This position located in the Visitor & Resource Protection Division of Rocky Mountain National Park. For more information about this position, please contact Caleb Waters at caleb_waters@nps.gov.
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-05/02/2025-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. 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). Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal civilian employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. 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. Your resume must indicate your commission number and date, location and date of your last 40-hour refresher training, and the date of your last established proficiency in the use of firearms in your resume 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. - AND - Applicants must possess the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Experience may have been managing resource and visitor protection programs including: providing advice to senior management on and directing a visitor and resource protection program including law enforcement, emergency response, and wildfire. Providing technical guidance and legal advice to law enforcement staff; developing operating plans including identifying budgetary and personnel needs; developing or revising visitor and resource protection policies, standards, or procedures. Leading/managing a division or park with a large, complex, interdisciplinary staff; or managing a portfolio of program responsibilities which include providing fire, aviation, and law enforcement services. You must provide hours per week worked on your resume. 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 position serves as Chief Ranger, Visitor and Resource Protection, for Rocky Mountain National Park. The incumbent is an integral member of the park's Leadership Team, actively advocates for park-wide priorities, and provides division input into park strategic and budgetary plans. The position is responsible for carrying out a multi-year and multidisciplinary program. The position supervises 7 direct reports that oversee the law enforcement, SAR, dispatch, wilderness program, and fire management programs in the park. These direct reports, through numerous field staff, oversee the Visitor and Resource Protection function of the park. Duties include: Plans, develops, coordinates, and directs programs related to law enforcement, emergency services, wildland and structural fire, visitor management, resource protection, backcountry and wilderness management, and recreational activities. The park is primarily an area of exclusive federal jurisdiction. Implements and manages a variety of emergency operational plans and cooperative agreements to handle land and water searches, avalanche rescue, technical evacuations, emergency medical assistance, serious law enforcement situations, floods/fires and other disasters. Advises all park staff on policies, decisions, and actions in the areas of law enforcement, SAR, dispatch, wilderness, and fire management. Supervise and direct the work of subordinate staff and recruits and hires subordinate staff. Rocky Mountain National Park represents an extraordinary continuum of sub-alpine, alpine, and tundra ecosystems arrayed along the continental divide. The park and surrounding public lands provide near unlimited outdoor recreational opportunities, as well as proximity to the metropolitan areas of Fort Collins, Boulder, and Denver. Requirements: Prior to appointment, the people selected for these positions 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. 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. You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.