and other strenuous activities; these employees may be required to lift or carry equipment weighing more than 50 pounds over long distances. Employees who participate in all-risk operations will be required to meet fitness requirements on a continuing basis.

Work Environment: The work can include moderate risks or discomforts that require safety precautions (e.g., exposure to extreme temperatures, climates, rough terrain, wild animals, pests, and/or insects). The incumbent may be required to use protective clothing or gear, such as masks, boots, gloves, etc. Some employees may be engaged in all-risk operations and be exposed to high risk and potentially dangerous situations which require a range of safety and other precautions.

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.

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.

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 assessment(s) required for this position. To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.

Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. 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.

You will be assessed in the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
  • Oral Communication
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Teaching Others
  • Written Communication




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 assessment(s), including a structured resume review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.

All qualified non-competitive applicants and the best-qualified Merit Promotion applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration.

DUE WEIGHT: 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, you must submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration or your score may be lowered. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

Current or former displaced Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified, score at least 85 (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry.

National Park Service

The Department of the Interior protects and manages the Nation's natural resources and cultural heritage; provides scientific and other information about those resources; and honors its trust responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and affiliated Island Communities. Click here to learn more about the Department of the Interior and its bureaus.

The mission of the National Park Service (NPS) is to preserve the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. You can make a difference by bringing your unique experience, background, and perspective to our work. Click here to learn more about the National Park Service.

Agency contact information

DOI Service Delivery Team 1 Unit C (PWR
Email
StaffingTeam1_PWR@ios.doi.gov
Address
Great Basin National Park
100 Great Basin National Park
Baker, NV 89311
US

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