Recreation Assistant (Winter Outdoor Activities) (Seasonal)
What you'd do
Likely Entry On Duty: October - November 2026. Open to the first 50 applicants or until 07/20/2026 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the 07/20/2026 to be considered. For more park(s) information, select "Learn more about this agency" below:
Major duties
The Pacific West Region is recruiting for TEMPORARY seasonal positions not to exceed 1560 hours work in a service year. Dates of employment will vary depending on funding, weather conditions, and visitation. Within regulatory limitations, the length of initial appointment may be shortened or extended depending on work availability and funding. Winter seasonal Recreation Assistant (Winter Outdoor Activities) (Seasonal), GS-0189 positions include Mount Rainier National Park which is recruiting for a GS 6. Major Duties: Presents informal and formal educational talks pertaining to resource protection to all types of audiences. Responds to visitor's inquiries for information, direction and general knowledge. Provides answers to recurring questions. Provides a wide range of services to visitors including assistance with lost articles, equipment failure, and first aid. Uses multimedia (such as, audio-visual equipment, computer software) to create informational presentations or products and to communicate operational status and needs. Performs day-to-day patrol operations to facilitate visitor understanding, enjoyment and protection of the resource and to induce behavior that complies with park regulations. Negotiate with individuals or organizations to resolve conflicts, disputes or grievances. Performs emergency services to ill and injured visitors in a variety of settings. Assists with trip itinerary planning using the "Preventive Search and Rescue" concepts. Possesses excellent skills in alpine and/or Nordic skiing in steep backcountry avalanche terrain in order to safely conduct field patrols, make field observations, perform snow surveys, and participate in search and rescues. Practices mountain and avalanche safety measures while patrolling in high-elevation and avalanche prone terrain by ski, snowshoe or snowmobile. Physical Demands: The work requires strenuous physical exertion for extended periods including skiing, walking, climbing, throwing, lifting, shoveling, and carrying objects weighing 50 pounds or more for long distances and while performing mountaineering activities. The work requires regular strenuous physical exertion, such as shoveling several feet of snow off of critical infrastructure, carrying a litter, climbing on steep snow and ice, walking over rough terrain, carrying heavy objects, such as climbing ropes, technical climbing equipment and litters equipped with sleeping bags, first aid supplies, and splints. Must be able to withstand the physical demands of extended search and rescue missions in winter above tree line in very high winds potentially at night in whiteout conditions. The incumbent's duties require navigating rough, uneven or rocky terrain, carrying and using snow survey equipment/instruments, bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, and reaching to conduct tests and gather data from the air or snow depths while standing on ground which may be uneven, unstable, or slick at high altitudes (elevations over 10,000 feet above sea level). Work Environment: Work may be performed on uneven, steep, rough, slippery and/or rugged terrain and in all types of weather. The work environment involves regular and recurring exposure to potentially dangerous situations or unusual environmental stress where safety precautions cannot completely eliminate the danger and the high-risk factors cannot be reasonably controlled. Incumbent may be expected to perform duties at elevations over 10,000 feet above sea level in alpine environments covered in snow and ice that pose unique winter challenges and dangers. This work requires specific skills and experience, including winter backcountry travel, and the ability to assess hazardous winter environments. The hazardous nature of the work requires protective clothing (helmet, boots, gloves, etc.) to be worn and protective equipment (avalanche beacons, probes, and climbing equipment) to be used on a routine basis. Incumbent may work alone at times and must be able to drive to different field sites. The island of Hawaii is subject to high concentrations of volcanic fumes (VOG), especially sulfur dioxide gasses and fine particulates. The fumes are known to be hazardous to an unborn fetus, and persons with heart and respiratory problems. The coastline primarily experiences VOG conditions throughout the year, and occasionally eastern Hawaii Island and other Hawaiian Islands. Long-term effects on normal healthy persons are unknown.
What you need to qualify
All qualifications must be met when the applicant limit is reached which may be sooner than by the closing date of this announcement-07/20/2026 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: These positions perform pre-hospital care for medical emergencies. A CURRENT Emergency Medical Technician certification, or higher certification, is required for Mount Rainier National Park and a Wilderness First Responder is required for Yosemite National Park. Candidates who do not meet this requirement by close of this announcement will receive no further consideration for this position. Certifications MUST be reflected in application materials. QUALITY RANKING FACTOR for Mount Rainier National Park: Applicants who hold an AIARE Avalanche Pro 1 or equivalent level or higher certification will be able to better perform the duties required of this position. To get credit you MUST indicate type of training and expiration date on your resume. - AND - To qualify for this position at the GS-06 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: knowledge of and experience in monitoring winter recreational activities, providing education, and applying search and rescue techniques while in the field; knowledge of and skill in applying established educational practices, procedures, and methods sufficient to assist in the delivery of Leave No Trace educational programming to the public; use personal computers with office applications to provide field reports and data collection; makes decisions on appropriate actions to take to better protect the resource and park visitors (e.g., which trail to patrol, what questions to ask visitors, how to locate a missing visitor). You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one year of graduate education with major study directly related to recreation or physical education. You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. For example, I have 6 months of the specialized experience (50% of the experience requirement), and 9 semester hours of directly related graduate education (50% of the qualifying education). You must include transcripts and a resume with hours/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. ICTAP/CTAP: 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.
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