National Park Service Ranger Jobs in Decatur, GA

Summary
This position is located in Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, in the Visitor and Resource Protection Division.
Open to the first 100 applicants or 06/29/2026whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.
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Duties
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As a Supervisory Park Ranger (Protection), you will perform the following duties:

• Provides leadership and management for the Visitor and Resource Protection Division and serves as a key member of the park management team.
• Serves as the primary subject matter expert and advisor to the Superintendent, and management team on all matters of law enforcement and resource/visitor protection.
• Serves as a Level 1 commissioned park ranger and is required to carry firearms and other defensive equipment.
• Performs a wide range of resource and visitor protection duties as fully trained and qualified professional: law enforcement, emergency medical services, physical security, search and rescue operations.
• Coordinates and collaberates with a variety of other law enfocement organizations (adjacent towns and counties) to fulfill the responsibilities of visitor and resource protection.
• Coordinates with the resource management staff in planning and implementing a variety of effective resource management and protection activities including boundary encroachment and compliance with other state and federal laws.

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
• Subject to pre-employment physical and drug testing.
• Must possess a Type I 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) will be required to carry a firearm while performing duties and maintain firearm proficiency.
• 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.
• 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.
• Prior to appointment, you must be determined physically fit by an authorized government physician to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties; and also pass a medical examination (which includes vision, hearing, cardiovascular, and mobility of extremities) given by an authorized government physician. You will also be required to undergo periodic medical examinations throughout employment.

*Additional Requirements located under qualifications*
Qualifications
Requirements Continued:

• 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 operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.
• 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 2 nights per month.
• You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a valid drivers license within 30 days of employment.
• Ability to lift more than 20 pounds.
• The position to which you will be appointed is subject to a financial disclosure reporting requirement and you will be required to complete a new entrant Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of your appointment.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a one-year supervisory probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.
This supervisory 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 supervisory probation 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-06/29/2026-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 or previously held (within the past three years) a valid Type I National Park Service (NPS) Law Enforcement Commission, or equivalent, by 06/29/2026. 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 AND;
• Applicants must be at least 21 years of age.

- AND -
Applicants must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
EXPERIENCE: Must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Examples of qualifying experience may include: 1) leading and/or supervising law enforcement or resource protection employees; 2) interpreting regulations and policy directives related to law enforcement and natural resource protection; 3) providing input to and/or evaluating law enforcement or resource protection program for short and long term planning of operational needs; 4) serving as Incident Commander or Operations Chief on all-hazard operations (e.g. emergency services, search and rescue, special security events, etc.). 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.
Education
Law Enforcement Commission: This position requires applicants to possess, previously held (within the past three years), or be able to possess by 06/29/2026 a valid Type I (permanent) National Park Service (NPS) Law Enforcement Commission which requires completing training from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) including a Ranger Specific Basic Training Program and an NPS Field Training and Evaluation Program.
There is no substitution of education for experience at the grade level of this announcement.
Additional information
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.
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
Physical Demands: The incumbent is required to meet medical standards and participate in a physical fitness program as described in RM-57. Duties and responsibilities require long workdays and extensive travel by all modes of transportation. The incumbent should be in excellent physical and mental condition with considerable stamina to react to frequent emergencies and law enforcement situations that arise. This position comes under the scope and requirements of the Park's mandatory Health and Fitness Program. Ability to lift more than 20 pounds.
Working Conditions: The incumbent works in a sub-tropical climate with extreme adverse conditions. The emotional environment is most commonly one of high stress. Settings include office, front-country areas, and rugged backcountry areas. The position involves exposure to a full range of climatic conditions, transporting across long distances by vehicle, bicycle, and all-terrain vehicles.
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.
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