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Landscape Architect (Seasonal)

Department of the Interior
National Park Service

Summary

The purpose of the work is to provide advisory services on conventional landscape management activities and concerns; research policies, procedures, and statutory requirements.

The typical season is March to Oct, but can vary during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding.

Open to the first 50 applicants or until 10/26/2026 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

Overview

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This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Location
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$26.85 - $33.05 per hour
Pay scale & grade
GS 7
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Multiple Schedules - You may be required to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and/or overtime.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Temporary - Not to Exceed 1039 Hours
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
CAHQ-27-13086279-DE-SMA
Control number
889191400

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Duties

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  • Conducts site and visual inventories of river areas and develop visitor use site analysis.
  • Creates conceptual site plans on many park projects including camping areas, trails, river access, scenic overlooks trailhead areas.
  • Sketches solutions for daily park projects and operations, as well as draw site plans, sections, perspectives and plan view maps on a weekly basis.
  • Enhances communication between park natural resource division and park facility staff and contributes to communications with local park partners.
  • Works with all park divisions and reports directly to the Park Superintendent.

Area Information: The Missouri National Recreational River is made up of four free- flowing segments that comprise a portion of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System and unit of the National Park Service. These components include the Park's 39-Mile District from the Francis Case Reservoir and Fort Randall Dam in Pickstown, SD downstream to just above the Lewis and Clark Reservoir, and the 59-Mile District extending from below the Gavins Point Dam in Yankton, SD downstream to Ponca State Park in Nebraska. Additionally, the Park encompasses the lower 20 Miles of the Niobrara River from Knox County, NE to its confluence with the Missouri River, and 8 miles of Verdigre Creek for a combined total of 126 linear stream miles. The Park's Congressionally authorized boundary is made up of 42,000 acres, which includes combinations of federal, state-, and privately-owned land. All areas of the Park still exhibit the river conditions and adjacent natural landscapes found during early American history and pre-development. The duty station for the position is at the National Park Service, Missouri National Recreational River headquarters located in Yankton, South Dakota. The greater Yankton area has a population of ~20,000 people and is situated in southeast South Dakota. Recreational amenities abound, including hiking, hunting, fishing, and boating (renowned canoeing, kayaking, and motorboating) along the Missouri Recreational River National Water Trail, as well as within 3 adjacent state parks, Lewis and Clark Recreation Area (SD), Niobrara State Park (NE), and Ponca State Park (NE). Affordable and abundant housing for either rental or purchase is available within the greater Yankton area. The community is congenial and friendly and offers an excellent setting to raise a family. Summers are generally hot and humid, spring and autumn are mild with moderate temperatures, and winters can be cold, windy, and snowy.

For more information about our park, please visit Missouri National Recreational River

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 Home | E-Verify
  • Incidental Driving: You may be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties. Prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year thereafter (or more frequently if management determines such need exists), you will be required to sign an affidavit certifying to your possession of a valid State issued driver's license that is current and has not been revoked, suspended, canceled, or otherwise disqualified in any way to prohibit your operation of a motor vehicle. You will also submit a photocopy of your valid State issued driver's license prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year, or more frequently if management determines such need exists. Lastly, you may be required to 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 discloses all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you. Please indicate in your application whether you possess a valid State driver's license.
  • You are required to wear a uniform and comply with uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • You must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.
  • You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-10/26/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

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

PLEASE NOTE - Basics requirements must be met.
1. You must possess a professional degree in landscape architecture or landscape design.
OR
2. Have a combination of education and experience - for each year short of graduation, the applicant must have had 1 year of experience under professional leadership and guidance of such character and diversity as to be a satisfactory substitute for the required education. This experience must have included original landscape design. Transcripts must be submitted or you will receive no further consideration for this position.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect either full-time or 40 hours per week. If a part-time work schedule is reflected, the hours must be annotated to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience.

-AND-

In addition to the basic requirements, to qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level you must possess at least one of the following:

EXPERIENCE: Possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level in the Federal service. Examples of qualifying experience include the following: assist with the preparation of compliance documents, such as Section 106, or National Historic Site or Landmark nominations, applying cultural resource laws, rules and regulations; utilize a range of tools, methods, and technology (e.g., photographs, statistics, maps, field map production, remote sensing, oral history, measured drawings, GPS, and/or GIS) to research and document cultural resources; work cooperatively with individuals, interagency groups or multiple organizations to plan for or manage long-term protection of cultural resources; and/or perform work requiring the ability to comprehend and apply theoretical considerations and new developments in the technical literature of landscape architecture.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of 1 year of graduate-level education, leading to a master's degree in landscape architecture, landscape design, or other closely related fields which has equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to successfully perform the duties of this position.
-OR-
Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take percentage of completed education. Then take the number of months of full time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.

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 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.

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 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.

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. 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.

First time hires to the Federal government normally start at step 1 rate.

Temporary Appointment: This is a temporary seasonal appointment not to exceed 1039 hours. The appointment is expected to end upon completion of the season's work.

Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: As a temporary seasonal employee, you can be rehired in future seasons without reapplying, as long as you do not exceed 1,039 hours anywhere in the National Park Service during your service year.

Rehire eligibility applies to the same position or to another position with the same qualification requirements as long as it is a temporary seasonal appointment. Your service year is the 12 months that begin on the date of your first temporary appointment with the bureau, and it starts over on that date each year. Every temporary appointment you hold with the bureau during a service year counts toward the total.

Once you reach 1,040 hours, this eligibility ends unless OPM approves an exception. These rules come from 5CFR 316.402[b][7]. Already reached the limit this service year? Don't worry. You are still welcome to apply to this announcement or any future one.

Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations.

Physical Demands: The work may require some physical exertion such as long periods of standing; walking over rough, uneven or rocky surfaces; recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching or similar activities; and recurring lifting of moderately heavy items.

Working Conditions: Work is performed both indoors and occasionally outdoors with moderate risks.

All Department of Interior (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, https://www.doi.gov/ethics/ethics-prohibitions.

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.

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 lowered and/or adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration 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.

If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, 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.

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, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. 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):

  • Communications and Media
  • Problem Solving
  • Project Management
  • Technical Competence

If fewer than three eligible and available candidates per vacancy result, the agency will expand the group of candidates in accordance with the pre-announced supplement strategy and 5 CFR 332.402(f).

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. 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

DOI Seasonal Temp Team
Email
seasonaltempteam@ios.doi.gov
Address
Seasonal Staffing Office-Midwest Regional Office and Networks/Mabo
601 Riverfront Drive
Omaha, NE 68102
US

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