Park Ranger (Protection)

Full Job Description

This position is located in Canyon De Chelly National Monument, in the Visitor and Resource Protection Division.

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-04/08/2026-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: Type I Commission: Must currently possess or be able to obtain a valid Type I National Park Service (NPS) Law Enforcement Commission, or equivalent within the past three years, by 04/08/2026 (To be considered for this position, you must provide a copy of your commission, OR indicate your commission number and date, location and date of your last 40-hour refresher training, and the date of your last established proficiency in the use of firearms in your resume).

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

Primary law enforcement experience: This is a covered secondary law enforcement position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S. C. 8336(c) (CSRS) and 8412(d) (FERS).

Applicants for this position must possess experience gained by substantial service in a primary law enforcement position.

- 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-11 grade level in the Federal service.

Examples of qualifying specialized experience include, but are not limited to: law enforcement or investigative work involving the protection, conservation, or management of park areas; 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; leading or supervising a law enforcement program; or other similar work.

You must include hours per week worked.

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.

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.

Wildland firefighting and other forms of field work demand a high level of fitness to safely perform arduous, day-long work in difficult environmental conditions, including steep terrain, extreme temperatures, altitude, and smoke, and to meet unforeseen emergencies.

This position requires that you pass a Pack Test, a job-related test of the capacity for arduous work. It consists of a 3-mile hike with a 45-pound pack over level terrain.

A time of 45 minutes, the passing score for the test, approximates an aerobic fitness score of 45, the established standard for firefighters.

Applicants shall be disqualified for appointment if they fail to meet any physical requirement.

Probationary or seasonal employment is subject to termination for failure to meet the 25th percentile in each of the identified component being measured.

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 travel overnight away from home up to 2 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.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-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 your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Major Duties:

This is a Required Occupancy Position.

Major Duties: This position is located at Canyon de Chelly National Monument as serves as the Chief Ranger & Senior Law Enforcement Officer for the Southern Four Corners Group which also includes Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site and Navajo National Monument.

These are areas with complex jurisdictional issues and deep connections to the tribal communities they are located within.

This is a supervisory position and the incumbent serves as a law enforcement program manager responsible for implementing a cooperative law enforcement program and providing law enforcement program guidance to the superintendent's office.

Incumbent also serves as a liaison with tribal, state, and local law enforcement to develop and maintain law enforcement agreements.

Also coordinates with regional and national NPS law enforcement managers to ensure compliance with policy.

This position requires advanced knowledge of law enforcement management and practices gained from significant experience in one or more primary law enforcement positions, either within the National Park Service or in an agency performing an equivalent law enforcement mission.

Such experience is a mandatory prerequisite for an incumbent of this position.

The incumbent serves as the Senior Law Enforcement Officer (SLEO) with responsibilities for planning and executing visitor and resource protection strategies at all three units.

The incumbent plans and implements strategies to provide for visitor safety, and protection of natural and cultural resources, and museum collections.

This includes physical security planning and implementation of physical security measures.

The incumbent accomplishes law enforcement objectives in coordination with other NPS areas, surrounding non-NPS agencies, and NPS regional and national offices.

As a Type I commissioned law enforcement officer the incumbent also conducts investigations and enforces both federal and state laws when appropriate.

The incumbent develops or updates general agreements with other agencies to allow for mutual support and accomplishment of overall public safety and resource protection goals.

Incumbent will respond and assist local law enforcement agencies with law enforcement, emergency services and fire and rescue related calls within the park boundaries at all three park locations.

EMT certification preferred, but not required. Area Information: Canyon de Chelly National Monument is located 3 miles east from Chinle, Arizona, population 5,000.

Chinle has gas stations, supermarkets, motels, churches, etc. however, medical facilities are 40 miles away. Elementary through high school and Dine College are within commuting distances.

The climate is semi-arid to mountainous; park headquarters is at an elevation of 5,500 feet.

This is a secondary-administrative law enforcement position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S. C. 8336 (c) (CSRS) and 5 U. S. C. 8412 (d) (FERS).

PLEASE NOTE: Applicants may meet qualification requirements, but may not be eligible for special retirement coverage.

If such an applicant is selected, they will be placed in the regular retirement system.

To be eligible for Secondary retirement coverage under CSRS, an employee must transfer directly (without a break in service exceeding 3 days) from a primary position to a secondary position.

To be eligible for Secondary retirement coverage under FERS, an employee must: 1) transfer directly (without a break in service exceeding 3 days) from a primary position to a secondary position, AND 2) complete 3 years of service in a primary rigorous position including any such service during which no FERS deductions were withheld, AND 3) must be continuously employed in a secondary position(s) since moving from a primary rigorous position, except for any break in employment from a secondary position that began with involuntary separation (not for cause).

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure this office has enough information to determine your special retirement status to ensure you do not lose benefits (normally through submission of your work history or other documentation that demonstrates work history of approved covered positions).

You must let this office know if you are in a Primary position.