Park Ranger Interpretation Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Summary
This position is located within the Department of the Interior, National Park Service located in Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
The primary purpose of this position is to interpret, facilitate visitor engagement, and support resource management.
Learn more about this agency
Duties
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As a Park Ranger (Interpretation), you will perform the following duties:

• Develop and present a wide variety of formal and informal interpretive programs and experiences.
• Enhance in-park experiences by developing non-personal services and interpretive media.
• Coordinate the operation of a visitor facility and/or information desk.
• Guide the learning of others through formal and informal methods.
• May develop/deliver standardized in-park, off-site, and/or virtual education programs.
• Monitor and report the condition of park resources.
• Promote safety by including risk assessments in all operational decisions and actions.
• Demonstrate commitment to providing quality products and services.
• Review data/trends, and analyze information to make recommendations regarding interpretive planning.
• Coordinate the development and implementation of special projects from beginning to end.
• Actively engage and interact with local communities through on/off-site representation and interpretation.
• Track, report, and analyze visitor use statistics to improve visitor services and programs.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.
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.
• You are required to wear a uniform and comply with uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• You may be required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority.
• You may be required to work weekends, holidays, evenings, and shift work.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probation 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
Qualifications:
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 09/17/2026-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.
Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following Individual Occupational Requirements:
To qualify for this position at the GS-05 level:
Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience may have been in assisting with presenting interpretive talks, educational programs, guided tours, or visitor contacts to the public in a park, museum, historic site, nature center, environmental education program, or similar setting. Providing visitor information by answering questions, explaining rules and regulations, and directing visitors to facilities, trails, exhibits, or points of interest. Assisting with preparing, organizing, or maintaining interpretive materials, exhibits, educational supplies, or program equipment. Working with members of the public to provide courteous customer service while responding to a variety of visitor needs and inquiries. Following established safety procedures while conducting visitor services or assisting with educational or interpretive activities. You MUST include hours per week worked in your resume.
-OR-
Education: Successful completion of at least a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with 24 semester hours of related course work in a major study 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. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
Combination of education and experience: Combination of education and specialized experience as described above. To calculate your percentage of qualifying graduate education, divide your number of semester hours in excess of 60 semester hours by 120, or the number your school uses to represent one year of full-time graduate academic study. To calculate your percentage of experience, divide your months of qualifying specialized experience by 12. Add the two percentages. They must equal at least 100% to qualify using this option. Note: You must include a copy of your academic transcripts with your application if qualifying on education and you must include hours per week worked on your resume.
To qualify for this position at the GS-07 level:
Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience may have been in independently planning and presenting interpretive talks, guided walks, educational programs, or demonstrations for diverse audiences. Researching and developing interpretive or educational program content, presentations, exhibits, or informational materials using established resource information. Providing visitor orientation and information while explaining park resources, regulations, recreational opportunities, and safety practices. Assisting in evaluating visitor programs by gathering participant feedback, maintaining program statistics, or recommending improvements. Working collaboratively with coworkers, volunteers, interns, teachers, or partner organizations to support interpretive or educational programming.You MUST include hours per week worked in your resume.
-OR-
Education: Successful completion of at least one full year of graduate study in a related filed or achieved superior academic achievement. Related fields 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 a copy of your transcripts.
-OR-
Combination of education and experience: Combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. To compute this percentage, first divide the total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide the number of completed post high school semester hours of education (that are in excess of 120 semester hours) by 120. Add the two percentages together; the total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. NOTE: Only post high school education in excess of more than four-years may be used to qualify for this position and must include 24 semester hours of related course work such as those listed above. You must include a copy of your transcripts.
Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): Successfully completed a bachelor's degree in a directly related field AND meet one of the following: (1) Class Standing: rank in the upper 3rd of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, based on the completed courses; OR (2) Grade-Point Average (GPA): earn a GPA of (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) based on 4 years of education, or based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum -or- (b) 3.5 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. Note: GPA will be rounded to the one decimal place, for example, 2.95 = 3.0, 2.94 = 2.9; OR (3) Membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society.
To qualify for this position at the GS-09 level:
Qualifications continued in "Education" section.
Education
QUALIFICATIONS (continued):
Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience may have been in planning, developing, and delivering a variety of interpretive or educational programs that communicated natural, cultural, or historical resource themes to diverse audiences. Developing or revising interpretive products such as exhibits, curriculum materials, publications, digital content, or program outlines to support visitor education. Evaluating the effectiveness of interpretive or educational programs using visitor feedback, attendance data, or other performance measures and implemented improvements. Coordinating interpretive activities with park staff, volunteers, partner organizations, schools, or community groups to accomplish program objectives. Providing leadership or technical guidance to seasonal employees, interns, volunteers, or other staff in support of interpretive or visitor services operations. You MUST include hours per week worked in your resume.
-OR-
Education: Successful completion of at least 2 full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education or master's or equivalent graduate degree in a major 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. You must include a copy of your transcripts.
-OR-
Combination of education and experience: Combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. To compute this percentage, first divide the total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide the number of completed graduate education semester hours of education (that are in excess of 18 semester hours) by 36. Add the two percentages together; the total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. NOTE: Only graduate education in excess of more than one-year may be used to qualify for this position and must be in a major subject such as those listed above. You must include your 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.
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 n