This position serves as the Senior Staff Ranger within the Visitor and Resource Protection program in the Midwest Regional Office. It provides guidance and oversight to the parks. It oversees a broad spectrum of regional visitor and resource protection programs that include emergency planning, special park uses, emergency services, regulations, physical security, uniforms, and the regional incident management team.
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-09/16/2025-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. 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 II (seasonal) or higher 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. Required to carry a firearm while performing duties and required to maintain firearm proficiency and be subject to the Lautenberg Amendment. - AND - Applicants must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: Specialized Experience: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This specialized experience includes activities such as 1: Monitoring a law enforcement and resource protection function. 2: Interpreting regulations and policy directives related to law enforcement and natural resource protection that included evaluating law enforcement program activities, and the type of resources needed for the program. 3: Reviewing law enforcement case reports to ensure compliance with policy, mutual aid agreements, cooperative agreements and memoranda of understanding. 4: 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. ICTP/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. Federal employe s seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5CFR 330.605(2) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the announcement. 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. Physical Demands: Office work occasionally requires long hours of desk work and can be stressful in that the incumbent is often faced with short deadlines and conflicting priorities and must occasionally resolve conflicting viewpoints. The work entails periodic travel to parks and offices throughout the NPS. Site-specific field work associated with program responsibilities may involve occasional strenuous activity, exposure to rugged terrain, and travel by small plane, helicopter, watercraft or specialized vehicles. Due to the law enforcement requirements of this position, mandatory physical fitness and medical standards apply to the incumbent. Working conditions: Most work is performed in an office setting, but field work can entail a wide variety of geographical settings and exposure to natural elements and weather extremes. Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.
You will 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. You will supervise and 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. In addition, you will participate in all aspects of employee supervision including performance planning and appraisals, employee recognition, and employee counseling. Provide assistance, support, coordination, and oversight to parks or offices related to techniques, policies, and practices of law enforcement. Develop law enforcement or emergency services planning documents, policies, procedures, and/or templates. Provide professional and technical advice on issues involving an incident management system, Emergency Medical Service (EMS), and Search and Rescue (SAR) programs, and emergency preparedness. Develop and maintain positive working relationships with units and programs at multiple levels, from field staff to superintendents, regional leadership and program leads, and Investigative Services Branch and other federal programs, agencies, and partners. REQURIEMENTS: U.S. Citizenship required. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males. Subject to pre-employment physical and drug testing. Must possess a Type II or higher Law Enforcement Commission. New employees of the Department of the Interior must identify a financial institution for direct deposit of net pay within 30 days of entrance on duty. 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. Selectee(s) must be free of any domestic violence convictions. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination. This is a primary position covered by enhanced retirement provisions which stipulate mandatory retirement at age 57 after 20 years of service. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age, and must not have reached their 37th birthday upon appointment to this position. Two exceptions are allowed: 1) an applicant has prior Federal service in a primary covered position sufficient to complete 20 years of service on or before the mandatory retirement age of 57; or 2) an applicant is a qualified veterans' preference eligible, in which case the MEA is waived and their corresponding retirement age may be higher than 57 after completing 20 years of service.