Park Ranger Jobs in Indiana (NOW HIRING)

Summary
This position is located at Indiana Dunes National Park in the Interpretation and Education Division.
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Duties
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Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level (GS-9).

• Create education and interpretation programs that share the important resource and cultural heritage stories of Indiana Dunes National Park to students of every educational level and visitors of all age ranges.
• Work with educators and organizations to develop standards-based education programs.
• Deliver education programs to a variety of school groups in classrooms, in the park, and via distance learning platforms.
• Research teaching techniques to incorporate into education programs and stay current on the latest education trends and techniques.
• Support park operations through visitor service operations and providing ranger-guided programs.

Physical Demands: The work requires some physical exertion and can involve extensive periods of standing and walking, in some cases over rough surfaces or inclines outdoors or in caves, and carrying backpacks, tools, rescue equipment, or other loads. Some employees may engage in firefighting, search and rescue, and other strenuous activities; these employees may be required to lift or carry equipment weighing more than 50 pounds over long distances. Employees who participate in all-risk operations will be required to meet fitness requirements on a continuing basis.
Work Environment: The work can include moderate risks or discomforts that require safety precautions (e.g., exposure to extreme temperatures, climates, rough terrain, wild animals, pests, and/or insects). The incumbent may be required to use protective clothing or gear, such as masks, boots, gloves, etc. Some employees may be engaged in all-risk operations and be exposed to high risk and potentially dangerous situations which require a range of safety and other precautions.
Requirements
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Conditions of employment

1. You must be a U.S. Citizen.
2. You will be subject to a background/suitability investigation/determination.
3. You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.
4. You must submit ALL required documents and a completed questionnaire.
5. Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/.
6. You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties. You are required to obtain and maintain a valid driver's license within 7 days from Entry-On-Duty.
7. You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
8. You are required to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and overtime.
9. 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); with few exceptions as outlined in 5 CFR 300.603(b).
10. You may be required to travel overnight away from home. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
11. You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
12. Applicants 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.
Minimum Qualification Requirements:
To qualify for this position at the GS-7 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-5 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Specialized experience includes creating education programs; creating interpretive programs based on park themes; delivering education and interpretation programs; coordinating programs; providing virtual programs; developing training courses; or participating in community events. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one full academic year of graduate education related to the occupation such as natural resource management, natural sciences, ecology, biology, geology, earth sciences, history, archeology, anthropology, park and recreation management, social sciences, museum sciences, geography, English or other languages, behavioral sciences, sociology, education, or communication (one year of full-time graduate education is defined as 18 semester hours). You must include transcripts.
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SUPERIOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT (S.A.A.): Must meet the criteria for the S.A.A., as evidenced by one of the three following methods: 1) in the upper third of graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses; 2) have a GPA 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum, or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in my major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of curriculum; or 3) a member in one of the national scholastic honor societies.
-OR-
Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. Equivalent combination of experience and education that, together, equal 100% of the qualification standards listed above when combined. You must include transcripts.
To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-7 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Specialized experience includes creating education programs that align with state or national teaching standards; creating interpretive programs based on park themes; delivering education to school groups in a variety of settings; delivering interpretation programs to a variety of audiences; coordinating or managing programs; providing virtual programs; developing and leading training programs; working with teacher to develop curricula; tracking program and visitor statistics; developing strategic plans; and organizing community events. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least two full academic years of graduate education related to the occupation, or a master's or equivalent graduate degree, such as natural resource management, natural sciences, ecology, biology, geology, earth sciences, history, archeology, anthropology, park and recreation management, social sciences, museum sciences, geography, English or other languages, behavioral sciences, sociology, education, or communication (two years of graduate education is defined as 36 semester hours). You must include transcripts.
-OR-
Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. Equivalent combination of experience and education that, together, equal 100% of the qualification standards listed above when combined. You must include transcripts.
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 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 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.
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.
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.
Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website: https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
Education
Education: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements.
Foreign Education: Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the specific educational requirements as stated above. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4
Additional information
Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hc/en-us/articles/29112781465108-Reasonable-Accommodation-Overview
Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for