Seasonal Park Ranger

Summary
These positions are located in North Cascades National Park, in the Visitor and Resource Protection Division.

The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period for North Cascades National Park is
April-May
, but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty:
April 2026.
Open to the first
250
applicants or until 12/19/2025 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

Duties

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The Pacific West Region is recruiting for TEMPORARY seasonal positions not to exceed 1039 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.

Major Duties include:

• Patrols area including campgrounds, lakes, and trails to ensure resource and visitor protection goals are met. Uses educational contacts to achieve compliance with rules and regulations.
• Contacts and informs visitors regarding campsites, campfires, noise level, sanitation, safety, historical and natural features, park activities, travel routes, points of interest, Leave No Trace, wilderness, flora, fauna, wildlife management activities, etc. Ranger shares knowledge and distributes informational materials about park. Monitors visitor use and their effect on resources and suggests changes in operation or facilities.
• You may obtain DOI Motorboat Operators Certification and use motorized watercraft (16-29') to access the duty station, perform patrols, and conduct emergency operations depending on prior experience. Water conditions are capable of creating hazardous boating conditions. Often operates vessel singlehandedly in a safe manner in a wide range of weather and water conditions, capable of creating hazardous boating conditions.
• Serves as a member of all-risk operations, e.g., search and rescue, wildland fire, emergency medical service, etc., within the scope of training and certification.
• Assists in monitoring and inspecting concessionaires, facilities, and special permit holders to assure they are operating as authorized and are not adversely affecting park resources.
• Performs work associated with trail maintenance, campsite cleaning and repairing, signpost installation, etc. Assists maintenance workers and trail crews with routine projects.
• Performs various administrative duties including gathering routine information, compiling data, stocking and inventorying, etc.
• Provides direction and guidance to lower graded employees, works independently with less supervision, and is able to handle less common or more complex situations.

Area Information for Duty Locations:
Newhalem, Marblemount, Whatcom County (Hozomeen), Stehekin, WA.

Marblemount has about 350 residents and boasts gas stations, churches, community center, a post office and a number of small restaurants. Recreation focuses on outdoor activities including hiking, mountaineering, fishing and boating. About 18 miles down valley, the larger town of Concrete provides a larger grocery store, medical office, and specialty stores such as those selling hardware goods. The weather in the summer is relatively dry with high temperatures in the 80's, with some warmer periods in the 90's. Nighttime temps are in the 50's. Average summer precipitation is about 15 inches. Closest metropolitan area is Seattle, Washington (100 miles).Hozomeen is at the north end of Ross Lake. Vehicle access is via a 40-mile gravel road from Hope, British Columbia. Power is provided by on site facilities and may not be consistent. There is no landline or cell service. Communication is via radio system. There may be satellite internet. There are no services available in Hozomeen--shopping and medical facilities are in Hope, B.C. Applicants for Hozomeen must possess valid USA/Canadian border crossing travel documents by enter on duty date and must be legally allowed to enter Canada to access the duty station.

Stehekin is at the north end of Lake Chelan, accessed by airplane or 50-mile boat trip. A round-trip ferry fee costs about $75 plus possibly additional baggage fees. A concession operation provides a restaurant and small gift shop. Shopping, medical, and other services are available in Chelan at the south end of the lake. Groceries and other supplies are ordered by mail and shipped via boat at the employee's expense. There is no phone service in the residences but satellite internet is available at the office. Weather is typically hot and dry with high temperatures in the 90's with some warmer periods above 100 degrees. Average summer precipitation is 4-5 inches.

Requirements
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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
• Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
• You will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
• 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 will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
• You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 5 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
• You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
• You will be required to possess a current EMT certification.
• For some positions and locations, occupancy of government quarters is required. Government housing may also be available for non-required occupants.
• Travel, transportation & relocation expenses will not be paid. Relocation expenses will be the employee's responsibility.
• Applicants must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.

Qualifications
All qualifications must be met by 11:59 EST when the 'applicant cut-off' is reached (which may be sooner than 12/19/2025).

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
(GS-07 Only)
: Park Rangers work in remote settings far from medical providers. It is extremely likely that, in the course of a work season, park rangers will respond to emergency medical incidents involving park visitors, co-workers, or themselves. These incidents range from minor sprains/strains to life threatening medicals/traumas requiring immediate helicopter evacuation. Applicants must be able to enter on duty with National Registry Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT) or higher EMS certification. If you do not meet the requirement, you will be rated ineligible for the position. You MUST document the type of certification, certifying organization and expiration date, or enrollment in course, in your application documents.

• AND - To qualify for this position at the GS-05 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-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: park guide or tour leader; law enforcement or investigative work; archeological or historical preservation research work; forestry or fire management work in a park, recreation, or conservation area; management, assistant, or program specialist work involving the development and implementation of policy related to protection, conservation, or management of park areas or similar operations. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least four years of progressively higher level undergraduate education leading to a bachelor's degree with major study, at least 24 semester hours, in natural resource management, natural sciences, earth sciences, history, archeology, anthropology, park and recreation management, law enforcement/police science, social sciences, museum sciences, business administration, public administration, behavioral sciences, sociology, or other closely related subjects pertinent to the management and protection of natural and cultural resources. You must include transcripts.
• OR- Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours (or equivalent) earned towards a bachelor's degree, in excess of 60 semester hours, and divide by 60 semester hours (or equivalent). Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify). You must include hours per week worked and transcripts.

To qualify for this position at the
GS-07
grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

EXPERIENCE:
At least one 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: 1) perform front or back country patrols in a park or natural area to education visitors and protect resources; 2) staff a visitor center or information desk providing information and orientation to visitors; and 3) provide emergency medical treatment to others within the scope of your licensure.
You must include hours per week worked
.

**-OR-

EDUCATION:
Successful completion of at least one year of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree with major study in ­natural resource management, natural sciences, marine biology/sciences, earth sciences, history, archeology, anthropology, park and recreation management, law enforcement/police science, social sciences, wetlands ecology, or other closely related subjects pertinent to the management and protection of natural and cultural resources.
You must include transcripts.**

• OR- Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours (or equivalent) earned towards a graduate degree and divide by 18 semester hours (or equivalent). Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include hours per week worked and transcripts.

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. Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR for CTAP and 5 CFR for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating, and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP/ICTAP eligible. If you are selected for Federal employment, you will be required to fill out a Declaration of Federal Employment, OF-306, prior to being appointed to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. Failing to answer all questions truthfully and completely or providing false statements on your application may be grounds for not hiring you, or for firing you after you begin work. Also, you may be punished by fine or imprisonment (U.S. Code, Title 18, section 1001).

Education

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

Additional information

If you would like more information regarding this announcement, please contact:
Landon Rick, ,

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized
for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR

• is not eligible for a recruitment incentive. This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate. Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1040 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR [b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (NPS).

If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1040 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1040 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility.

The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1040 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1040 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM.

Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations.
Physical Demands:
The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as extensive periods of standing and walking, in some cases over rough, uneven, rocky or snowy surfaces and includes lifting and carrying backpacks up to 50 pounds, tools, rescue equipment, etc. Work may be performed on uneven, steep, rough, slippery, and/or rugged terrain. Work will require control over motorboat operation when on large bodies of rough water.

Working Conditions:
The work is performed in a setting in which there is regular and recurring exposure to moderate discomforts and unpleasantness, e.g., high or low temperatures, confined spaces or adverse weather conditions. In addition, work may be performed in areas of extremely rough terrain with wide annual variations in climatic conditions. Will be exposed to open water in motorized watercraft.

The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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