Park Ranger (P)

National Park Service

Del Rio, TX

JobSummary

This position is located in Amistad National Recreation Area, in the Visitor and Resource Protection Division.

LowGrade

HighGrade

PromotionPotential

None

SubAgencyName

Amistad National Recreation Area

OrganizationCodes

IN/IN10

Relocation

False

HiringPath

fed-transition
fed-internal-search
land

MCOTags

FY26 Position(s)
Hiring Freeze Exempt - SO 3427

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

The purpose of this position is to perform a full range of Law Enforcement duties as a federal officer. and train other divisional staff in those duties. LAW ENFORCEMENT Serves as a law enforcement officer, with primary duties being apprehension, or detection of individuals suspected or convicted of offenses against the criminal laws of the United States of America. Is highly proficient in complex advanced law enforcement planning and day to day operations in a border zone. Responsible for providing a professional level, active and creative law enforcement program. Within the scope of legal jurisdiction, enforces all applicable federal and state laws and regulations. Analyzes law enforcement situations and makes or coordinates felony and misdemeanor arrests, issues citations, serves warrants, and issues written and verbal warnings as situations dictate. Presents testimony and evidence in U.S. Magistrate court, U.S. District Court, and before federal and state Grand Juries. Prepares criminal prosecutions. Participates in direct drug trafficking and UDA interdiction and apprehension operations. Especially for surveillance, interdiction and apprehension operations along the field area/Mexico border, the incumbent is relied upon on a recurring basis to participate in interagency operations and planning. Special Assignments: Incumbent may be called upon to take on assignments outside the park in a lead capacity such as fatality investigation, serious accident investigation and response. EMERGENCY SERVICES PROGRAM LEADERSHIP Will be at a minimum an instructor level and at the highest end, an expert in at least one of the four disciplines of emergency services (law enforcement, wildland fire, emergency medicine, and search and rescue). Required to maintain proficiency in the technical aspects of at least one of the four disciplines for the purposes of instruction to fellow rangers and if appropriate, to the rest of the park staff. Develops plans and operations in furtherance of the operational goals set forth by management and the organization's strategic plan. This position requires a high degree of diligence to maintain proficiency with ever changing, developmental, and emerging technologies as applied to our goals and mission. The incumbent will be expected to independently select and apply the appropriate technologies to carry out long term plans and support the goal of border security and visitor safety. The incumbent must be an instructor in areas such as: EMT (emergency medical technician, or higher level of training) May include CPR/first aid instruction as park needs dictate. Firearms or Control Tactics instructor. May include Taser, non-lethal training, use of force instructor. BSAR or PSAR level instructor who can instruct basic search and rescue, preventative search and rescue to staff. Red carded as a firefighter with an instructor level set of skills capable of leading the parks emergency and fire suppression program to include on-site inspections. DOI MOCC instructor Incident command system, Operational leadership, or other specialty courses of instruction that are required. EMERGENCY RESPONSE OPERATIONS Ensures a high level of emergency preparedness and response capability in emergency medical services, search and rescue, wildland fire operations, and all risk incident management, to include mass-casualty, ground and air transport accidents and complex special events. Responsible for supporting a professional level emergency medical services program, in full compliance with NPS-51 and park policies. Coordinates initial response in the park and personally maintains pre-hospital care credentials at the Emergency Medical Technician- Basic level or higher. Responsible for providing an active and on-going search and rescue capability, able to properly manage complex searches, and technical rescues within area of responsibility. Responsible for coordinating initial response and size-up of wildland, aircraft, vehicle, and structural fires in area of responsibility. Participates as a member of in-park incident management teams assembled to manage emergency incidents and special events. May serve as an instructor in areas of functional expertise or responsibility. INTERAGENCY LIASON Works closely with cooperating agencies to include; U.S. Border Patrol, Val Verde County Sheriff's Office, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Del Rio Police Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and other Federal, State and Local agencies as required. The nature of the cooperation will include intelligence sharing, joint planning, joint operations, coordinating and sharing of resources, and in general maintaining a positive working relationship.

Education

Law Enforcement Commission: This position requires applicants to possess a valid Type I level National Park Service (NPS) Law Enforcement Commission (or equivalent), which requires completing training from an accredited institution, which currently consists of over 650 class hours and lasts on average 17 weeks. Please visit the Association of National Park Rangers' Seasonal Law Enforcement Training Program (SLETP) for additional information on approved training courses and equivalency for commissioning. 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. 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 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 period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. ICTAP/CTAP 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.

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. 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. 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. 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 evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work. You may be required to travel overnight away from home occasionally . 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. Applicants must be at least 21 years old. 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. *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: Criminal Investigation Criminal Law Oral Communication Public Safety and Security 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 Subject Matter Expert 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 04/26/2026. 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. 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/12937779 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 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 04/26/2026. 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 latest 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. 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 submitting a performance appraisal not dated within the last18 months, a statement as to why it is the most recent must be submitted. If no performance appraisal is available, 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. College transcripts, if qualifying based on education. 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 80 on the rating criteria for this position. 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

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 DEMAND: The position places a variety of strenuous physical demands upon the incumbent. Surveillance, drug interdiction, and UDA apprehension operations require long periods of standing, crawling, crouching, etc. often in restrictive areas where significant movement is contraindicated. Interdiction operations as well as SAR, EMS and wildland fire operations entail strenuous hours of arduous work, standing, climbing, walking, vessel operation, etc. Law Enforcement work requires the ability to defend from and stop physical assaults and controlling hostile or non-compliant people. Dangerous persons. many of whom are known to carry weapons. must be physically confronted, subdued, and apprehended. It also requires the ability to hike long distances, run and work out of-doors for long periods of time, often while carrying heavy loads in excess of 60 lbs.A Type I Law Enforcement Commission is required, and the position is required to meet and continuously maintain the physical/medical standards as set for in the requirements of D.O. #57. The duties of the position arc so rigorous that employment opportunities are limited to young and physically vigorous individuals. WORKING CONDITIONS: Work is performed in an extremely rugged and rocky terrain containing mostly uneven surface, cactus and other plants with thorns, and the lake. Temperatures range from freezing to over 105 degrees F.The incumbent is expected to perform duties in steep, rugged terrain complicated by the significant presence of cacti, cholla, mesquite and animals and insects that bite and sting. Temperatures vary from sub-zero to 100+ degrees; and work must often be performed in extreme or adverse weather conditions to include heavy rain, high winds, etc. Exposure to these environmental conditions are regular and recurring, especially in surveillance and interdiction operations. Additionally, the nature of drug interdiction work exposes the incumbent to potentially dangerous situations.Other emergency services operations sometimes result in dangerous exposures to a wide variety of hazards. Incumbent must often work long and/or irregular hours, at night, on weekends, and assignments and work hours are subject to change without notice. The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are not suitable for telework.

KeyRequirements

WithinArea

False

CommuteDistance

ServiceType

AnnouncementClosingType

AnnouncementClosingTypeOption

AgencyContactEmail

vicki_duran@ios.doi.gov

SecurityClearance

Confidential

DrugTestRequired