Interpretive Park Ranger Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Summary
This position is located at Virgin Islands National Park, in the Division of Interpretation.
Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) rate of 11.88% is authorized.
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Duties
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The incumbent will be an integral part of the interpretive team at Virgin Islands National Park.

• Major duties include staffing the Visitor Center, roving beaches and making visitors contacts, and conducting interpretive programing for the public.
• All interpretive products produced by VIIS are based on 21st century interpretive skills and encourage audience input, engagement, and participation. Main programs include a Reef Bay Hike, Network to Freedom Trail/Annaberg Sugar Plantation, Cinnamon Bay Loop, Biweekly Night Sky program, and a monthly Ram Head hike.

Some additional major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:

• Collaborates with interpretive team to develop and present interpretive programs to the public based on current research and scholarship from multiple sources and incorporating community engagement and tribal consultation when appropriate. Similar methods may be used to develop education programs for schools.
• Plans and manages volunteer program and develops and implements recruitment, retention, and recognition programs for volunteers.
• Assist with planning for special events and program for community engagement.
• Assist with planning and leading Youth Summer Programing.
• Tracks and reports statistics including visitor use, volunteer, and interpretive programs.
• Mentors and trains volunteers and seasonal visitor services staff.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.
The employees of the National Park Service care for special places that are the heritage of all Americans. Since its inception in 1916, the National Park Service has been dedicated to the preservation and management of this country's outstanding natural, historical, and recreational resources. Park ranger - interpreters connect people to parks. They play a key role in ensuring that visitors have a meaningful, satisfying, and safe park experience, help visitors decide how to spend their time in the park, and inform them about the wonders that await their discovery. Park ranger - interpreters are specially trained to engage the public so that each park visitor can find a personal connection with the meanings and values found in the places and stories of that park. They help visitors explore the many dimensions of parks by introducing them to a variety of perspectives. By providing the opportunity for visitors to care about the places they visit, they promote stewardship and the opportunity for those visitors to care for park resources. National parks are among the most remarkable places in America for recreation, learning, and inspiration. The work done by park ranger-interpreters through effective interpretive and educational programs encourages the development of a personal stewardship ethic and broadens public support for preserving and protecting park resources, so that they may be enjoyed by present and future generations.
Requirements
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Conditions of employment

• Must provide proof of U.S. citizenship.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
• 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.
• You will be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
• You may be required to travel overnight away from home. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
• You cannot hold an active real estate license, nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
• You are required to wear a uniform and comply with the uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
• You 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.

*Additional Requirements located under qualifications*
Qualifications
Requirements Continued...
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.
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.
All candidates must meet Time-in-Grade requirements.
To receive credit for experience, 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.
To qualify at the GS-05, you must possess ONE of the following 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, archaeological or historical preservation research work, forestry and/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, or other similar work. You must include hours per week worked.
• EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with a major study which includes 24 semester hours of related course work. Major study may include 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.
• Successful completion of a COMBINATION of experience and education as described above that when combined equals at least 100% of the minimum qualification requirement. NOTE: Only progressive education in excess of the first 2 years (60 semester hours or equivalent) is creditable when combining. You must include transcripts.

To qualify at the GS-07, you must possess ONE of the following by close of the announcement:

• EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service (Note: One grade interval work such as guide, clerk, assistant or technician work in a single grade occupational series at the GS-05 level does NOT generally qualify for this position, however GS-06 level may). This experience can be obtained in either the public or private sectors. This experience includes: Independently planned and presented interpretive talks, guided walks, educational programs, or demonstrations for diverse audiences; Researched and developed interpretive or educational program content, presentations, exhibits, or informational materials using established resource information; Provided visitor orientation and information while explaining park resources, regulations, recreational opportunities, and safety practices; Assisted in evaluating visitor programs by gathering participant feedback, maintaining program statistics, or recommending improvements; Worked collaboratively with coworkers, volunteers, interns, teachers, or partner organizations to support interpretive or educational programming You must include hours per week worked.
• EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one year of graduate-level education in a related field appropriate to the position, such as 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. Course work in fields other than those specified may be accepted if it clearly provides applicants with the background of knowledge and skills necessary for successful job performance in the position to be filled. You must include transcripts.
• Successful completion of a COMBINATION of experience and graduate education as described above that when combined equal at least 100% of the minimum qualification requirement. NOTE: Only graduate level education is creditable when combining. You must include transcripts.
• Superior Academic Achievement: Successfully completion of a bachelor's degree in a field directly related to the duties of this position AND meet one of the following Superior Academic Achievement provisions: (1) Class Standing: rank in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as College of Liberal Arts or School of Business Administration, based on the completed courses; OR (2) Grade-Point Average: earn a grade-point average of (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field, or the required courses completed during the final two years of the curriculum. Note: grade-point averages will be rounded to the one decimal place, for example, 2.95 = 3.0, 2.94 = 2.9, and 3.45 = 3.5; OR (3) Membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society: elected membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies. Freshman scholastic honor societies cannot be used to meet the requirements of this provision. You must provide 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.
Education
You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.
Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.