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Posted: January 8, 2026 (6 days ago)

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Park Ranger (River Patrol)

Bureau of Land Management

Department of the Interior

Fresh

Salary

$55,934 - $72,716

per year

Closes

January 22, 2026

GS-7 Pay Grade

Base salary range: $41,966 - $54,557

Typical requirements: 1 year specialized experience at GS-6. Bachelor's degree with superior academic achievement or 1 year graduate study.

Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).

Job Description

Summary

This job involves patrolling rivers as a park ranger, guiding visitors, ensuring safety, and managing conservation efforts in outdoor settings, often navigating challenging whitewater rapids by raft.

It's a seasonal role with the Bureau of Land Management in California, where you'll spend most of your time outdoors in tough terrain and weather.

A good fit would be someone with hands-on experience in outdoor recreation, rescue skills, and a passion for protecting natural areas, who doesn't mind physically demanding work and irregular hours.

Key Requirements

  • Skill to safely row a 15-16 foot raft in Class III-V whitewater rapids, with details on rivers navigated and years of experience
  • Knowledge of whitewater rescue techniques, including swift water swimming, hazard recognition, and water crossings
  • Ability to lift and move objects weighing over 50 pounds
  • One year of specialized experience at GS-06 level or equivalent, such as park guiding, conservation management, or recreation planning
  • Or, one full year of graduate education related to the field, or a combination of experience and education
  • Physical fitness for outdoor work in rugged terrain, including hiking, carrying heavy loads, and working in all weather conditions

Full Job Description

Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our most precious resource. Information about El Dorado Hills, CA can be found here. This is a career seasonal position.

You will be in pay status for minimum 6 months, but less than 12 months per calendar year. When work and/or funds are unavailable, you will be placed into non-pay status.

Pay status may be less than 6 months during initial appointment.

Selective Placement Factors: This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element.

Those who do not provide evidence they possess the following selective factor(s) will be rated not qualified: - You must have the skill and expertise to safely row a 15-16 foot raft in whitewater rapids rated on the International Scale from Class III to V.

This information must be present in your resume along with the River(s) you safely navigated the 15-16 foot raft and the number of years.

Failure to provide this information may result in disqualification.

- You must demonstrate knowledge of whitewater rescue techniques to include swift water swimming, recognition of swift water hazards, knowledge of shallow and deep water crossings, and rescue problems.

- You must demonstrate the ability to lift and move objects weighting over 50 pounds.

In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements - please be sure to include this information in your resume.

No assumptions will be made about your experience.

GS-7 Park Ranger River Patrol: You must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-06 level that is equivalent in difficulty and complexity as indicated by the following examples: experience as park guide or tour leader; archaeological 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; planning day to day operation of a recreation area providing such facilities as camping, water sports, picnic areas, or coordinating routine activities with maintenance personnel; advising visitors concerning safety, fire prevention, and proper and authorized uses of recreational facilities.

Your experience must include navigating through Class III-V whitewater rapids. OR Successful completion of one full academic year of graduate education related to the occupation (i.e.

related course work). OR A combination of experience and education to meet total 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. You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Physical Demands: The work is performed mostly outdoors in rugged terrain; to include very steep, wet, muddy, rough, uneven or rocky surfaces and requires physical exertion such as, standing for long periods of time, bending, crouching and stooping, digging, hiking, lifting, biking, stretching, reaching, or similar activities.

Work may involve early morning hours, night hours, or daytime hours and may require working on holidays. It can require carrying heavy backpacks, tools, rescue equipment, or other loads.

Work Environment: Work will be performed outdoors in all types of weather conditions, terrain, and elevations.

May take place in extremely remote environment to require camping and living skills for up to two weeks in duration. Indoor duties are performed in a normal office setting. Major Duties:

  • Responds to emergency situations, including swift river rescue and administering first aid. Safely row a 15-16 foot raft in whitewater rapids rated on the International Scale from Class III to V.
  • Patrols and inspects facilities ensuring compliance with rules and regulations. Conducts safety inspections and records visitor-related incidents.
  • Advises visitors concerning safety, fire prevention, amenities available, and proper and authorized uses of recreational facilities. Prepares recreation areas/sites for visitor use, to include planning, operation, and required maintenance.
  • Develops interpretive programs, conducting independent and in-depth research of topics. Monitors condition of sites and natural/cultural resources; ensuring protection of property from natural depredation.
  • Works with the public to provide information, conduct permit compliance and safety inspections, and conduct river patrols. Ensures facilities and customer use areas are free of visible safety hazards.

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Posted on USAJOBS: 1/8/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 1/9/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: CADE-25-12797598-JCP