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Public Safety Dispatcher

Department of the Interior
National Park Service

Summary

THIS IS AN OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCMENT. This type of announcement provides the National Park Service with a readily available source of applicants when vacancies occur. Eligibility and qualifications will be verified when there is a vacancy for the location and grade for which you applied. Positions may be filled at one or more of the duty locations included in this announcement.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
MANY vacancies in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$40,736 - $72,644 per year

Salary wage as shown is for Rest of the U.S. For more information, refer to the Office of Personnel Management, Salary and Wages webpage.

Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 8
Promotion potential
8
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
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
Yes - Some positions are represented by a Bargaining Unit, but not all.
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate 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
CAHU-27-13055199-DE-ELW
Control number
887241200

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Duties

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The following duties are listed at the full performance GS-08 grade level:

  • Coordinate initial emergency response, evaluating incidents, soliciting all necessary information, and applying judgment according to interagency guides, protocols and pre-plans.
  • Receive and evaluate emergency calls, soliciting information to initiate an appropriate response of emergency services personnel, acquiring critical information (law enforcement, fire, medical search and rescue, etc.) from the public and other public safety agencies.
  • Use a variety of specialized computer programs such as NCIC (National Criminal Information Center), NLETS (National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System), and CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) in the performance of dispatch duties.
  • Complexity of communication center will vary by park location. Centers may perform multi-jurisdictional all-risk incidents (law enforcement, wildland fire, structural fire, aviation, intelligence, medical, search and rescue, and other emergency services), and/or serve at an interagency level (collaborate with federal, state, county, and local agencies).
  • Serve as the senior dispatcher on staff, providing orientation, training, and leadership for lower graded or new dispatchers. At this level, dispatchers are expected to be able to troubleshoot issues and contribute to more efficient operations by reviewing and making recommendations for improvement of operating procedures.
Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until . The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be, with subsequent cut-off dates of every 15 days. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled. Initial consideration will be given to candidates whose applications have been received before the first cut-off date. Qualification and/or time-in-grade requirements must be met for those applications submitted by the first cut-off date.

Some positions are career seasonal. The nature of seasonal work may vary from year to year, which is generally based on budget, workload, and/or weather. A career seasonal work schedule provides for at least 26 weeks (13 pay periods) of full-time work, and as many as 26 weeks (13 pay period) of non-duty/non-pay time per year as determined by management. The non-pay time for these positions may be two weeks to six months but is expected to be two consecutive weeks between (ex. October and December). See locations below for non-pay time. You will have the option to continue your health coverage while in non-pay status.

Positions may be filled in the following duty locations:

Everglades NP- Homestead, FL, 1 position, GS-05/06/07, Perm FT, for additional info contact Davy Duca
Great Smokey Mountains NP- Gatlinburg, TN, 1 position, GS-07/08, Perm FT, PCS Offered, for additional info contact Doraliz Heemstra
Lake Mead NRA- Boulder City, NV, 6 positions, GS-05/06/07/08, Perm FT, PCS Offered, for additional info contact Kristin Lewis
Mount Rushmore NM- Keystone, SD, 1 position, GS-05/06, Perm FT, for additional info contact Todd Grabow
National Capital Region Communications Center- Harpers Ferry, WV, 4 positions, GS-05/06/07 and GS-07/08, Perm FT, for additional info contact Robin Thomas

**Although the positions identified above may be listed as Permanent Full-time, these locations may also fill Permanent Career-Seasonal positions from this announcement.**

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 www.dhs.gov/EVerify/.
  • 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 may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 year probationary 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.

Qualifications

Qualifications:

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-12/31/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

To receive credit for experience, 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(s) or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.

Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:

For the GS-05 level:
Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-04 grade level; OR A Bachelor's degree or 4 years of successfully completed education above high school (You must provide transcripts if qualifying based on education); OR Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education (in excess of the first 60 semester hours) and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university.

Examples of specialized experience are: Performing work that provides familiarity with public safety policies and procedures such as but not limited to
working as a security guard, law enforcement officer, or emergency responder (medical or search and rescue); Relaying information from callers using a multi-line telephone or multi-frequency radio system to initiate a response; Serving as a dispatcher for safety or non-safety services (i.e. perform dispatch functions on a fire, construction site, other).

For the GS-06 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level.

Examples of specialized experience are: Providing dispatch and/or call taking services, related to public safety (medical, law enforcement, search and
rescue, fire or other emergencies/public safety related); Operating computer systems such as but not limited to National Criminal Information Network (NCIC), National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NLETS), Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), or similar systems that aid in public safety dispatching to run queries and document communications.


For the GS-07 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-06 grade level.

Examples of specialized experience are: Providing dispatch and call taking services in a communications center that provides public safety (medical,
law enforcement, search and rescue, fire or other emergencies/public safety related) dispatch operation, in a complex environment (i.e. remote/urban
environment, wildland fire, or other complex environments or situations); Coordinating responses to emergency incidents by initiating response of personnel and equipment according to agency protocols and providing communication and logistical support to responders; Operating computer systems such as but not limited to National Criminal Information Network (NCIC), National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NLETS), Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), or similar systems that aid in public safety dispatching to run queries and document communications.


For the GS-08 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level.

Examples of specialized experience are: Providing dispatch and call taking services in a communications center that provides public safety (medical,
law enforcement, search and rescue, fire or other emergencies/public safety related) dispatch operation, in a complex environment (i.e. remote/urban
environment, serves more than one division, unit, jurisdiction, and/or agency, or other complex situations); Coordinating responses to emergency incidents by initiating response of personnel and equipment according to agency protocols and providing communication and logistical support to responders; Operating computer systems such as but not limited to National Criminal Information Network (NCIC), National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NLETS), Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), or similar systems that aid in public safety dispatching to interpret information, run queries and document communications; Reviewing internal operating procedures and systems related to public safety to make recommendations for improvement; provide technical guidance, orientation, and training to new employees or lower level dispatchers.


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.

EXPLORE Act Veteran Hiring Pilot ProgramThe Department of the Interior has created a two-year Veteran Hiring Pilot as established by the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act that aims to expand employment opportunities for Veterans (and eligible transitioning Service Members). This position has been identified as EXPLORE Act Veteran Hiring Pilot eligible. The pilot supports DOI's conservation and resource management mission by connecting qualified Veterans with career opportunities across the Department. To learn more, visit https://www.doi.gov/veterans/explore-act.

Education

This position does not allow substituting education for experience at the GS-06, GS-07, and GS-08 grade levels.

If using education for the GS-05 grade level : 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. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualification

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.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

Physical Demands: Incumbent must function efficiently in a confined space for extended periods with no breaks and no opportunity to leave the confines of the Communications Center. The dispatcher is considered an "essential employee," meaning he/she is required to work most holidays, report for duty during adverse weather conditions, and be expected to work for long hours exceeding normally scheduled shifts in case of emergencies. Position is sedentary with high amounts of stress. Incumbent is subject to shift work, rotating shift work, and uncommon tours of duty. Work requires use of the voice in vocal communications for periods of hours at a time. Voice must be clear, audible, and tone effective with words plainly spoken and
understandable. Incumbent must be able to hear clearly and discern a variety of audible communications and signals simultaneously. Incumbent must be able to read critical information from multiple sources, including computer screen, fax, and written log quickly and accurately. The work is of an emergency nature and is emotionally stressful. Incumbent must possess manual dexterity sufficient to operate computer terminals/keyboards and related equipment and to maintain written logs. Work involves occasional lifting of boxes and supplies up to weights of 50 pounds.

Work Environment: The work is normally performed in a well-lighted and temperature-controlled room. Noise levels are routinely high due to electronic equipment, telephones, radios, and other discussions ongoing in the performance of duties. The setting is typically confined and secure, and entrance and egress is controlled. During the training period and/or on other occasions, the incumbent will be assigned to accompany field law enforcement personnel in patrol vehicles to learn or gain a more detailed familiarization with agency field operating procedures and jurisdictional boundaries.
Incumbent may not leave the center unless relieved by another qualified dispatcher.

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 any additional assessment(s) required for this position.

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.

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. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into the following 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 assessed in the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork

In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of the USA Hire Assessment, if required.

The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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.

Providing false or misleading information on your resume or supporting documentation may result in removal from consideration or other action consistent with applicable federal hiring regulations. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

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

Erika Weber
Phone
000-000-0000
Email
erika_weber@ios.doi.gov
Address
National Park Service - Shared Recruitment
1849 C. Street NW
Washington, DC 20240
US

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