Park Ranger (Protection)
What you'd do
You will serve as a Park Ranger (Protection) in the Visitor and Resource Protection Division at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield. This position oversees division programs and supervises staff, with responsibilities in law enforcement, criminal investigations, emergency operations, public safety and education, physical security, structural fire, special park uses, and management of the division's budget and related activities.
Major duties
Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Exercise the full range of administrative and technical supervision for supporting staff, including one permanent protection park ranger (GL-0025-05/07/09) including performance planning and appraisals, employee recognition, and employee counseling. Set work goals and ensure all employees receive required training in a timely manner; identify operational requirements and make recommendations to your supervisor regarding programming, budgeting, training, administration, and evaluation of operations; and schedule patrols to maximize visitor contact with special consideration to problem areas. Serve as the park's senior Law Enforcement (LE) Officer. Lead complex law enforcement, all hazard, emergency medical, and search and rescue operations as well as provide emergency medical services to park visitors and residents. Conduct and supervise the detection of criminal activity, investigation of criminal violations, and custodial arrests. Responsible for ensuring the completion of comprehensive written reports.
What you need to qualify
Requirements Continued... As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest. 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 or trial 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 - 08/09/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized 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 periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. 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. 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. If you do not provide evidence that you possess the following selective factor(s), you will be rated not qualified. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age. Must currently possess or previously held (within the past three years) a valid Type I NPS Law Enforcement Commission, or equivalent, by 08/09/2026. More information can be found in the 'Education' section of this job announcement. This is a covered secondary law enforcement position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S. C. 8336(c) (CSRS) and 8412(d) (FERS). In addition to the qualifying experience and/or education described above, applicants for this position must possess experience gained by substantial service in a primary law enforcement position or equivalent. -AND- Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:. To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level: Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This includes three of the five items: 1. Providing technical direction, planning, and implementing a visitor and facilities protection program, with emphasis on crime prevention and security of park facilities and grounds, poaching and other criminal activities. 2. Leading, planning, coordinating, implementing and evaluating short- and long-range goals and objectives, operating plans and program requirements. 3. Conducting full range of law enforcement operations, including investigations, reporting, and patrols, averaging 40+ hours per week. Performed investigations involving criminal acts and civil torts, including evidence collection, witness interviews, and case reporting. Including surveillance using various technologies and methodologies. 4. Develops, coordinates activities and maintains effective relationships with local, state, and other federal law enforcement and public safety agencies and departments. 5. Educating and instructing various audiences regarding park significance and resources, including laws and regulations necessary to protect the park resources and visitor experience. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- Education: Have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in 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, or sociology. You must include transcripts. -OR- Have successfully completed three (3) full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education with studies in the following: 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, or sociology. You must include transcripts. -OR- Combination of education and experience as listed above. To qualify for this combination, you must convert each portion of education and experience into a percentage. When added together, those percentages must equal 100 percent to qualify under the combination criteria. 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.
Before you apply
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