Local Park Ranger Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Summary
You will serve as a Park Ranger (Protection), Law Enforcement Specialist, Law Enforcement Specialist and responsible for performing duties in the law enforcement program; serves as a legal and technical resource to park managers and others across the park as well as to/with workgroups outside the park.
This is a temporary promotion and/or detail not-to-exceed 1 year and can be extended up to 5 years. This temporary promotion/detail may be made permanent without further competition
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Duties
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Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:

• Detect and Investigate violations of federal criminal laws.
• Enforce all applicable laws and regulations protecting and ensuring the safe use of National Park resources.
• Manage complex criminal investigations, prosecutions, court proceedings, records management, law enforcement training and certification, quality assurance, and training of field personnel.
• Serve as the technical legal and law enforcement adviser for field law enforcement operations.
• Serve as the court liaison between the park and both the local court systems and U.S. Federal Courts.

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 https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment..
• Must possess and maintain a current National Registry Emergency Medical Responder (or higher) certification.
• Pre-employment and random drug testing is required. You will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received.
• A physical examination will be required, or a statement regarding physical ability will need to be completed. You must maintain physical fitness standards throughout employment.
• You are required to wear a uniform and comply with uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• You are required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority.
• Firearm qualification and certification are required for the role, and ongoing proficiency must be maintained
• You must at least 21 years old. You must be free of any domestic violence convictions.
• Must maintain a delegation of law enforcement authority.
• 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.
• 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 on occassion. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.

*Additional Requirements located under Qualifications*
Qualifications
Requirements Continued...
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.
Qualifications:
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 08/24/2026-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 a special qualification that has 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 be at least 21 years of age.
• Must currently possess or previously held (within the past three years) a valid Type I National Park Service Law Enforcement Commission, or equivalent, by 08/24/2026. 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.
• Must have a current, valid State Driver's License by 08/24/2026.

-AND-
Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:
To qualify for the GS-11:
Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS/GL-09 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: One year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GL/GS-09 grade level in the Federal Service (obtained in either the public or private sectors) that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. This experience includes activities such as: performing law enforcement duties for the protection, conservation, use, and management of natural and/or cultural resources in park areas or similar operations, which involved the application of law enforcement authorities and procedures to protect visitors and resources; providing law enforcement or investigative services which include apprehending, detaining, detection, and prosecution of individuals; applying knowledge of applicable laws, regulations, policies, and areas of jurisdiction when serving as a person with law enforcement authority; responding to accidents,
emergencies, and/or natural disaster; using precautionary methods and techniques while patrolling to mitigate any crimes or violations of
the law.
-OR-
Education: Successful completion of at least 3 full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education, or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a field related to the occupation such as natural resource management, natural sciences, earth sciences, history, archaeology, anthropology, park and recreation management, law enforcement/ police science, social sciences, museum sciences, business administration, public
administration, behavioral sciences, or sociology, or other closely related subjects pertinent to the management and protection of natural
and cultural resources. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
Combination of education and experience as listed above.
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
Type I Law Enforcement Commission: Must currently possess or previously held (within the past three years), a FLETC issued Land Management Police Training, full Type I Law Enforcement Commission or equivalent; or be qualified to receive a Type I Commission upon appointment.
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.S. education programs. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications
Additional information
Special retirement coverage will not be affected by this detail/temporary promotion. Your position of record determines your retirement coverage.
Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.
Related Non-Federal experience or related experience as retired members of the uniformed services may be credited towards computing entitlement to leave accrual, at managerial discretion, providing that experience meets certain criteria. This provision allows new employees to earn annual leave at a higher rate than would otherwise be allowed. (5 Code of Federal Regulations, 630).
All Department of the Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, DOI Ethics Prohibitions | U.S. Department of the Interior.
Physical Demands/Work Environment: Work of the position is both sedentary and active. Much of the work is performed in an office setting. Instances or periods of very demanding fieldwork under quite arduous conditions, which require that the incumbent possess sufficient physical abilities and stamina to physically subdue, and arrest, when necessary, persons violating or have violated laws and regulations; climb/hike/travel cross-country in remote areas; operate 4-wheel drive and other vehicles in emergency situations, ride in helicopters, and to protect oneself and others when subduing uncooperative suspects or other persons of hostile nature. Much of the work of the position is performed in an office setting. Other work is performed outdoors in a Southern California environment with steep canyons, heavy brush, a wide variety of weather conditions to include seasonal precipitation, extremely hot days, etc.
The duties of this position are not suitable for telework.
Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.
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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.
Benefits
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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of bene