Chief Ranger

National Park Service
Port Angeles, WA

JobSummary

This position is located in Olympic National Park, in the Division of Visitor and Resource Protection. Government housing is NOT available. Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will be paid if the selectee lives outside of the local commuting area and is otherwise eligible for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulation.

LowGrade

13

HighGrade

13

PromotionPotential

None

SubAgencyName

Olympic National Park

OrganizationCodes

IN/IN10

Relocation

True

HiringPath

  • fed-transition
  • fed-competitive
  • disability
  • land
  • mspouse
  • peace
  • special-authorities
  • vet

MCOTags

  • FY26 Position(s)
  • Hiring Freeze Exempt - SO 3427

TotalOpenings

1

AgencyMarketingStatement

Please visit find a park for additional park information.

TravelCode

2

ApplyOnlineUrl

https://apply.usastaffing.gov/Application/Apply

DetailStatusUrl

https://apply.usastaffing.gov/Application/ApplicationStatus

MajorDuties

  • The Chief Ranger of Olympic National Park oversees law enforcement, emergency services, fee collection, and wilderness permitting throughout the park and is a member of the park leadership team. Key responsibilities include serving as the park's Senior Law Enforcement Officer (SLEO), managing a diverse all hazard program of visitor and resource protection, and supervising division staff. Additionally, the Chief Ranger collaborates with other park divisions and external agencies to promote visitor safety and preserve the park's natural and cultural resources. Major Duties Include: Responsible for oversight of law enforcement program involving technical understanding of laws, regulations and procedures in regards to a variety of criminal violations as they relate to the protection of park staff, visitors and resources. Serves as primary liaison with all law enforcement, emergency medical and fire agencies by developing and maintaining external partnerships. Effectively communicate NPS and Park policies and regulations oral and written. Responsible for ensuring equal opportunity for all employees supervised, in the selection of employees for training, promotions, awards, and recognition, and other career development opportunities. Responsible for managing the workforce in a manner that provides for the proactive protection of natural and cultural resources. Often referred to as "three parks in one", Olympic National Park protects 922,651 acres of three distinctly different ecosystems - rugged glacier capped mountains, over 73 miles of wild Pacific coast and magnificent stands of old-growth and temperate rain forest. The duty station for this position is Olympic National Park Headquarters located in Port Angeles, Washington. Port Angeles is a city with a population of approximately 20,000 people. Amenities include a hospital, full school district, a community college, housing for both rent and purchase, all varieties of shopping, and ferry service to Victoria B.C. Port Angeles enjoys a coastal climate and is mild throughout the year. On average, temperatures range from the low 30s in the winter months into the 70s in the summer. Average rainfall is just over 24 inches per year.

Education

Law Enforcement Commission: This position requires applicants to possess, previously held (within the past three years), or be able to possess by 04/18/2026 a FLETC issued Land Management Police Training (LMPT), Type I Law Enforcement Commission, or equivalent.

Requirements

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period OR a 2-year trial period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. This probationary / trial 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 or trail period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Requirements 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. 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 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. *Additional Requirements located under qualifications*

Evaluations

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. 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. 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 Interpersonal Skills Planning and Evaluating 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 additional assessments, including a panel resume review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job. Please 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, please submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.

HowToApply

To apply for this position: You must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 04/18/2026. You must provide documentation to support your claim for each eligibility selected. Please review the required documentation listed in the eligibilities language to ensure you submit the appropriate information. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES. Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account. Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application." Click here for USAJobs Help with "How to create an application" To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12925555 Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS. Select documents you want included in this application. Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed. Select if you want to include your demographic information. After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site." Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown. Upload any missing required documents or optional documents. Review and Submit Application. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position. You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement. To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job. Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application. Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices. ICTAP/CTAP: 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. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP/ICTAP eligible. If you are selected for Federal employment, you will be required to fill out a Declaration of Federal Employment, OF-306, prior to being appointed to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. Failing to answer all questions truthfully and completely or providing false statements on your application may be grounds for not hiring you, or for firing you after you begin work. Also, you may be punished by fine or imprisonment (U.S. Code, Title 18, section 1001).

WhatToExpectNext

Once the Occupational Questionnaire is received you will receive acknowledgement that your submission was successful. If you are among the most qualified candidates and your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly for a possible interview. You will be notified of the status of your Application Package at the time candidates are referred for consideration, and when the selection process is complete.

RequiredDocuments

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 04/18/2026. Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, dates specified in month and year format, 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. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. Complete All Required Assessments. Merit Promotion Eligibility Documentation such as: Current and former federal employees must submit a copy of their most recent SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" reflecting career or career-conditional status in the competitive service (Tenure 1 or 2), position title, series, grade and an additional SF-50 showing highest permanent grade ever held, if not reflected on your latest SF-50 or verifying 1 year time in grade. Examples of acceptable SF-50s include: Promotion, Within Rate Increases (WRI/WGI), or Appointment SF-50s. Do not submit an Award SF-50 as it does not provide the needed information. Veterans Preference Documentation (e.g. DD-214, SF-15, VA Letter as appropriate) Documentation for the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) eligibility, which includes ALL Appointment AND Termination SF-50s for EACH appointment as well as ALL performance evaluations, for each qualifying period of temporary employment claimed. Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as: Veterans Preference Documentation: If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives. If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation. If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.ebenefits.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability. Performance Appraisals and Awards: All applicants must submit their most recent performance appraisal showing the official rating of record and signed by a supervisor. If no performance appraisal is available or older than 18 months, applicants must submit a statement as to why it is not available (including if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level). Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Documentation that you meet selective factors. Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above 85 on the rating criteria for this position. Noncompetitive or Special Hiring Authority. Applicants who are eligible to be considered based on a Noncompetitive or Special Hiring Authority (i.e. Schedule A, Peace Corps, Americorp Vista, former PLC member, certain Military Spouses, 30% or More Disabled Veterans, Pathways Interns who have met the eligibility requirements for noncompetitive conversion, etc.) must submit appropriate documentation to verify your eligibility.

Benefits

BenefitsUrl

https://home.nps.gov/aboutus/benefits.htm

OtherInformation

For more information about this position, please contact: Kevin Killian, Deputy Superintendent, Kevin_Killian@nps.gov or Jerald Weaver, Jerald_Weaver@nps.gov 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. 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 RM-57. Assignments often require working long hours during emergencies and in stressful situations. The work requires travel into the backcountry on foot or by horse, under a variety of climatic conditions and elevations. Subject to a wide range of hazards, both from apprehending law breakers. high water, inclement weather, occasional lifting and carrying, and other hazards associated with the natural environment. The incumbent must be able to maintain the physical conditioning and fitness standards required to maintain a law enforcement commission. Working Conditions: Work is performed in an office setting, front country areas and the more rugged wilderness areas of the park. It involves exposure to a full range of climatic conditions, work at elevations, transport long distances by vehicle, he1icopter, fixed wing, boat and horseback. Work sometimes occurs on steep slopes in areas of unstable footing and in areas of snow and ice. Coastal areas include exposure to surf conditions and inclement weather. The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for approved situational telework.

KeyRequirements

WithinArea

False

CommuteDistance

0

ServiceType

01

AnnouncementClosingType

01

AgencyContactEmail

jennifer_mengel@ios.doi.gov

SecurityClearance

Other

DrugTestRequired

True

PositionSensitivitiy

Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk

AdjudicationType

  • Credentialing
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