Park Ranger (Interpretation) (Seasonal)

Summary

Interpretive Rangers develop and present educational programs including guided walks and presentations, and working with audiences in a variety of park settings. The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period for Seasonal Staffing Office-Alaska Region is April 2027. but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: March - July 2027.

Duties

• Some of the Park Ranger (Interpretation) Standard Duties include but are not limited to: Develop and present a variety of programs including guided walks, illustrated talks (PowerPoint amphitheater and campfire programs) and demonstrations. Develop programs using principles of the NPS thematic interpretation model through topic research, familiarity with and creative use of delivery techniques. Provide informal interpretation and orientation for park guests in visitor centers, ranger stations and while roving in the field. Perform cashier duties and assist with a variety of special projects to support park goals. Actively promote the safety of park visitors and stewardship of park resources in all interactions, and potentially serve as the initial contact for accident reporting and emergency assistance. Additional duties for GS-9: Applying resourcefulness, judgment, and ingenuity, as well as fully-developed interpretive skills, techniques, and tools to resolve diverse program issues and complete a substantial variety of interpretive projects and assignments. Perform the following major duties at least 80% of the time on a regular and recurring basis: Interpretation and Communication

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/11/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your 2 page 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 full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. You may only submit one resume. 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. To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level, you must possess one of the following: A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equips the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to: park guide or tour leader, work in a park, recreation or conservation area, environmental education, history and/or cultural resources education, and natural sciences education. This work includes: (1) revising educational or interpretive programming to align with feedback or educational standards; (2) delivering presentations to the general public; (3) responding in writing to comments or feedback from the public about organizational programs or services; (4) answering questions orally from the general public about organizational policies or procedures. -OR- B. Possess 2 full years (36 semester hours or 54 quarter hours) of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or a LL.B. or J.D. in one of the following fields: 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. The education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. -OR- C. Equivalent combination of experience and education that, together, equal 100% of the qualification standards listed above when combined. Note: only education in excess of what is required at the GS-07 level will be used to substitute specialized experience at the GS-09 level. Note: This position includes money handling preference for optional consideration. Money handling requires a higher background check. Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or public sectors. The OPM Qualification Standards Handbook is available for review at: OPM Qualification Standards. 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. The employees of the National Park Service care for special places that are the heritage of all Americans. Since its inception in 1916, the National Park Service has been d…

Education

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign education programs and that (1) deemed your education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program, or (2) given full credit for courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.