Park Ranger (Protection)

Location Negotiable after Selection: For more information on NPS law enforcement and to view available locations, see "Find Positions and Locations": Become a Law Enforcement Ranger For position and park related questions, please contact: LE_Recruitment@nps.gov or visit: LE Recruitment page and find a park. Open to the first 350 applicants or 11/17/2026 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

Park Ranger (Protection) Duties: Enforce Federal laws, regulations and policies; patrol front country and backcountry sites. Emergency response (Incident Command System) including medical services, search and rescue, and wildland/structural fire suppression. Facilitate visitor stewardship and orientation; wilderness management; boundary enforcement; protection of natural and cultural resources Assist with preliminary investigations of felonies, crimes, and violations of park rules, public use, safety requirements, and motor vehicle accidents. Crowd control activities; proactively protects park resources from all forms of degradation. Conduct law enforcement investigations into misdemeanor violations. Under the supervision of a Type I commissioned personnel, investigate felony violations and fatalities. Additional duties for GL-7: Independently conduct law enforcement investigations into misdemeanor violations. Under the supervision of a Type I commissioned personnel, investigate felony violations and fatalities. Additional duties for GL-9: Conduct law enforcement investigations into misdemeanor, felony violations and fatalities. Provide specialized knowledge of resource protection, resource education, and public use management. Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level. Other Position Requirements: Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment. Required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle. Required to wear a uniform and comply with the uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided. Occupancy of government quarters may be required. Government housing may be available. Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor. May be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work. May be required to travel overnight away from home. Required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority. Bargaining Union eligibility is dependent upon the location. Career-Seasonal appointments are permanent positions and include the same benefits as permanent appointments, but do not provide work on a year-round basis. You will work for approximately 6-9+ months, and you will be in a non-pay status for the remainder of the year. Non pay status is dependent on the location of the position being hired. NOTE: Not all available positions are career-seasonal positions; both full-time (all year employment) and career-seasonal positions are available. Cost of Living Allowance (COLA): The salary annotated on this announcement does not include the cost-of-living allowance, nor locality pay. Nonforeign Area Cost-of-Living Allowances to calculate locality pay. OPM Salaries and Wages (Special Rates L001-L059) to calculate locality pay. 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 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 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.

Must provide proof of U.S. citizenship. Subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/. Direct Deposit participation required. Required to attend and successfully complete FLETC Land Management Police Training OR the NPS Basic Academy Bridge Academy (if eligible) to obtain a NPS Type I Law Enforcement Commission AND Field Training Evaluation Program - see Qualifications section for more information. Firearm qualification and certification are required for the role, and ongoing proficiency must be maintained. You must be at least 21 years old. You must be free of any domestic violence convictions. 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. Pre-employment and random drug testing are required. You will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received. 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. 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. Learn more here. Must not have reached your 37th birthday prior to employment. Exception to mandatory age requirement: Applicants who have prior Federal service in a primary covered position sufficient to complete 20 years of service on or before the mandatory retirement age of 57 OR if an applicant is a qualified veteran and is preference eligible, in which case the mandatory entry age is waived and their corresponding retirement age may be higher than 57 after completing 20 years of service. See Duties section for more requirements.

Related Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- 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. Course work in fields other than those specified may be accepted if it clearly provides applicants with the background of knowledge and skills necessary for successful job performance in the position to be filled. 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 not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work. Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualification This position is also open to the public under announcement LE-27-DE-13102143-MR-SD1. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.