Park Ranger (Protection)(Regional Law Enforcement Specialist)

Full Job Description

This position is located in National Capital Area Office, in the Visitor and Resource Protection Division and provides guidance, assistance, support, coordination, and oversight to the parks in the National Capital Region related to law enforcement.

Requirements Continued...

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.

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).

Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal civilian employees applying for reinstatement who have had a break in service of less than one year, as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointments.

Time-in-grade does not apply to new excepted service appointments and must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

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: Must currently possess, previously held (within the past three years), or be able to obtain a valid National Park Service (NPS) Type I Law Enforcement Commission, or equivalent, by clos of this announcement, 04/08/2026, which requires successful completion of an approved Law Enforcement Training Program.

Selectees must also be able to maintain this commission for the duration of their employment. 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.

Must have a current, valid State Driver's License by entrance on duty. Applicants are required to carry a firearm while performing duties and required to maintain firearm proficiency.

Candidates who do not meet this requirement by close of this announcement will receive no further consideration for this position.

- AND - To qualify for Park Ranger (Protection) at the GS-13 grade level, you must meet the following specialized experience by the closing date of this 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).

Examples of qualifying experience include: (1) Knowledge of regulations, techniques, policies and practices of law enforcement; (2) Managing and integrating law enforcement program requirements for protecting nationally significant resources; (3) Analyzing situations, problems and causes; (4) Researching and securing information and designing a course of action for communicating with all levels inside and outside of the agency.

**You must include hours per week worked. You must include months, years and hours per week worked to receive credit for your work and/or volunteer experience.

One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week. Part-time hours are prorated.

You will not receive any credit for experience that does not indicate exact hours per week or is listed as "varies". Experience listed as full-time will be credited at 40 hours per week.

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. **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. Major Duties:

The major duties of the Park Ranger (Protection) position include, but are not limited to, the following: Provides guidance, assistance, support, coordination, and oversight to the parks in the National Capital 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 to support parks for the administration 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 supervisors, national and regional leadership and program leads, Investigative Services Branch, and other federal programs, agencies and partners..