Park Ranger (Protection)

Department Of The Interior•King Salmon, AK

48d•$40 - $52•Onsite

About The Position

This position is located in Katmai National Park and Preserve, in the Visitor Resources Protection Division. This is an open continuous announcement with an established initial cut-off date of December 5, 2025. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply before the first cut-off date of December 5, 2025. Please see "Next Steps" for additional information. Government housing is anticipated to be available. This is a career-seasonal position. 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 10 months in pay status, from early February through late November. You will be in a non-pay status for the remainder of the year, December through January. As a Supervisory Park Ranger you will lead daily operations and direct the completion of collateral duties related to training and leadership. You will supervise GL-9 permanent and seasonal law enforcement rangers as well as non-commissioned staff and park volunteers. You will conduct and supervise the detection of criminal activity, investigation of criminal violations, and custodial arrests. You may prepare and execute warrants, interview witnesses, and detain suspects. You will ensure the completion of comprehensive written reports. You will conduct and/or supervise gathering of law enforcement, security, and intelligence information relating to the park, its facilities, events, mission, or visitors. You will set work goals and ensure all employees receive required training in a timely manner; identify operational requirements and make recommendations to your supervisor regarding programming, budgeting, training, administration, and evaluation of operations; and schedule patrols to maximize visitor contact with special consideration to problem areas. You will supervise and lead complex law enforcement, all hazard, emergency medical, and search and rescue operations as well as provide emergency medical services to park visitors and residents. In addition, you will participate in all aspects of employee supervision including performance planning and appraisals, employee recognition, and employee counseling. Physical Demands: This work regularly includes long periods of standing, hiking and/or climbing, in many cases on uneven, steep, rough, slippery, and/or rugged terrain. Strenuous exertion is frequently required in law enforcement, firefighting, search and rescue, medical and related emergency activities. Lifting or carrying equipment weighing over 50 pounds such as firefighting 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, oftentimes in isolated outdoor environments, frequently while exposed to severe weather conditions. Dangerous persons must be physically confronted, subdued, and apprehended many of whom are known to carry weapons. Prisoners must be kept under physical restraint during transport and processing. Criminal investigations often must be carried out without regard to fixed work schedules, days off, or opportunities for proper rest or nutrition. Duties require manual dexterity with comparatively free motion of finger, wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, and knee joints. Arms, hands, legs, and feet must be sufficiently intact and functioning in order for incumbent to perform the duties satisfactorily. Sufficiently good vision in both eyes, with or without glasses, is required to perform the duties satisfactorily. Near vision, corrected with glasses, must be sufficient to read printed material the size of typewritten characters. Hearing without aid, as measured by an audiometer, must not exceed 35 decibels at 1000, 2000 and 3000 Hz levels. Physical fitness requirements must be met prior to and on a continuing basis during employment. There is a high-stress component to much of the incumbent's work assignments. Working Conditions: While some work may be performed in an office setting, most of the work is performed outdoors in all kinds of weather and climatic conditions. The work is performed at various hours of the day and night and for prolonged periods during emergency situations. Park Rangers are frequently exposed to high risk and potentially dangerous situations in law enforcement and emergency types of situations requiring use of a wide range of personal protective gear (some of which may be uncomfortable, hot, or inconvenient to wear), 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. Incumbent is required to operate motor vehicles of various types, may be required to fly in small fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft, and may be required to operate and/or ride in small watercraft. Emergency law enforcement operations will require entry into hazardous environments; exposure to dangerous persons, animals, and substances; and potential exposure to infectious diseases. Selectee may be moved between duty stations within park boundaries.

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.
Selectee will be required to carry a firearm while performing duties and maintain firearm proficiency.
Selectee 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.
You will be 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.
You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
Prior to appointment, you must be determined physically fit by an authorized government physician to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties; and also pass a medical examination (which includes vision, hearing, cardiovascular, and mobility of extremities) given by an authorized government physician. You will also be required to undergo periodic medical examinations throughout employment.
The people selected for these positions 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
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-02/27/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.
Applicants must meet ALL of the following to qualify: Must currently possess, previously held (within the past three years), or be able to obtain a valid Type I National Park Service (NPS) Law Enforcement Commission, or equivalent, by the closing date of the announcement, 02/27/2026. More information can be found in the 'Education' section of this job announcement.
This is a primary position covered by enhanced retirement provisions which stipulate mandatory retirement at age 57 after 20 years of service. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age, and must not have reached their 37th birthday upon appointment to this position. Two exceptions are allowed: 1) an applicant has 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 2) an applicant is a qualified veterans' preference eligible, in which case the MEA is waived and their corresponding retirement age may be higher than 57 after completing 20 years of service.
Must currently possess or be able to obtain a National Registry Emergency Medical Technician-Basic certification within a year of entrance on duty (EOD).
EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GL-09 or GS-09 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Experience at this level requires substantial prior primary law enforcement experience which includes investigating, apprehending or detaining criminals or criminal suspects. You must include hours per week worked.
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least three full years of graduate level study leading to a Doctorate, Ph.D., or equivalent degree at an accredited college or university in directly-related fields such as natural resource management, natural sciences, earth sciences, history, archaeology, anthropology, park and recreation management; law enforcement/police science, social sciences, museum sciences, business administration, public administration, behavioral sciences, or sociology. You must include transcripts.
Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours or equivalent earned towards a graduate degree, in excess of 36 semester hours, and divide by 18 semester hours or equivalent. Then, take the number of months of experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts and hours per week worked.
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 may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.
Selectees may occasionally travel in (not pilot) a small single-engine aircraft.
You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, or overtime.
If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 15 nights per monh. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
Applicants must be at least 21 years old.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a one-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

Responsibilities

Lead daily operations and direct the completion of collateral duties related to training and leadership.
Supervise GL-9 permanent and seasonal law enforcement rangers as well as non-commissioned staff and park volunteers.
Conduct and supervise the detection of criminal activity, investigation of criminal violations, and custodial arrests.
Prepare and execute warrants, interview witnesses, and detain suspects.
Ensure the completion of comprehensive written reports.
Conduct and/or supervise gathering of law enforcement, security, and intelligence information relating to the park, its facilities, events, mission, or visitors.
Set work goals and ensure all employees receive required training in a timely manner
Identify operational requirements and make recommendations to your supervisor regarding programming, budgeting, training, administration, and evaluation of operations
Schedule patrols to maximize visitor contact with special consideration to problem areas.
Supervise and lead complex law enforcement, all hazard, emergency medical, and search and rescue operations as well as provide emergency medical services to park visitors and residents.
Participate in all aspects of employee supervision including performance planning and appraisals, employee recognition, and employee counseling.

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.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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