Park Ranger (Interpretation) (Seasonal)

Summary These positions are temporary and may not exceed 1039 hours (six months) in a service year. 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. Duties The parks and duty stations hiring for these positions are below, as is each park's anticipated seasonal period. The typical seasonal period may vary during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Alaska Public Lands Information Center (Anchorage, AK): May - September Bering Land Bridge National Preserve (Nome, AK): April - October Denali National Park and Preserve (Denali Park, AK): March - September Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (Bartlett Cove, AK): March - September Kenai Fjords National Park (Seward, AK): April - September Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (Skagway, AK): April - October Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (Port Alsworth, AK. Applicants selected for Port Alsworth may be duty stationed at Twin Lakes, Chinitna Bay and/or Silver Salmon Creek, AK.): April - September Western Arctic National Parklands (Kotzebue, AK): March - August Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (Copper Center, AK): April - September Selectees may be moved between duty stations within park boundaries. Positions may not be filled at every duty station. Duties include but are not limited to the following: Training: Assists in planning, implementing, and delivering interpretive skills and educational theory and methodology training to seasonal staff. Works with training planning team to evaluate effectiveness of training program and to develop innovations to substantially improve its effectiveness. Coaching: Observes interpretive programs and shares oral and written feedback in a supportive, professional manner. Mentors and leads seasonal staff in day-to-day program development. Uses effective leadership and communication skills to work with interpreters in such a way as to promote respect, confidence, teamwork, and professionalism. Works with coaching team to evaluate effectiveness of coach training program, coaching protocols, and coach effectiveness, and to develop innovations for substantial improvement. Interpretation: Researches, develops, and presents a variety of formal and informal interpretive programs which may include conducted walks, campground programs, off trail wilderness hikes and illustrative programs. Prepares written interpretive program outlines. Operations: Develops work schedules. Updates or write manuals, SOPs, and handouts. Identifies and reports on facility conditions, exhibit conditions, supply inventories, and purchasing needs. Government housing is available at Nome, Port Alsworth (including Twin Lakes, Chinitna Bay, Silver Salmon Creek), and Kotzebue. Government housing may be available at Denali Park, Bartlett Cove, Seward, Skagway, and Copper Center. Government housing is not available at Anchorage. Physical Demands: The work requires some physical exertion and can involve extensive periods of standing and walking, in some cases over rough surfaces or inclines outdoors or in caves, and carrying backpacks, tools, rescue equipment, or other loads. Some employees may engage in firefighting, search and rescue, and other strenuous activities; these employees may be required to lift or carry equipment weighing more than 50 pounds over long distances. Employees who participate in all-risk operations will be required to meet fitness requirements on a continuing basis. Working Conditions: The work can include moderate risks or discomforts that require safety precautions (e.g., exposure to extreme temperatures, climates, rough terrain, wild animals, pests, and/or insects). The incumbent may be required to use protective clothing or gear, such as masks, boots, gloves, etc. Some employees may be engaged in all-risk operations and be exposed to high risk and potentially dangerous situations which require a range of safety and other precautions. Please visit find a park for additional park information. Requirements Conditions of employment U.S. Citizenship required. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males. Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program. For positions at Port Alsworth (including Twin Lakes, Chinitna Bay and Silver Salmon Creek), selectees are subject to drug testing based on the collateral duty requiring firearms in the back-country/other locations for non-law enforcement reasons such as protection from animals. You will be required to submit a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. The position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use. For all positions, except at Nome - 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. For positions at Nome - You may be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties. Prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, you will be required to submit a photocopy of your valid State issued driver's license and sign an affidavit certifying to your possession of a valid State issued driver's license that is current and has not been revoked, suspended, canceled, or otherwise disqualified in any way to prohibit your operation of a motor vehicle. For positions at Bartlett Cove, you will be required to perform ladder transfers from a transfer vessel to a cruise ship. You must be physically and mentally able to climb rope ladders 15 feet in height during transfer from one vessel to another while both boats are in motion in exposed waters. You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided. See "Qualifications" for additional requirements. Qualifications All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-12/18/2025-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the number of hours worked per week, full-time, or part-time. If you indicate part-time, you MUST indicate the number of hours worked per week so that your qualifying experience can be prorated for credit. To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sector) that is directly related to the position to be filled. Examples of specialized experience include developing and leading interpretive or interpretive education programs and assisting with the coordination and planning efforts for interpretive or interpretive education programs. You must include hours worked per week in your resume. -OR- EDUCATION: Two full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a master's or equivalent graduate degree in one of the following: 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. Note: One year of graduate education is 18 semester hours, 27 quarter hours, or the number your school uses to represent one year. You must include hours worked per week in your resume and a copy of your transcripts. -OR- COMBINATION OF SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: To calculate your percentage of qualifying graduate education, divide your number of semester hours in excess of 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) by 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours), or the number your school uses to represent one year of full time graduate academic study. To calculate your percentage of experience, divide your months of qualifying specialized experience by 12. Add the two percentages. They must equal at least 100% to qualify using this option. You must include hours worked per week in your resume and a copy of your transcripts. Volunteer 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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Continuation of "Requirements:" You may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle. You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, and overtime. You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 20 nights per month. You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority. 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 information Alaska currently does not have a state income tax. Salary and COLA subject to annual review and adjustment. Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. All travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the sole responsibility of those selected. This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate. Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1040 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (NPS). If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1040 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1039 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility. The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1039 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1039 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM. Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations. The employees of the National Park Service care for special places that are the heritage of all Americans. Since its inception in 1916, the National Park Service has been dedicated to the preservation and management of this country's outstanding natural, historical, and recreational resources. Park Ranger Interpreters connect people to parks. They play a key role in ensuring that visitors have a meaningful, satisfying, and safe park experience, help visitors decide how to spend their time in the park, and inform them about the wonders that await their discovery. They are specially trained to engage the public so that each park visitor can find a personal connection with the meanings and values found in the places and stories of that park. They help visitors explore the many dimensions of parks by introducing them to a variety of perspectives. By providing the opportunity for visitors to care about the places they visit, they promote stewardship and the opportunity for those visitors to care for park resources. National parks are among the most remarkable places in America for recreation, learning, and inspiration. The work done by park Ranger Interpreters through effective interpretive and educational programs encourages the development of a personal stewardship ethic and broadens public support for preserving and protecting park resources, so that they may be enjoyed by present and future generations. Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. 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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits 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.