Park Ranger (Protection)

Full Job Description

This position is located in Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, in the Visitor and Resource Protection Division. Open to the first 100 applicants or 03/24/2026whichever comes first.

All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

REQUIREMENTS (Continued): 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.

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 possess NPS Physical Security Training Program certification - must be able to obtain certification with one year of Entry on Duty (EOD).

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.

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.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will 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 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-03/24/2026-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, previously held (within the past three years), or be able to obtain a valid Type I National Park Service (NPS) Law Enforcement Commission, or equivalent, closing date of announcement: 03/24/2026.

More information can be found in the 'Education' section of this job announcement. MUST BE DOCUMENTED IN YOUR RESUME.

This is a secondary Law Enforcement position and requires 3 years of primary law enforcement experience. MUST BE DOCUMENTED IN YOUR RESUME.

- AND - Applicants must possess at least one of 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/GL-09 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; or other similar work.

You must include hours per week worked.

-OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least three full years of graduate level study leading to a Doctorate, Ph.D., or equivalent degree at an accredited college or university in directly-related fields such as natural resource management, natural sciences, earth sciences, history, archaeology, anthropology, park and recreation management; law enforcement/police science, social sciences, museum sciences, business administration, public administration, behavioral sciences, or sociology.

You must include transcripts. -OR- COMBINATION SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above.

To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours or equivalent earned towards a graduate degree, in excess of 36 semester hours, and divide by 18 semester hours or equivalent.

Then, take the number of months of experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts.

Qualifications continued in Education section below. Major Duties:

As a Park Ranger (Protection), you perform the following duties: Oversees and conducts the complex investigation of security-related, felony, and misdemeanor crimes, fatalities, tort claims, accidents and injuries that occur, in an area of federal jurisdiction.

Coordinates daily security-related operations. Oversees and conducts the investigation of motor vehicle accidents, including highly complex injury and fatality accidents.

Serve as the park's physical security subject matter expert, responsible for the coordination of the park's security programs with law enforcement partner agencies and contracted vendors.

Directs responses and manages the response to a large variety of routine and emergency operations within the Parks to include search and rescue and emergency medical incidents.

Assists the Chief Ranger in overseeing all aspects of physical security operations.

Writes a wide variety of reports and drafts or writes various correspondences to document events and conducts park business.

Prepares case files for delivery to the Assistant United States Attorney's Office for prosecution and provide testimony in court proceedings.