Park Ranger (Protection)

Summary

Location Negotiable after Selection: For more information on NPS law enforcement and to view available locations, see "Find Positions and Locations": Become a Law Enforcement Ranger For position and park related questions, please contact: LE_Recruitment@nps.gov or visit: LE Recruitment page and find a park. Open to the first 450 applicants or 11/17/2026 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

Duties

• Park Ranger (Protection) Duties: Enforce Federal laws, regulations and policies; patrol front country and backcountry sites. Emergency response (Incident Command System) including medical services, search and rescue, and wildland/structural fire suppression. Facilitate visitor stewardship and orientation; wilderness management; boundary enforcement; protection of natural and cultural resources Assist with preliminary investigations of felonies, crimes, and violations of park rules, public use, safety requirements, and motor vehicle accidents. Crowd control activities; proactively protects park resources from all forms of degradation. Conduct law enforcement investigations into misdemeanor violations. Under the supervision of a Type I commissioned personnel, investigate felony violations and fatalities. Additional duties for GL-7: Independently conduct law enforcement investigations into misdemeanor violations. Under the supervision of a Type I commissioned personnel, investigate felony violations and fatalities. Additional duties for GL-9: Conduct law enforcement investigations into misdemeanor, felony violations and fatalities. Provide specialized knowledge of resource protection, resource education, and public use management. Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level. Other Position Requirements: Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment. Required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle. Required to wear a uniform and comply with the uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided. Occupancy of government quarters may be required. Government housing may be available. 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. May be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work. May be required to travel overnight away from home. Required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority. Bargaining Union eligibility is dependent upon the location. Career-Seasonal appointments are permanent positions and include the same benefits as permanent appointments, but do not provide work on a year-round basis. You will work for approximately 6-9+ months, and you will be in a non-pay status for the remainder of the year. Non pay status is dependent on the location of the position being hired. NOTE: Not all available positions are career-seasonal positions; both full-time (all year employment) and career-seasonal positions are available. Cost of Living Allowance (COLA): The salary annotated on this announcement does not include the cost-of-living allowance, nor locality pay. Nonforeign Area Cost-of-Living Allowances to calculate locality pay. OPM Salaries and Wages (Special Rates L001-L059) to calculate locality pay. 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 period automatical…

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS: All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/17/2026-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 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected. In addition to the standard Park Ranger (Protection) qualifications listed below, if you would like to be considered for this option, the applicant must be conversationally fluent in at least one of the following languages, and support within your resume. You will NOT be rated ineligible if you do not possess the optional language in your application. Spanish Some parks may require Park Ranger (Protection) to be certified in Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) duties will be less than 20% of the time. If you would like to be considered for Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) you must provide your certification in your supporting documents at the time of application. You will NOT be rated ineligible if you do not possess the optional certifications in your application. Mandatory Requirements for Park Ranger (Protection): 1. Selective Placement Factors: This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. If you do not provide evidence that you possess the following selective factor(s), you will be rated not qualified. This is a primary position covered by enhanced retirement provisions which stipulate mandatory retirement at age 57 after 20 years of service. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age, and must not have reached their 37th birthday upon appointment to this position. Two exceptions are allowed: 1) an applicant has prior Federal service in a primary covered position sufficient to complete 20 years of service on or before the mandatory retirement age of 57; or 2) an applicant is a qualified veterans' preference eligible, in which case the MEA is waived and their corresponding retirement age may be higher than 57 after completing 20 years of service. Must have a current, valid State Driver's License by 11/17/2026. AND 2. Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: GL-05 level: A. Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GL/GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors), performing work that provided broad knowledge of resource protection, resource education, and public use management. Examples where this experience could have been gained include serving as a park guide or tour leader; assisting with law enforcement or investigative work; assisting with emergency response; assisting with archaeological or historical preservation work; assisting with forestry or fire and/or management; or similar operations. -OR-B. Education: A 4- year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with 24 semester hours of course work directly related to the occupation (see Education section - related education; one year of full time undergraduate study is defined as 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours). -OR-C. Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. GL-07 level: A. Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GL/GS-05 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as perform…

Education

Related Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- 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 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 This position is also open to status candidates under announcement LE-MP-27-13101693-MR-SD1. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both r…