Park Ranger Training Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Summary
You will serve as a Supervisory Park Ranger (Protection) at Lake Clark National Park and Preserve or Kenai Fjords National Park.
Recruitment or relocation incentives may be offered.
A 1.49% COLA is added to the Anchorage location.
A 3.00% COLA is added to the Seward location.
*** Closing date extended to 9/14/2026 ***
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Duties
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Two positions are being advertised:
Lake Clark National Park and Preserve:
Incumbent of this position serves as the Chief Ranger at Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. The incumbent is a key team members on the park management team and has parkwide responsibility for protection of visitors, resources and employees, as well as the park aviation management. The incumbent plans, develops, directs, supervises and provides leadership in the execution of logistically complex operating programs supplementing these activities in a 4-million-acre conservation unit with diverse resources and public uses. The incumbent is a key member of the park team and participates fully in applying norms, standards, guidelines and principles to alt meetings and activities. The duty station for this position is Anchorage AK.
Kenai Fjords National Park:
This position serves as the Chief Ranger of Kenai Fjords National Park. The incumbent primary responsibility for a complex operation of visitor and resource protection and public use in a 600,000-acre park with diverse resources and public uses. Functions as one of 6 division chiefs on the park Leadership Team and has park-wide responsibility for protection of visitors, resources and employees. The incumbent plans, develops, directs, supervises and provides leadership in the execution of major duties. Kenai Fjords is primarily a marine based park. Duty station is Seward, AK.
Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:

• As a member of the park leadership team, this position is actively involved in developing and implementing management strategies, decisions affecting overall park management and policy, and contributing to the development and implementation of management documents.
• This position manages a multi-faceted organization through the management of subordinate supervisory staff, multi-year/operational budgets, and the utilization of new information technologies. Exercises the full range of supervisory duties actively supporting Equal Employment Opportunity Programs. Position ls responsible for a comprehensive safety and training program enforcing regulatory policies and mandates and eliminating at-risk behaviors.
• As the senior Law Enforcement Officer (LEO), provides leadership and direction for the overall park law enforcement search and rescue, emergency medical, special park use management, commercial use management, and structural fire management programs.
• Provides guidance and oversight for the park's aviation program.
• Provides guidance and oversight of the Ranger program's marine operation.

For additional information please contact:
Lake Clark National Park: Grant Hilderbrand at Grant_Hilderbrand@nps.gov
Kenai Fjords National Park: Megan Richotte at Megan_E_Richotte@nps.gov
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.
• 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.
• A financial disclosure report will be required within 30 days of appointment.
• You are required to obtain and maintain a Motorboat Operator Certification Course (MOCC).
• 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.
• 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.

*Additional Requirements located under Qualifications*
Qualifications
Requirements Continued...
Probationary Period: 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. This is a supervisory position that may require completion of a supervisory probationary period.
Qualifications:
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 09/14/2026-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 Law Enforcement Commission, or equivalent, by 09/14/2026. 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. 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.

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Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:
To qualify for this position at the GS-12 grade level:
Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: law enforcement or investigative work Involving the protection, conservation, or management of park areas; management, assistant, or program specialist work Involving the development and implementation of policy related to protection, conservation, or management of park areas; leading or supervising"' a park law enforcement program. You must include hours.
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: 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 1 Law Enforcement Commission upon appointment.
If applying with a non NPS commission please upload your training certificate from the following:
Land Management Police Training (LMPT);
National Park Ranger Integrated (NPRI);
U.S. Park Police Integrated (USPPI);
National Resource Police Training Program (NRPT);
BIA - Basic Police Officer Training Program (BIA-BPOTP); or
Uniformed Police Training Program (UPTP)
This position does not allow substituting education for experience.
Additional information
Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.
If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive. A continued service agreement may be required if it is determined you are eligible for a permanent change in duty station (PCS), recruitment, or relocation incentive.
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.
Permanent Change of Station is authorized for the incumbent if in qualifying position.
Physical Demands:
The work regularly includes long periods of standing, hiking and climbing in uneven, steep, rough, slippery and rugged terrain. Strenuous exertion is frequently required in law enforcement, firefighting, search and rescue medical and related emergency activities. Lifting or carrying equipment weighing over 50 pounds, such as firefighting or search and rescue equipment is required. Duties Involve performing physically rigorous assignments in Isolated outdoor, environments while exposed to severe weather conditions. Physical fitness requirements must be met on a continuing basis. There is a physical, mental and emotional high-stress component to much of the incumbent's work assignment.
Work Environment:
Lake Clark:
Work Is performed both, in an office and outdoors. Office is adequately heated, lighted and ventilated. Field work is performed in sub-arctic conditions characterized by rugged terrain, changeable weather, extremely low temperatures, harsh winds, varying water levels, insects, wild animals and other conditions which present unusual and sometimes severe safety and logistical problems requiting prompt sound judgment.
Kenai Fjords:
The majority of the time is spent in an office setting environment. However, field work, evaluations, consultations and emergency situations frequently involve working outside and may be subjected to extreme Alaska weather including cold, snow, high winds, high altitudes, blizzards, rain and dust. The work may be performed at various hours of the day and night for prolonged periods of time during emergency situations. The incumbent is frequently exposed to high-risk and potentially dangerous situations in law enforcement and emergency operations requiring use of a wide range of personal protective equipment and requiring adherence to specific safety procedures and other precautions. Long periods of surveil