Weekend Government Interpreter Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Summary
This position is located in Joshua Tree National Park, in the Division of Interpretation, Resource Education and Volunteers.
The purpose of interpetation is to enrich peoples lives through meaningful experiences and enjoyable recreation.
Learn more about this agency
Duties
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The major duties of the Park Ranger (Interpretation) position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Plans, designs, develops, and improves interpretive materials such as webpages, app content, audio, video, other digital content, signs, publications, and waysides and presents a variety of formal and informal interpretive and educational programs to a wide variety of audiences.
• Serves as a front-line representative of the National Park Service to meet and greet visitors in visitor centers, in a park or at outreach events providing orientation, information, and informal interpretation.
• Works effectively, cooperatively, and builds relationships/partnerships, with coworkers, park partners (educators, cooperating associations, Tribes, community groups, other agencies), and the general public in an effort to provide quality park interpretation and effective outreach to park communities.
• Coordinate the operation of a visitor facility and/or information desk.
• Actively engage and interact with local communities through on and off-site representation and interpretive programming. Identify and engage with new audiences and communities.
• Coordinate and maintain effective working relationships with organizations (e.g., academic and cultural institutions, state and local government agencies, special interest/user groups).
• May assist partners and communities in developing their own interpretive and management plans, ensuring they are complementary to park goals and objectives while meeting partner and community needs.
• Supervise, train, coach, and mentor interpretive staff and volunteers.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.
The employees of the National Park Service care for places that belong to all Americans. Since 1916, the agency has been dedicated to preserving and managing the nation's natural, historical, and recreational resources. Park ranger-interpreters connect people to parks by helping visitors have meaningful, satisfying, and safe experiences. They guide visitors in planning their time, introduce the wonders of each park, and help them form personal connections to the places and stories found there. Through specialized training, interpreters present multiple perspectives, inspire curiosity, and encourage visitors to care about and protect park resources. Their interpretive and educational programs foster stewardship and strengthen public support so that national parks can be enjoyed by current and future generations.
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.
• Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/.
• 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 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 1 night per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
• You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.

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.
Qualifications
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-07/20/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.
Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience.
To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount qualified specialized experience.
To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
EXPERIENCE: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-04 level in the federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience must include: 1) park guide or tour leader, 2) law enforcement or investigative work, 3) archaeological or historical preservation research work, 4) forestry and/or fire management work in a park, recreation, or conservation area, 5) 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, or 6) other similar work. -OR-
EDUCATION: A 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with a major that includes 24 semester hours of related coursework, which may 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 subjects related to the management and protection of natural and cultural resources. -OR-
COMBINATION: A combination of specialized experience and education, as described above, that together equal at least 100% of the qualification requirements for the GS-05 level. Only progressive education beyond the first two years (more than 60 semester hours or equivalent) is creditable when combining, and transcripts must be submitted as proof of any claimed education.
To qualify for this position at the GS-07 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-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience must include: (1) developing and presenting independently researched programs, (2) developing material for nonpersonal services and interpretive media, (3) coordinating the operation of a visitor facility and/or information desk, and (4) assisting in coordinating special projects. -OR-
EDUCATION: One full academic year of graduate education related to the occupation in 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, or sociology. -OR-
Superior Academic Achievement: (See OPM's General Policies, Application of Qualification Standards Section 4.f.) S.A.A. must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled. -OR-
COMBINATION: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) by 18. Add the two percentages.
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-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience must include (1) coordinating, evaluating, or directing interpretive programs, (2) assisting with developing long-range program plans, (3) developing interpretative and educational programs, and (4) coaching or mentoring interpretive or similar staff. -OR-
EDUCATION: two full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education, a master's degree, or an equivalent graduate degree in 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, or sociology. -OR-
COMBINATION: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. Calculate your education and experience percentages by determining what percentage of the required amounts you possess. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify.
You must include months, years and hours per week worked to receive credit for your work and/or volunteer experience. One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week. Part-time hours are prorated. You will not receive any credit for experience that does not indicate exact hours per week or is listed as "varies". Experience listed as full-time will be credited at 40 hours per week.
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
To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.
If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.
Additional information
Field Unit Local Hiring Authority
This position will be filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority. Eligibility is limited to applicants who reside within the defined local commuting area at the time of application. For this announcement, the local commuting area is the area from which individuals can reasonably commute to the duty station under normal conditions. The defined vicinity for this position is: 50 miles from the Joshua Tree National Park, located at
74485 National Park Drive Twentynine Palms, CA 92277.
See the Required Documents section for information on how to verify current residence.
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.
Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.
Promotion to the full perfo