Park Guide (Seasonal)

National Park Service

Kinderhook, NY

JobSummary

Park Guides greet visitors to educate and inform them in our National Parks. Work can include providing information on natural, cultural, or historical resources. Likely entry on duty: May to July 2026 Open to the first 75 applicants. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 (EST) on 04/24/2026 to be considered. For more park(s) information, select "Learn more about this agency" below:

LowGrade

HighGrade

PromotionPotential

None

SubAgencyName

Martin Van Buren National Historic Site

OrganizationCodes

IN/IN10

Relocation

False

HiringPath

fed-transition
public

MCOTags

FY26 Position(s)
Approved Seasonal FY26

TotalOpenings

AgencyMarketingStatement

Please visit find a park for additional park information.

TravelCode

ApplyOnlineUrl

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

DetailStatusUrl

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

MajorDuties

Park Guide Standard Duties: Staff information counter in a visitor center. Answering questions on a variety of subjects. Present limited and repetitive pre-established talks including introductions to films, map talks, and static exhibit interpretation. Orient hikers to conditions and equipment needs. Guide small parties (up to 20 people) on short walks. Some park locations issue backcountry camping permits and provide backcountry camping information.

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 interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

Requirements

U.S. Citizenship required. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Males must meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement. Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program. Occupancy of government quarters may be required. Government housing may be available but is not guaranteed. Use find a park to contact specific parks for more information on government housing. You may 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/or shift work. 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.

Evaluations

Applicants will be evaluated based on how well they meet the qualification requirements for the position. Upon receipt of a completed application package, the Servicing Human Resources Office will review your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements described in this announcement. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages. Resumes longer than two pages will not be reviewed. Applicants may submit only one resume. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine qualifications and eligibility. If more than one resume is submitted, only the most recent submission will be reviewed. This position is being filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority. Under this authority, competitive rating, ranking, and veterans' preference procedures do not apply. The Servicing Human Resources Office will determine whether applicants meet the qualification and eligibility requirements described in this announcement. Applicants who meet these requirements may be referred to the selecting official on a certificate of eligibles for consideration. Applicants must certify that they maintain a permanent and exclusive residence within the defined vicinity of the field unit(s) listed in this announcement. Residency eligibility will be verified during the hiring process. If your resume is incomplete or does not demonstrate that you meet the qualification requirements or specialized experience described in this announcement, you may be determined ineligible or not qualified for further 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.

HowToApply

To apply for this position, you must submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. To receive consideration, your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 04/24/2026. You must provide documentation to support your eligibility and qualification claims. Please review the required documentation listed in the eligibility sections to ensure you submit the appropriate information. You will only be considered for eligibilities for which you have provided the required supporting documentation. Applications may be submitted through USAJOBS or through other authorized methods identified by the agency (e.g., third-party platforms or local outreach efforts) to support targeted recruitment under this authority. Applicants submitting materials outside of USAJOBS must: Submit a complete application package by the closing date of this announcement, and Ensure all materials are formatted and consistent with the application instructions outlined in this announcement, including resume requirements and supporting documentation. All applications, regardless of submission method, will be evaluated using the same criteria and requirements to ensure a fair and equitable hiring process. Applications received after the closing date, or that do not meet the requirements outlined in this announcement, will not be considered. USAJOBS Application Instructions 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/12923385 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.

WhatToExpectNext

Once your Occupational Questionnaire has been received, you will receive an acknowledgment confirming your submission was successful. Applicants who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. Under this authority, all applicants determined to be qualified may be referred. If your name is referred, you may be contacted directly by the hiring official for a possible interview. You will be notified of the status of your application at key stages in the process, including when candidates are referred for consideration and when the selection process has been completed.

RequiredDocuments

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 04/24/2026: 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 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 qualified 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. Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP/CTAP) 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 well qualified. ICTAP/CTAP eligibles will be considered well qualified if they exceed minimal qualifications for this position (i.e. Resume supports substantial possession of stated competencies) for the position. Transcripts if qualifying based on education. Proof of residence (e.g. mortgage or property deed, lease/rental agreement, utility bill, insurance policy). 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.

Benefits

BenefitsUrl

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

OtherInformation

This position will be filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority. Eligibility is limited to applicants who reside within the defined local commuting area at the time of application. For this announcement, the local commuting area is the area from which individuals can reasonably commute to the duty station under normal conditions. The defined vicinity for this position is: 45 miles from the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site located at 1013 Old Post Rd, Kinderhook, New York 12106. Residency will be verified during the hiring process. 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 job opportunity announcement will be used to fill one or more additional selections at anytime without notification. Click here for the OPM Salaries and Wages to calculate locality pay. Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1560 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (NPS). If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1560 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1560 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility. The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1560 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1560 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM. Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Standing for long periods of time, walking for distances up to six miles daily, climbing and descending steep inclines, bending, and lifting moderately heavy items in a repetitive motion is required. Mental stress and physical fatigue occur due to high volume of personal contacts, occasional emergency responses, and repetitive nature of interpretive programs. WORK ENVIRONMENT: Work is performed indoors at the visitors' center as well as in outdoor areas resulting in exposure to extreme temperatures, rain, snow, wind and direct sunlight. If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document that you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application. Click the following link for more information, https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information.

KeyRequirements

WithinArea

False

CommuteDistance

ServiceType

AnnouncementClosingType

AnnouncementClosingTypeOption

AgencyContactEmail

seasonal_staffing_office@nps.gov

SecurityClearance

Not Required

DrugTestRequired