Park Ranger (Protection)

JobSummary

This announcement is intended for applicants who have prior sworn law enforcement experience and who qualify to attend the NPS Basic Academy Bridge Training Program in lieu of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), Land Management Police Training (see Qualifications section). For position and park related questions, please contact: LE_Recruitment@nps.gov

LowGrade

7

HighGrade

9

PromotionPotential

9

SubAgencyName

Visitor and Resource Protection

OrganizationCodes

IN/IN10

Relocation

True

HiringPath

• fed-transition
• public

MCOTags

• Direct-to-FLETC
• 2025 Hiring Freeze Exempt - Section 3
• Hiring Freeze Exempt - SO 3427

TotalOpenings

Many

AgencyMarketingStatement

TravelCode

2

ApplyOnlineUrl

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

DetailStatusUrl

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

MajorDuties

• Park Ranger (Protection) Duties: Enforce Federal laws, regulations and policies; patrol front country and backcountry sites. Emergency response, 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 (e.g. wildlife, plants, archaeological sites, and historic buildings). 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-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: Prior to selection or appointment, you MUST be determined physically fit by an authorized physician to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties, pass a medical examination, and pass the Physical Efficiency Battery (PEB). The PEB is a fitness test consisting of five different components: 1) agility run - measures the ability to get up from the ground and sprint while changing directions; 2) bench press - measures upper body strength for one repetition; 3) 1.5 mile run - measures cardio/respiratory fitness; 4) sit and reach - measures flexibility in the lower back, legs and shoulders; and 5) body composition - measures body fat. Prior to appointment, selectees will be tested in all five components, and must pass the agility run, bench press and 1.5 mile run in the 25th percentile. Learn more about the PEB here. You can look up required scores for your age and gender for PEB here. Learn more about the Medical Standards Program here. Learn more about FLETC Physical Performance Requirements (PPRs) here. Required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle. Required to wear a uniform and comply with the NPS uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided. Occupancy of government quarters may be required. Government housing may be available. May be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work. May be required to travel overnight away from home. May be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority. 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 and recommendation by the supervisor. Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) Statement: 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. Click here for the OPM Salaries and Wages 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 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. 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

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 provide transcripts if you are claiming you meet the qualifications based on 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. ADDITIONAL POSITION INFORMATION: Career-Seasonal appointments are permanent positions and include the same benefits as Career appointments, but do not provide work on a year-round basis. You will work from approximately 6-9 months (or more depending on the park) and you will be in a non-pay status for approximately 3-6 months (or less depending on the park). 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. NOTE: Not all available positions are career-seasonal positions; both full-time (all year employment) and career-seasonal positions are available. For more information, please visit: LE Recruitment page and find a park Open to the first 500 applicants or 05/18/2026 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

Requirements

U.S. Citizenship or U.S. National Required. Subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males. Complete the online assessment and USAHire Assessment. Subject to a pre-employment medical exam and drug test; Must pass the Physical Efficiency Battery (PEB). Required to attend & successfully complete the NPS Basic Academy Bridge Training Program AND Field Training Evaluation Program OR FLETC Land Management Police Training AND Field Training Evaluation Program (see Qualifications section for more information). Must successfully complete agency-sponsored training to obtain an NPS Type I Law Enforcement Commission. Will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program. Will be required to carry a firearm while performing duties and maintain firearm proficiency. Must be free of any domestic violence convictions. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination. 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. Prior to appointment, you must be determined physically fit by an authorized physician to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties; also pass a pre-employment medical examination (which includes vision, hearing, cardiovascular, and mobility of extremities) given by an authorized physician. You will also be required to undergo periodic medical examinations throughout employment. Required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required. Applicants must be at least 21 years old. Must not have reached your 37th birthday prior to employment. Exception to mandatory age requirement: Applicants who have 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 if an applicant is a qualified veteran and is preference eligible, in which case the mandatory entry age is waived and their corresponding retirement age may be higher than 57 after completing 20 years of service. See Duties section for more position requirements.

Evaluations

A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Occupational Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Occupational Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions may 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. 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), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Attention to Detail Customer Service Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork To Preview the application questionnaire, click the following link:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12939940 Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of two categories: Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.

HowToApply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments, and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. 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. **Please limit your resume to no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. You can only submit one resume; Only the resume submitted under the "Resume" "Document Type" will be used to determine your qualifications and for rating purposes.** The application process is as follows: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12939940 Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hc/en-us/sections/28980686389652-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information

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 05/18/2026: 2-Page 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. 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. Documentation that you meet the 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 above 85.0 on the rating criteria for this position. If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here. 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. 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. A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR §575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive. A Relocation Incentive May Be Authorized for a Federal employee when the employee must move, as directed by the National Park Service (NPS) either through a management directed reassignment or selection for employment, to a different location at least 50 miles away from the one where his/her position of record held at time of selection is currently located, due to a need of the NPS. A relocation incentive is not the same as a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move and, as such, may be granted in conjunction with one another. 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: Requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as running in pursuits or emergency responses, long periods of standing, walking, driving, bending, stooping, reaching, crawling, and similar activities, on uneven, steep, rough, slippery, and/or rugged terrain. Strenuous exertion is frequently required in search and rescue, medical and related emergency. Lifting or carrying equipment weighing over 50 pounds, such as emergency equipment, or search and rescue equipment is required. In some assignments heavy packs may have to be carried long distances over mountainous, desert, or snow-covered terrain. Duties involve performing physically rigorous assignments, often in isolated outdoor environments, frequently while exposed to severe weather conditions. Requires common physical characteristics and abilities in agility and dexterity and the strength to pursue, apprehend, and detain uncooperative suspects. Required to meet and continuously maintain the physical/medical standards as set forth in the requirements of D.O. #57. There is a physical, mental and emotional high stress component to much of the incumbent's work assignment. Working Conditions: The work is performed outdoors in all kinds of weather and climatic conditions for various hours of the day and night and for prolonged periods during emergency situations. Frequently exposed to high-risk and potentially dangerous situations in law enforcement and emergency situations requiring use of a wide range of personal protective gear, adherence to specific safety procedures and other precautions. Long periods of surveillance work may be required in cramped, or unpleasant locations and under unpleasant conditions. Shift work is often required. Required to operate motor vehicles of various types. Emergency law enforcement operations will require entry into hazardous environments, exposure to dangerous persons; animals; and substances, and potential exposure to infectious diseases. The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are not suitable for telework. Bargaining Union Status Code or Union eligibility is dependent upon the location and grade.

KeyRequirements

WithinArea

False

CommuteDistance

0

ServiceType

01

AnnouncementClosingType

03

AnnouncementClosingTypeOption

500

AgencyContactEmail

seasonal_staffing_office@nps.gov

SecurityClearance

Not Required

DrugTestRequired

True

PositionSensitivitiy

Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk

AdjudicationType

• Credentialing
• Suitability/Fitness