Field Unit Local (FUL) Park Ranger (Interpretation)

National Park Service • Jemez Springs, NM

1d • Onsite

About The Position

You will serve as a Field Unit Local (FUL) Park Ranger (Interpretation) for Valles Caldera National Preserve. First-time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate. Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level. Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Create education and interpretation programs that share the important resource and cultural heritage stories of Valles Caldera to students of every educational level and visitors of all age ranges. Work with educators and organizations to develop standards-based education programs. Deliver education programs to a variety of school groups in classrooms, in the park, and via distance learning platforms. Research teaching techniques to incorporate into education programs and stay current on the latest education trends and techniques. Support Park operations through visitor service operations and providing ranger-guided programs.

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.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
• You are required to wear a uniform and comply with the uniform standards.
• You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
• Must have and maintain the ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
• You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
• Must be at least (1) 18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and meet one of the following criteria: graduated from high school or equivalent, completed a formal vocational training program, have a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing education, or be currently enrolled in secondary school and work only during school vacation periods or part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.
• All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-10/12/2026.
• All candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements.
• To receive credit for experience, 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.
• Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position at the GS-5 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: I possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to that of at least the GS-4 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Experience that demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled. Experience may have been in technical, administrative, or scientific work, fish and wildlife management, recreation management, law enforcement, or other park-related work. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include, but are not limited to, the following: creating education or interpretive programs; delivering programs to an audience; scheduling programs; or participating in community events. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: A bachelor's degree or equivalent degree at an accredited college or university related to the occupation such as natural resource management, natural sciences, ecology, biology, geology, earth sciences, history, archeology, anthropology, park and recreation management, social sciences, museum sciences, geography, English or other languages, behavioral sciences, sociology, education, or communication. You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. Equivalent combination of experience and education that, together, equal 100% of the qualification standards listed above when combined. You must include transcripts.
• To qualify for this position at the GS-7 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: I possess at least one 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). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Experience that demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled. Experience may have been in technical, administrative, or scientific work, fish and wildlife management, recreation management, law enforcement, or other park-related work. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include, but are not limited to, the following: creating education programs; creating interpretive programs based on park themes; delivering education and interpretation programs; coordinating programs; providing virtual programs; developing training courses; or participating in community events. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- SUPERIOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT (S.A.A.): Must meet the criteria for the S.A.A., as evidenced by one of the three following methods: 1) in the upper third of 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; 2) have a GPA 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum, or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in my major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of curriculum; or 3) a member in one of the national scholastic honor societies. You must include transcripts. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one full academic year of graduate education related to the occupation such as natural resource management, natural sciences, ecology, biology, geology, earth sciences, history, archeology, anthropology, park and recreation management, social sciences, museum sciences, geography, English or other languages, behavioral sciences, sociology, education, or communication (one year of full-time graduate education is defined as 18 semester hours). You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. Equivalent combination of experience and education that, together, equal 100% of the qualification standards listed above when combined. You must include transcripts.
• To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level, you must possess the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: I possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level of the federal government. Specialized experience is experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Experience that demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled. Experience may have been in technical, administrative, or scientific work, fish and wildlife management, recreation management, law enforcement, or other park-related work. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include, but are not limited to, the following: creating education programs that align with state or national teaching standards; creating interpretive programs based on park themes; delivering education to school groups in a variety of settings; delivering interpretation programs to a variety of audiences; coordinating or managing programs; providing virtual programs; developing and leading training programs; working with teacher to develop curricula; tracking program and visitor statistics; developing strategic plans; and organizing community events. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least two full academic years of graduate education related to the occupation, or a master's or equivalent graduate degree, such as natural resource management, natural sciences, ecology, biology, geology, earth sciences, history, archeology, anthropology, park and recreation management, social sciences, museum sciences, geography, English or other languages, behavioral sciences, sociology, education, or communication (two years of graduate education is defined as 36 semester hours). You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. Equivalent combination of experience and education that, together, equal 100% of the qualification standards listed above when combined. You must include transcripts.
• You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience.
• 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.

Nice To Haves

• 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 the following counties: Bernalillo, Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Taos.
• This position has been identified as EXPLORE Act Veteran Hiring Pilot eligible.

Responsibilities

• Create education and interpretation programs that share the important resource and cultural heritage stories of Valles Caldera to students of every educational level and visitors of all age ranges.
• Work with educators and organizations to develop standards-based education programs.
• Deliver education programs to a variety of school groups in classrooms, in the park, and via distance learning platforms.
• Research teaching techniques to incorporate into education programs and stay current on the latest education trends and techniques.
• Support Park operations through visitor service operations and providing ranger-guided programs.

Benefits

• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
• As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
• Uniform allowance will be provided.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level