Supervisory Park Ranger (Protection)

Full Job Description

This position serves as the Chief Ranger and is located in Ozark National Scenic Riverways, in the Protection Division. Requirements Continued... Applicants must be at least 21 years old.

You may be required to work overtime. You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required.

You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's License and Driving Record.

You must also 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 disclose all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.

The position to which you will be appointed is subject to a financial disclosure reporting requirement and you will be required to complete a new entrant Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of your appointment.

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 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-04/13/2026-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, by entrance on duty.

More information can be found in the 'Education' section of this job announcement. Experience gained by substantial service in a primary law enforcement position.

- AND - Applicants must possess the following minimum qualification by close of the 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).

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 directing and supervising a law enforcement and resources protection program, interpreting regulations and policy directives related to law enforcement and natural resource protection that included evaluating law enforcement program activities based on funding to determine objectives, amount and location of work, as well as the type of resources needed for the program; reviewing law enforcement case reports to ensure compliance with policy, mutual aid agreements, cooperative agreements and memoranda of understanding; investigating criminal activity, conducting investigations of applicable federal or state laws.

You must include hours per week worked.

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:

Major duties include, but are not limited to the following: Serves as the Park's principle law enforcement officer.

Oversees enforcement activities through the Law Enforcement Specialist and the three District Rangers.

Oversees Structural Fire Management Program, Safety Committee, Uniform Coordination and Key Security. Reviews and modifies programs related to law enforcement. Monitors division operating budget.

Develops long term goals within budget constraints.

Develops plans, guidelines, information and policies for the division activities to ensure conformity to National Park Service policies as well as adaptation to Ozark National River circumstances.

Plans operational requirements, divisional goals and priorities to be accomplished by subordinates.

Physical Demands: Work may require exertion to review and observe accident investigations, conduct search and rescue operations and manage activities.

This work regularly includes long periods of standing, hiking and/or climbing, in many cases on uneven, steep, rough, slippery, and/or rugged terrain.

Strenuous exertion is frequently required in law enforcement, firefighting, search and rescue, medical and related emergency activities.

Lifting or carrying equipment weighing over 50 pounds such as firefighting or search and rescue equipment is required.

In some assignments, heavy packs may have to be carried long distances over mountainous, desert, or snow-covered terrain.

Duties involve performing physically rigorous assignments, oftentimes in isolated outdoor environments, frequently while exposed to severe weather conditions.

Dangerous persons must be physically confronted, subdued, and apprehended many of whom are known to carry weapons. Prisoners must be kept under physical restraint during transport and processing.

Criminal investigations often must be carried out without regard to fixed work schedules, days off, or opportunities for proper rest or nutrition.

Duties require manual dexterity with comparatively free motion of finger, wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, and knee joints.

Arms, hands, legs, and feet must be sufficiently intact and functioning in order for incumbent to perform the duties satisfactorily.

Sufficiently good vision in both eyes, with or without glasses, is required to perform the duties satisfactorily.

Near vision, corrected with glasses, must be sufficient to read printed material the size of typewritten characters.

Hearing without aid, as measured by an audiometer, must not exceed 35 decibels at 1000, 2000 and 3000 Hz levels.

Physical fitness requirements must be met prior to and on a continuing basis during employment. There is a high-stress component to much of the incumbent's work assignments.

Working Conditions: Typically work is accomplished at the headquarters office, but trips to the districts are required to maintain communication and training with subordinates and to ensure compliance.

Trips are made outside of the park to make contacts with government officials and partners.

While some work may be performed in an office setting, most of the work is performed outdoors in all kinds of weather and climatic conditions.

The work is performed at various hours of the day and night and for prolonged periods during emergency situations.

Park Rangers are frequently exposed to high risk and potentially dangerous situations in law enforcement and emergency types of situations requiring use of a wide range of personal protective gear (some of which may be uncomfortable, hot, or inconvenient to wear), adherence to specific safety procedures, and other precautions.

Long periods of surveillance work may be required in cramped, or unpleasant locations and under unpleasant conditions. Shift work is often required.

Incumbent is required to operate motor vehicles of various types, may be required to fly in small fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft, and may be required to operate and/or ride in small watercraft.

Emergency law enforcement operations will require entry into hazardous environments; exposure to dangerous persons, animals, and substances; and potential exposure to infectious diseases.