Park Ranger (Protection)

Full Job Description

The primary purpose of this position is to serve as a National Park Service (NPS) law enforcement specialist assigned one of the national offices.

This position is responsible for providing expertise and guidance in the formulation and execution of Service policy, guidelines, philosophy, and standards in law enforcement, security, and visitor and resource protection.

For questions contact: Ira Blitzblau at Ira_Blitzblau@nps.gov. Requirements - Conditions of Employment Continued: Applicants must be at least 21 years old.

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.

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.

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.

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-03/06/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement.

For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's Federal General Schedule Qualification Standards.

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: National Park Service Type I Law Enforcement Commission: Must currently possess or previously held (within the past three years), a National Park Service (NPS) Type I Law Enforcement Commission.

You must 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.

You must also provide a copy of your Type I Law Enforcement Commission with Picture Blocked Out.

Previous Law Enforcement Experience: Prior law enforcement experience, gained by substantial service as a primary law enforcement position in the Federal government, or equivalent experience outside the Federal government, is a mandatory prerequisite/selective factor of this position.

Experience must be documented in resume.

- AND - 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 qualifying specialized experience includes but is not limited to the following: (1) leading a law enforcement and resource protection program; (2) evaluating law enforcement program activities based on funding to determine objectives, amount and location of work, as well as type of resources needed for the program; (3) interpreting regulations and policy directives related to law enforcement and natural resource protection; (4) drafting or reviewing mutual aid agreements, cooperative agreements, and memoranda of understanding.

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. Major Duties:

Provides guidance, assistance, support, coordination, and oversight to the parks in the region related to law enforcement.

Develops and reviews law enforcement planning documents, policies, procedures and effectively communicate/disseminate such information.

Provides technical, policy, and legal advice and support to parks for the administration of programs related to protection of persons and resources (law enforcement and emergency services).

Develops and maintains positive working relationships with units and programs at multiple levels, from field staff to superintendents, national and regional leadership and program leads, Investigative Services Branch and other federal programs, agencies, and partners.

Physical Demands: Office work occasionally requires long hours of desk work and can be stressful in that the incumbent is often faced with short deadlines, conflicting priorities and must occasionally resolve conflicting viewpoints.

The work entails periodic travel to parks and offices throughout the NPS.

Site-specific fieldwork associated with program responsibilities may involve occasional strenuous activity, exposure to rugged terrain and travel by small plane, helicopter, watercraft, or specialized vehicles.

The incumbent must be able to safely utilize firearms, less than lethal weapons, and defensive tactics, and must be prepared at all times, to defend him/her-self and others against physical and armed attack, including the use of physical violence or deadly force.

Due to the law enforcement requirements of this position, mandatory physical fitness and medical standards apply to the incumbent as set forth in the requirements of D.O. #57.

Working Environment: Most work is performed in an office setting, but field work can entail a wide variety of geographical settings and exposure to natural elements and weather extremes.

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.