Supervisory Park Ranger (Interpretation)

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Division of Interpretation, Education, and Visitor Services of Arches National Park.

For questions regarding this positon, please contact: Josh_Nelson@nps.gov or Laura_Sturtz@nps.gov. Open to the first 50 applicants or until 03/18/2026 whichever comes first.

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

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.

You may be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties.

Prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year thereafter (or more frequently if management determines such need exists), you will be required to sign an affidavit certifying to your possession of a valid State issued driver's license that is current and has not been revoked, suspended, canceled, or otherwise disqualified in any way to prohibit your operation of a motor vehicle.

You will also submit a photocopy of your valid State issued driver's license prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year, or more frequently if management determines such need exists.

Lastly, you may be required to submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that discloses all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.

Please indicate in your application whether you possess a valid State driver's license.

Applicants must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-03/18/2026-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.

To qualify for this position at the GS-11 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-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.

Specialized experience includes coordinating, managing or directing interpretive programs; developing long range interpretive program plans; developing and training others on educational programs; managing interpretive staff or other similar work.

To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to that of at least the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service.

You must include hours per week worked on your resume. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least three full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education, a Ph.D.

or equivalent doctoral degree in a directly-related field such as 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.

Course work in fields other than those specified above may be accepted if it clearly provides applicants with the background of knowledge and skills necessary for successful job performance in this position.

IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE: If you are using education to qualify you must document your degree in your resume.

If your degree was not in one of the directly related fields listed in this response, you must submit a copy of your transcripts or a complete list of college courses taken that identifies for each course the college or university, semester or quarter hours earned, grade received, and date completed.

We cannot determine eligibility without this information. (A copy of your official transcripts will be required before entrance on duty, if selected).

-OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above.

For example, I have 6 months of the specialized experience described above (50% of the experience requirement), and (45 semester hours or 68 quarter hours) of directly related graduate level college study in an accredited institution (50% of the qualifying education).

IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE: If you are using education to qualify you must document your course work and/or degree completed in your resume or other application materials you submit.

You must submit a copy of your transcripts or a complete list of college courses taken that identifies for each course the college or university, semester or quarter hours earned, grade received, and date completed.

If you are qualifying based on education and you do not submit specific course work information as described previously, your application will be rated not qualified for consideration.

(A copy of your official transcripts will be required before entrance on duty, if selected).

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:

The employee determines staffing and funding needs, directs lower-graded employees in visitor center operations, schedules employees, monitors information provided to visitors, provides training to new employees, and develops and/or revises standard operating procedures.

Coordinates with fee manager and law enforcement for fee collection and traffic control in the district.

Coordinates with cooperating association in matters concerning operation of the visitor center bookstore and in the development of new interpretive materials for the park.

Employee performs supervisory duties 25% or more of the time.

Establishes guidelines and performance expectations for staff and clearly communicates these through the formal employee performance management system.

Provides both formal and informal feedback and periodically evaluates employee performance.

Resolves informal complaints and grievances and seeks assistance from his/her supervisor for more complex personnel issues. Reviews and approves or disapproves leave.

The employee is responsible for the interpretive operations in the park including formal and informal interpretation and management of the park's visitor center.

The employee is also responsible for coordinating daily operations with the visitor services team for the park. The incumbent supervises one/two Supervisory Park Rangers

, one career seasonal Lead Park Ranger (5/7/9), and four permanent career seasonal GS-5 Park Guides as well as seasonal staff, volunteers, and interns.

The employees of the National Park Service care for special places that are the heritage of all Americans.

Since its inception in 1916, the National Park Service has been dedicated to the preservation and management of this country's outstanding natural, historical, and recreational resources.

Park ranger - interpreters connect people to parks.

They play a key role in ensuring that visitors have a meaningful, satisfying, and safe park experience, help visitors decide how to spend their time in the park, and inform them about the wonders that await their discovery.

Park ranger - interpreters are specially trained to engage the public so that each park visitor can find a personal connection with the meanings and values found in the places and stories of that park.

They help visitors explore the many dimensions of parks by introducing them to a variety of perspectives.

By providing the opportunity for visitors to care about the places they visit, they promote stewardship and the opportunity for those visitors to care for park resources.

National parks are among the most remarkable places in America for recreation, learning, and inspiration.

The work done by park ranger-interpreters through effective interpretive and educational programs encourages the development of a personal stewardship ethic and broadens public support for preserving and protecting park resources, so that they may be enjoyed by present and future generations.

Area Information: Moab Utah situated ten minutes outside Arches National Park has a population of approximately 5400 people.

Quiet in the winter, the town becomes busy with tourism early spring through late fall. Moab offers restaurants, shops, a hospital, K-12 schools, and two grocery stores.

Grand Junction Colorado is larger and located 1.5hrs northeast of the park. Summer conditions are hot. Temperatures can reach over 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40 C) for multiple weeks.

Thunderstorms and monsoons occur during the late summer months. Winters can be cold with occasional snow. Outdoor recreation abounds in the area with rafting, biking, hiking and four-wheel drive roads.

Government housing is not available.