Summary
You will serve as a Supervisory Park Ranger (Protection) - Chief Park Ranger, in the Division of Visitor Resource Protection.
This position is responsible for administering all phases of the law enforcement and visitor protection programs for park visitors and resources. Program responsibilities include law enforcement, boat safety, off-road vehicle management, park Dive Program, park collateral duty safety officer, Park special uses, and commercial use duties.
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Duties
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This position is assigned to the Visitor and Resource Protection branch of Lake Meredith.
Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:
- Oversees all law enforcement and visitor/resource protection operations, including felony investigations and enforcement on National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management-managed lands.
- Manages key safety and specialized programs, such as boat safety, off-road vehicle management, dive operations, and overall park safety.
- Administers permitting and compliance functions, including Special Use Permits, Commercial Use Authorizations, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) responses, and Tort Claims.
- Leads physical security efforts, including security surveys, planning, training, and reporting for park facilities.
- Supervises staff and directs long-range planning, executes acquisition paths, providing leadership, guidance, and strategic goals for park protection programs.
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.
- 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...
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 - 08/11/2026-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 08/11/2026. 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 08/11/2026.
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Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:
Specialized 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). Examples of qualifying specialized experience include, but are not limited to: (1) Law enforcement or investigative work involving the protection, conservation, or management of park areas; (2) Management, assistant, or program specialist work involving the development and implementation of policy related to protection, conservation, or management of park areas or similar operations; (3) Leading or supervising a law enforcement program, or other similar work.
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
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.
This position does not allow substituting education for experience.
Additional information
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: The work demands of this position can be sedentary during administrative duties but can be arduous from time to time. The work may include long periods of standing, hiking and/or climbing, in many cases on uneven, steep, rough, slippery, and/or rugged terrain. Strenuous exertion is frequently required in law enforcement, firefighting, search and rescue, medical and related emergency actives. Lifting or carrying equipment weighing over 50 pounds, such as firefighting or search and rescue equipment, is required. The combination and nature of duties at times cause the position to be demanding, hectic, ad stressful. Directors Order and Reference Manual 9 and 57 fitness requirements are mandatory for this law enforcement commissioned position.
Work Environment: Some assignments are indoors with no exposure to significant hazards or discomfort. When required to work outdoors, varying weather and terrain are encountered. Factors can vary from wind, rain, snow, sleet and extreme cold to extreme heat. Rough, uneven terrain and steep slopes, and a lake or river can be encountered. Incumbent is required to operate patrol vehicles, UTV's and Class A vessels. Emergency law enforcement operations will require entry into hazardous environments, exposure to dangerous persons, animals and substances, and potential exposure to infectious diseases.
This position is not suitable for telework.
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 must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
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 benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
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). 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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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the speci
