Park Ranger (Interpretation)

Summary

You will serve as a Park Ranger (Interpretation) with the National Park Service at Great Basin National Park: Each of three positions will lead a different program within the Division of Interpretation. 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 for approximately 11.5 months, and you will be in a non-pay status for the remainder of the year.

Duties

• This announcement will be used to fill three positions within the Division of Interpretation at Great Basin National Park. Each position will lead a different program within the division:The Lead Interpretive Ranger will be responsible for leading the park's extensive cave and surface interpretive programming: Research, develop, and present personal and non-personal audience-centered interpretive programs, products, and experiences covering the park's diverse resources - alpine peaks, ancient trees, marble caves, sagebrush steppe, Great Basin geology, mining, Indigenous cultures, and more. Provide leadership and vision for the park's extensive cave and surface interpretive operations, which include two visitor centers, cave tours, evening programs, ranger talks, roves, Cave Simulator, and more. Serve as a frontline leader, recruiting and leading permanent and temporary staff, interns, and volunteers, coordinate work assignments, and coach/mentor/train team members to achieve high-quality visitor services and resource interpretation. Perform and coordinate day-to-day operations of visitor center, information center, ranger station, or similar facility in accordance with standard operating procedures. Develop and manage digital content on NPS.gov, the NPS app, social media, and other platforms. Collect and account for recreation fee revenues using the RBMS platform. The Lead Astronomy Ranger will be responsible for leading the park's world-class astronomy and dark skies interpretive programming, centered around the only dedicated Astronomy Amphitheater in the National Park System: Research, develop, and present personal and non-personal audience-centered interpretive programs, products, and experiences, particularly astronomy and dark skies programming. Provide leadership and vision for the park's popular dark skies interpretive programs, including the annual Great Basin Astronomy Festival and the park's unique partnership with the Great Basin Observatory. Serve as a frontline leader, recruiting and leading permanent and temporary staff, interns, and volunteers, coordinate work assignments, and coach/mentor/train team members to achieve high-quality visitor services and resource interpretation. Perform and coordinate day-to-day operations of visitor center, information center, ranger station, or similar facility in accordance with standard operating procedures. Lead the park's digital media operations, providing oversight and strategy for digital content on NPS.gov, the NPS app, social media, and other platforms. Collect and account for recreation fee revenues using the RBMS platform. The Lead PSAR Ranger will be responsible for leading the park's fledgling Preventative Search and Rescue program, working closely with the Division of Visitor and Resource Protection to reduce visitor injuries and build emergency response capacity: Research, develop, and present interpretive programs, services, and media products which encourage park visitors to make smart decisions about risk, promoting behaviors which reduce the likelihood of injuries and fatalities. Serve as a subject-matter expert, providing training to staff and volunteers on how to effectively present and promote PSAR messages. Serve as a frontline leader, recruiting and leading permanent and temporary staff, interns, and volunteers, coordinate work assignments, and coach/mentor/train team members to achieve high-quality preventative search and rescue services. Develop and manage digital content on NPS.gov, the NPS app, social media, and other platforms. Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 09/09/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level: Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least 1 full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: Park Guide or tour leader, law enforcement or investigative work, archaeological or historical preservation research work, forestry and/or fire management work in a park, recreation, or conservation area, management, assistant, or program specialist work involving the development and implementation of policy related to protection, conservation, or management of park areas or similar operations, or other similar work. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- Education: Successful completion of at least 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with 24 semester hours 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 include transcripts. -OR- Combination of education and experience. Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to 1 year of specialized experience. For example, I have 6 months of the specialized experience described in A above (50% of the experience requirement), and 3 years of college study from an accredited institution (50% of the qualifying education) which included at least 12 semester hours of related coursework as specified in B above (50% of the related coursework required). PLEASE NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of courses with credit hours and grades listed if you are using education to qualify. Official transcripts will be required upon selection. To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level: Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least 1 full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: Independently planned and presented interpretive talks, guided walks, educational programs, or demonstrations for diverse audiences; Researched and developed interpretive or educational program content, presentations, exhibits, or informational materials using established resource information; Provided visitor orientation and information while explaining park resources, regulations, recreational opportunities, and safety practices; Assisted in evaluating visitor programs by gathering participant feedback, maintaining program statistics, or recommending improvements; Worked collaboratively with coworkers, volunteers, interns, teachers, or partner organizations to support interpretive or educational You must include hours per week worked. -OR- Education: 1 full academic year of graduate education in subjects listed above OR superior academic achievement.* You must include transcripts. -OR- Combination of education and experience as listed above. A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) by 18. Add the two percentages. You must include transcripts. To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level: Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least 1 full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: Supervising volunteers, interns, and youth work groups and assisting with oversight of seasonal staff, implementing a visitor services program, providing visitor services and develops guidelines and operating methods that reflect a thorough understanding of agency policies and objectives, developing and conducting interpretive presentations, and training staff and volunteers; presenting to a wide variety of audiences using a variety of fully developed interpretive skills, techniques, and tools delivered in person and through interpretive media and technology. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- Education: Successful completion of at least 2 full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education or master's or equivalent graduate degree in in 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. You must include transcripts. -OR- Combination of education and experience as listed above. A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 24. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) by 18. Add the two percentages. You must include transcripts. Superior Academic Achievement: Successfully completed a bachelor's degree in a directly related field AND meet one of the following: (1) Class Standing: rank in the upper 3rd of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, based on the completed courses; OR (2) Grade-Point Average (GPA): earn a GPA of (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) based on 4 years of education, or based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum -or- (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field, or the required courses completed during the final two years. Note: GPA will be rounded to the one decimal place, for example, 2.95 = 3.0, 2.94 = 2.9; OR (3) Membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. Direct Deposit participation required. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/. Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment. Ranger will need to drive park vehicles as part of duties. You are required to wear a uniform and comply with uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided. You are required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel authority. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1 year probationary period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest. 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.

Education

You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work. Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all 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 09/09/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement to receive consideration. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation. 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/13054107 Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration. 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, visit https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.