Deputy Chief of Visitor and Resource Protection (Law Enforcement)

Full Job Description

This position is located in Everglades National Park, in the Division of Visitor and Resource Protection.

This position serves as the Deputy Chief Ranger (Law Enforcement) (Supervisory Park Ranger - Protection) at Everglades National Park. Requirements Continued...

Prior to appointment, 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.

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. You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards.

A uniform allowance will be provided. You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.

You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 5 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.

You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority. Applicants must be at least 21 years old.

The position to which you will be appointed is subject to a financial disclosure reporting requirement and you will be required to complete a new entrant Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of your appointment.

You must be able to lift up to 50 lbs. You must support and enforce a drug-free work environment.

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.

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.

Qualifications: All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-02/09/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience.

For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 for each federal position listed as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of qualifying 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 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.

Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience.

For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.

Selective Factors: Applicants must meet ALL of the following to qualify: Must currently possess, have previously held (within the past three years), or be able to obtain a valid Type I (permanent) National Park Service (NPS) Law Enforcement Commission by 02/09/2026.

You must provide documentation of your commission, or ability to obtain a Type I commission by the closing date of this announcement, with your application to receive credit.

Scans of commissions with expiration date visible and pictures redacted, or notation of commission number and expiration date in your resume are examples of acceptable documentation.

More information can be found in the 'Education' section of this job announcement.

This is a secondary/administrative 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.

- AND - Applicants must possess the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS 12 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.

Examples of specialized experience could include: Park Guide or tour leader; law enforcement or investigative work; archeological 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; providing advice to senior management on law enforcement, visitor and resource protection, and fire protection; providing leadership and oversight for organizing, planning, directing.

coordinating and reviewing all visitor and resource protection programs in a park; leading/managing a division or park with a large, complex, interdisciplinary staff; or managing a portfolio of program responsibilities which include providing fees and law enforcement services to a park unit.

You must include hours per week worked. Major Duties:

As the Deputy Chief Ranger, you will: Provide leadership to the division, working with the Chief Ranger to identify priorities and set work goals.

Plan projects to enhance the overall efficacy of the division and evaluate the results to determine success and next steps.

Manage human resources by insuring all employees receive required training in a timely manner and are provided routine and consistent coaching and mentoring to elevate performance.

Exercise financial management by planning and allocating budget monies from multiple fund sources and adjusting schedules, organizational structure and project priorities in the face of changing financial conditions.

Utilize technical competence to apply law, policy, and guidance in the execution of duties.

Area/Duty Station Information: At 1.5 million acres in size, Everglades National Park contains a vast ecosystem, with wetland sloughs and prairies, tropical hardwood hammocks, pine rocklands, extensive mangrove estuaries, and Florida Bay with its expansive seagrass meadows.

This vast ecosystem is the largest subtropical wilderness area in North America and the largest legislated wilderness area east of the Rocky Mountains.

More than 5 million people live on the edge of the park in the communities of Miami, Homestead, Naples and the Florida Keys. Park headquarters is located in Homestead, Fl.

South Florida has two distinct seasons (rainy and dry). The rainy season occurs from mid-April to mid-November and the dry season is from mid-November to mid-April.

Heavy downpours, tropical storms and hurricanes are frequent in the rainy season, and temperatures can exceed 90'F for extended periods of time.

During the dry season the skies are clear and sunny, and temperatures vary from mid 60's to mid 70's. Occasional cold fronts can cause temperatures to dip into the 40's and 50's.

South Florida offers a wide variety of recreational activities including diving, paddling, fishing, bicycling etc.

Urban communities adjacent to the park offer a wide variety of sporting events, performances and concerts, museums, festivals and more!

The vibrant diversity of South Florida offers unique opportunities for an immersive cultural living experience.

For more information about the local area, please visit: Everglades National Park official website: http://www.nps.gov/ever/index.htm Monroe County and the Florida Keys: Monroe County, FL - Official Website | Official Website Miami Dade County Chamber of Commerce: http://www.m-dcc.org/