Seasonal Park Ranger - PSAR

Full Job Description

These temporary/1039 positions are located in Shenandoah National Park, in the Ranger Activities Division. These positions serve as a Park Ranger in Preventive Search and Rescue (PSAR).

The primary purpose of this uniformed position is to perform a variety of park ranger duties associated with preventing search and rescue incidents from occurring in park units and providing Emergency Medical Services (EMT) as needed.

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-03/02/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience.

To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time).

If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience. SELECTIVE FACTOR: This position performs Patrol and Search and Rescue.

Selectees are required to pass the Physical Efficiency Battery and must possess Emergency Medical Technician certification by EOD.

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

- AND - To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you 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-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors).

This experience includes activities such as: Park Ranger, Park Guide or tour leader; environmental educator; backcountry ranger, law enforcement or investigative 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 similar work.

You must include hours per week worked.

-OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least four years of education above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or 24 semester hours of coursework in a related field.

Related fields of study include 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, sociology, or other closely related subjects pertinent to the management and protection of natural and cultural resources.

You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and specialized experience as described above.

For example, I have six (6) months of specialized experience described above (50% of the experience requirement) and 90 semester hours of college study from an accredited institution and that included at least 12 semester hours of related coursework as specified (50% of the education requirement).

Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts.

To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level, you 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-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors).

This experience includes activities such as: researching and conducting interpretative tours to point out scientific, historic, and natural features of parks, forests, historic sites, or other attractions; performing routine patrol operations; performing resource management tasks and duties supporting the mission of a park or area; providing visitor services such as explaining regulations, answering visitor questions and complaints and providing information about the weather conditions, trip planning, or leave no trace principles; assisting with car trouble, first aid or lost articles; checking special use permits, commercial use authorizations, camping permits, filming permits or similar.

You must include hours per week worked in your resume. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one full year (18 semester hours) of graduate study in a related field.

Related fields include natural resource management, natural sciences, earth sciences, history, archeology, anthropology, park and recreation management, law enforcement/police science, social sciences, museum sciences, business administration, public administration, behavioral sciences, sociology, or other closely related subjects pertinent to the management and protection of natural and cultural resources.

You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and specialized experience as described above.

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

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

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.

CTAP/ICTAP: Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection.

Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level on all competencies.

Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(2) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP.

This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating, and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.

Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP/ICTAP eligible.

If you are selected for Federal employment, you will be required to fill out a Declaration of Federal Employment, OF-306, prior to being appointed to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.

Failing to answer all questions truthfully and completely or providing false statements on your application may be grounds for not hiring you, or for firing you after you begin work.

Also, you may be punished by fine or imprisonment (U.S. Code, Title 18, section 1001). Major Duties:

This is an open continuous vacancy announcement. Applicants will be referred periodically throughout the announcement period.

Final application disposition will be completed once all positions have been filled or the announcement reaches the end of the open period stated in this announcement.

The first cut-off date for early referral is 11:59 pm (EST), January 13, 2026.

Duties of these PSAR positions may include: Conduct regularly scheduled and special purpose PSAR patrols of various park resources such as backcountry and/or wilderness areas, park trails, campgrounds, parking lots, shorelines, rivers, docks, roads, concessions, etc.

Independently determine new patrol routes and prepare for patrol(s), accounting for the specific needs, topography, and requirements of each patrol.

Serve as a trip leader when accompanied by other staff, cooperators, groups, and/or stakeholders.

While on patrol, provide visitors with information and education to ensure their safety, obtain their cooperation, and facilitate safe visitor use of park resources.

Identify and report visitor/resource problems and/or violations of regulations concerning the use of protected or public land areas.

Provide administrative, operational, and logistic support to PSAR-related educational activities conducted by the organization.

Develop and present a substantial variety of formal and informal PSAR-related educational programs and/or media using prescribed outlines, guidelines, and established educational practices, techniques, and tools delivered in-person and through educational media and technology.

Conduct straightforward research on a variety of PSAR-related topics (e.g., frostbite, swift-water rescue, hiking safety, heat illness, accident prevention, sanitation) and synthesize the knowledge gained from research to develop and deliver educational PSAR experiences that are clearly consistent with the strategic goals and objectives of PSAR.

Serve as a member of a Search and Rescue (SAR) Team on events that may require trail response, ground/hasty searches, helicopter evacuations, river rescues, body recoveries, and/or litter carries.

Participate in operational assessments and help prepare contingencies for future search and rescue incidents.

Participate in post operational analysis and After-Action Reviews to improve park operations and prevent SAR events from occurring.

These positions will be filled at either the GS-05 grade level or the GS-07 grade level. GS-05 salary is $22.33 per hour. It is anticipated that up to 4 positions may be filled.

GS-07 salary is $27.66 per hour. It is anticipated that up to 5 positions may be filled. Duty station for these positions will be at Big Meadows Maintenance Area on Skyline Drive near mile-marker 51.

POSITION LOCATION: Shenandoah National Park preserves and protects more than 300 square miles of nationally significant natural and cultural resources, scenic beauty, and congressionally designated wilderness within Virginia's northern Blue Ridge Mountains; and provides a broad range of opportunities for public enjoyment, recreation, inspiration, and stewardship.

Within just 90 miles of Washington D.C. the Park provides visitors the ability to explore mountain peaks, hidden hollows, cascading streams, accessible wilderness, and stunning natural beauty.

Approximately 40% of the Park is designated wilderness with over 500 miles of hiking trails and the iconic Skyline Drive, SHEN was established as an eastern Park that provided a "western Park experience".

Due to the Park's easy accessibility to D.C and other highly populated areas along the east coast, visitation exceeds 1.4 million visitors annually which results in significant resource protection and visitor management issues and incidents.