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Supervisory Park Ranger (Protection) - Chief Ranger

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Crater Lake National Park
This job announcement has closed

Summary

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

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
06/30/2025 to 07/11/2025
Salary
$88,621 to - $115,213 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Crater Lake, OR
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - 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
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
PW-1549-CRLA-25-12665888-ST
Control number
839736100

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Duties

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This position serves as the Chief Park Ranger for the Resource and Visitor Protection Division (R&VP) of Crater Lake National Park and is established to provide planning, program management, technical, administrative, and operational management and direction for the division. R&VP provides resource/visitor protection and education for Crater Lake National Park. Incumbent serves as Acting Superintendent as assigned, as primary advisor to the Superintendent for program areas under his/her control, and Senior Law Enforcement Official.

Major Duties include:

  • Detection, investigation, apprehension, and prosecution under applicable laws, rules, and regulations enacted to insure the protection and safe use of National Park resources.
  • Supervise and manage law enforcement program and fee program.
  • Serve on park units' leadership team.
  • Provide training and direction for staff operations.
  • Educate, interpret, and inform visitors about resources, conservation, laws, and regulations.
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.

Area Information: Crater Lake National Park consists of 183,000 acres at elevations of 4,500 to 9,000 feet in the Cascade Range of southern Oregon. The centerpiece of the park is Crater Lake, which was formed when ancestral Mt. Mazama collapsed following an eruption over 7,000 years ago. The lake is renowned for its depth, clarity and deep blue color. The rest of the park consists of several coniferous forest types, barren pumice areas, subalpine meadows, rocky ridges and peaks, numerous perennial streams, and a diversity of plant and wildlife species. The park has long snowy winters (over 500 inches of snowfall a year) and is well- known for the depth and scenic beauty of the winter snow pack. Summer and fall in the park are brief but spectacular, and feature temperate conditions and generally fair weather. Basic amenities are available in local communities of Chiloquin and Prospect. All amenities are available in the larger towns of Klamath Falls, Medford, and Bend, OR. For more information. please visit: Crater Lake National Park (U.S. National Park Service).

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 will be required to carry a firearm while performing duties and maintain firearm proficiency.
  • Selectee 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.
  • Required to obtain and maintain Firefighter I&II certifications within one year of entrance on duty.
  • 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.
  • If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
  • You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 4 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.
  • The position to which you will be appointed is subject to a financial disclosure reporting requirement and you will be required to complete a new entrant Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of your appointment.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-07/11/2025-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:

  • Applicants must be at least 21 years old.
  • 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 entrance on duty.
  • Must currently possess or be able to obtain a National Registry Emergency Medical Technician-Basic certification by entrance on duty.
  • Must have a current, valid State Driver's License by 07/11/2025. 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.
  • 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: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors) that includes: (1) directing a protection program that includes law enforcement, criminal investigation, safety and occupational health and resource protection; (2) coordinating the work of employees and contractors in conducting daily operations, studies, and projects; (3) interpreting civil and criminal laws, court decisions, and legal precedents to recommend policy changes; and (4) coordinating law enforcement, search and rescue, structural fire, and emergency medical service with outside organizations, the military, local and state law enforcement and fire agencies, ambulance providers, local hospitals, etc.
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.

CTAP/ICTAP 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. 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.

Education

There is no substitute of education for experience at the grade level of this announcement.

Additional information

For additional information about this position, please contact:
Sean Denniston, Deputy Superintendent, Crater Lake National Park
sean_denniston@nps.gov
541-594-3008

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: Incumbent is required to meet medical standards and participate in a physical fitness program as described in DO-57 and RM-57. The work is predominately sedentary; however, the job requires intermittent extreme physical exertion such as prolonged standing, walking, skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling over rough or rocky terrain and deep snow, sometimes while carrying a heavy pack or heavy/awkward gear, subduing violent suspects, lifting and carrying patients and firefighting (both structural and wildland). This may be on a sustained and/or regular basis for multi-day to multi-week assignments. Duties require being in good physical condition to safely conduct all aspects of a resource and visitor protection program. Strenuous physical activity is occasionally required at unpredictable intervals during searches, rescues, fires, accidents, and law enforcement situations. Emergency operations may require working for extended periods of time with little or no rest.

Working Conditions: Much work is performed indoors, but the incumbent is often required to work outdoors in all types of weather and terrain at various hours of the day or night and for prolonged periods during emergency operations. Weather conditions may range from below zero with cold winds to dry and hot with temperatures in the nineties. Snow and ice accumulate to depths of up to 20 feet on the ground and lasts from six to nine months per year. Occasional summer thunderstorms bring heavy rainfall, hail, and lightning. Work is generally performed at elevations ranging from 4,000 to 9,000 feet. Working in emergency operations often presents exposure to extreme heat, smoke, dust, and noise. These conditions affect not only the incumbent of this position, but those whom she/he supervises.

Telework: The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.

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.

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
  • Criminal Law
  • Decision Making
  • Manages Human Resources
  • Managing Human Resources


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 an additional assessment, which will be a panel resume review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.

You MUST 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.

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