Supervisory Park Ranger (Protection)
What you'd do
You will serve as a Supervisory Park Ranger (Protection), Regional Chief Ranger for the National Capital Area - Region 1. Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will be paid if the selectee lives outside of the local commuting area and is otherwise eligible for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulation.
Major duties
The incumbent in this position serves as the senior program manager for law enforcement, physical security, wildland fire, structural fire, aviation, emergency management and preparedness, life-safety, telecommunications (dispatch and radio), occupational health and safety and inter-regional and local SETT and IMT teams, compendium management, and the national emergency incident coordination center under the Deputy Regional Director of Operations, National Capital Area - Region 1. The incumbent provides independent managerial expertise and leadership throughout the National Capital Area - Region 1 for a wide range of visitor and resource protection functions. Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Ensures that law enforcement operational activities are uniformly implemented in compliance with directives, policies, and law. Investigate, apprehend, and detain individuals suspected or convicted of offenses against the criminal laws. Provides expertise, support, review, and information as needed, to parks, WASO and solicitors on the matters related to regulations in parks. Principal advisor to the Regional Director concerning visitor and resource protection and law enforcement in all park areas in the region. Directs fiscal management for regional visitor and resource protection programs, including implementation of financial plans, operating program, and special accounts. Participates in meetings and conferences with Regional Directorate, park superintendents, regional staff, union officials, and representatives of other Federal agencies, etc., regarding ranger service matters. Coordinates with managers, including natural and cultural resources, maintenance, and interpretation to ensure needs are adequately met. Actively participates in staff meetings and briefing sessions with managers, Regional Director, Directorate and other teams and office. Directly responsible for the development and supervision ranging in grade from GS-7 to GS-13, including program managers. For more information about this position, please contact: Lisa Mendelson-Ielmini, Deputy Regional Director [email protected] (202) 619-7020
What you need to qualify
Requirements Continued... You must be at least 21 years old. You must be free of any domestic violence convictions. Prior to appointment, you must be determined physically fit by an authorized physician to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties, pass a medical examination, and pass the Physical Efficiency Battery (PEB). The PEB is a fitness test consisting of five different components: 1) agility run - measures the ability to get up from the ground and sprint while changing directions; 2) bench press - measures upper body strength for one repetition; 3) 1.5 mile run - measures cardio/respiratory fitness; 4) sit and reach - measures flexibility in the lower back, legs and shoulders; and 5) body composition - measures body fat. Prior to appointment, selectees will be tested in all five components, and must pass the agility run, bench press and 1.5 mile run in the 25th percentile. 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. This is a supervisory position that may require completion of a supervisory probationary period. Qualifications: All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 08/07/2026-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 special qualifications that have 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 meet ALL of the following to qualify: 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 08/07/2026. 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: Experience: To qualify at the GS-14 grade level, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 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 may include: Managing resource and visitor protection programs including law enforcement, search and rescue, emergency medical services, and backcountry management. Serving as a senior advisor to management. Supervising a workforce engaged in resource and visitor protection. Representing parks at interagency meetings and with special interest groups. Performing program management duties including developing and executing single and multi-year financial plans. Position management, and long and short range planning. 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.
Before you apply
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