Park Guide - Field Unit Local Hiring

Full Job Description

Park Guides greet visitors to educate and inform them in our National Parks. Work can include providing information on natural, cultural, or historical resources.

This position is being filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority (FUL). See below under Additional Information for further eligibility guidance.

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-04/09/2026-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 resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time).

If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount qualified specialized experience.

To qualify for this position at the GS-05 level, you must possess one of the following: EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors).

This experience includes activities such as: oral presentation of historical, scientific, or program information to groups; or developing and/or revising technical, historical, or scientific information for oral presentation to groups.

Examples of specialized experience could include park guide or tour leader, naturalist, environmental educator or teacher, or other similar work. You must include hours per week worked.

-OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least four years of study above high school (120 semester hour or 180 quarter hours) leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, such as American history, science, public speaking, parks and recreation, education or communications.

You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above.

To combine education and experience, only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second undergraduate year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement.

One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience.

The total combined specialized experience and education must equal at least 100 percent of the required length of the specialized experience to qualify. You must include transcripts.

Volunteer Experience: 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.

Time in Grade: 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); with few exceptions as outlined in 5 CFR 300.603(b).

ICTAP/CTAP Statement: Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special prior­ity selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must meet minimum qualifications for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection.

Minimum qualifications means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization as qualified.

Applicants must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.

Major Duties:

Delivers programs that require application of broad subject-matter knowledge of the park. Guide large groups (up to 50 people) on longer walks or programs.

Provide a wide range of services to park visitors. Orient and explain current park events and warn of safety hazards. Answering questions on a variety of subjects.

Present limited and repetitive pre-established talks including introductions to films, map talks, and static exhibit interpretation. Orient hikers to conditions and equipment needs.