PARK RANGER

Summary

About the Position: You will plan and execute programs in recreation management, visitor assistance and services, natural resources management and/or interpretation.

Duties

• At the GS-05 and GS-07 levels, the duties are developmental in nature leading to the full performance level of GS-09. The duties are described at the GS-09 level.
• You will conduct long and short range planning, administration, coordination and management of project activities.
• Project activities include fish and wildlife management, soil conservation, forest and range conservation, water quality, environmental stewardship, recreation, park administration, public relations and visitor assistance.
• Plan rehabilitation or construction of recreation facilities (e.g., campsites, picnic sites or nature trails).
• Assist in developing concept plans for park improvements.
• Conduct pre-assessment planning for surveys of regional recreation facilities.
• Inspect recreation facilities to identify potential changes or renovations.
• Assist in developing land and natural resources management plans for the efficient use of natural resources.
• Implement preservation plans that protect project or recreation facility natural resources.
• Formulate natural resource management plans to promote biodiversity.
• Suggest techniques to minimize overuse of parks and other public facilities.
• Manage small purchase contracts for project facilities.
• Administer small purchase order activities for the operation and maintenance of recreation facilities.
• Suggest short and long-range objectives for budget formulations.
• Assist in developing methods to minimize operation and maintenance costs of recreation facilities.
• Conduct public meetings to provide information on recreation and resource management programs.
• Promote the protection of threatened and endangered species to the public.
• Advise team members on the conservation of natural resources.
• Collaborate with state and federal agencies to implement resource management.
• Enforce Title 36 CFR by educating the visiting public on project purposes, conditions, policies and regulations.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education and experience requirements described below. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. GS-05 Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience developing and conducting interpretative talks and guided tours, patrolling land and water areas for safety and maintenance purposes, explaining park project rules and regulations, answering visitor questions and providing information on park activities and cultural, historical, and/or natural resources history and locations.This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-04). OR Education: Four year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with twenty-four semester hours of related course work 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. OR Combination of Education and Experience: 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%. GS-07 Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes assisting with the development of plans and schedules for park employees, assisting with creating guides, manuals and training materials, performing park management functions associated with park safety and security, developing and maintaining park programs.This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-05). OR Education: One full year of graduate level education with major study 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. OR Superior Academic Achievement: Successful completion of all the requirements for a bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement. In order to be creditable under this provision, Superior Academic Achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled, such as that identified in Education above. Superior Academic Achievement is based on:(1) Class Standing - Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses; OR(2) Grade-Point Average (G.P.A.) - Applicants must have a grade-point average of either (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on your official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed 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 in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.; OR(3) Honor Society Membership - Applicants may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the approved national scholastic honor societies listed by the Association of College Honor Societies (https://www.achsnatl.org/). OR Combination of Education and Experience: 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%. GS-09 Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes administering the conservation and/or use of a project's natural resources; implementing plans for the construction or improvement of a recreation facility; and developing or administering service contracts for a recreation facility. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-07). OR Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education with major study 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. OR Combination of Education and Experience: 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%.

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the 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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/

How to apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/14/2026 to receive consideration To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13054253). Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. As a reminder, your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For additional information, refer to the 'Required Documents' section. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. Your resume selected in USAJOBS will be included, but you must re-select other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application may be incomplete. It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan. Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/applicant/profile/dashboard/), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.