Park Ranger (Interpretive)

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Duties

• Serve as subject matter expert in developing long-range interpretive master plan(s) and annual action plans.
• Develop, coordinate, promote and deliver interpretive programs through a variety of media, venues, and public outreach.
• Coordinate the development publications, exhibits, waysides, signs, and interpretive materials.
• Serve on interagency, interdisciplinary, and/or community teams as a subject matter expert to facilitate collaborative management strategies to meet interpretative objectives and site management goals.
• Provide leadership and on-site information at visitor facilities, public rooms, and visitor centers.
• Recognize and evaluate significant critical trends in visitor use and program direction.
• Assess and evaluate site traffic, environmental impacts, and visitor experience.
• Review and analyze data and trends for long- and short-term planning.
• Prepare annual budget request(s) and applicable grants to support program funding for interpretation and public outreach programs.
• Works with procurement to obligate funds and carry out work of interpretation-related initiatives through contracts and assistance agreements.
• Serve as lead coordinator for visitor information, public outreach communication, and community partnership and volunteer-based special events or projects.
• Manage volunteer, internship, and youth engagement programs.
  
  

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Be sure to read the How to Apply and Required Documents Sections.
• You cannot hold an active real estate license: nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
• Direct Deposit Required.
• Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination.
• Your resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the qualification requirements as defined in the announcement. In addition, your responses to the questions must adequately reflect in your resume.
• An applicant appointed to this position must possess (or obtain within 30 days of entrance on duty) and maintain a valid state driver's license while employed in this position.
• May require a one-year probationary period or two-year trial period depending on appointment type.
• This position is included in a bargaining unit. The National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), Local 2052, is the exclusive representative of all employees in this bargaining unit.
• Required to obtain and maintain Basic First Aid and CPR Certification throughout employment of this position.
• Required to wear approved BLM uniform.
• 8-hour Tour of Duty which may include: On-call, Evenings, Weekends, and Holidays.
  
  

Qualifications

The following Specialized Experience or Education is a requirement for this position:

Specialized Experience

Experience that demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to successfully perform the duties of the position to be filled. Experience may have been in technical, administrative, or scientific work, fish and wildlife management, recreation management, law enforcement, or other park-related work. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Park guide or tour leader.
• Law enforcement or investigative work.
• Archeological or historical preservation research work.
• Forestry and/or fire management work in a park, recreation, or conservation area.
• 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-

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.

In addition to meeting the specialized experience or education requirement:

To Qualify At The GS-07 Level

Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the difficulty and complexity of the next lower grade (GS-05) of the position to be filled. Examples of specialized experience may include: experience in interpretive principles, practices, techniques, and themes to convey, connect, and facilitate shared learning experiences with diverse audiences; develop and present specific interpretive experiences in-person and/or to virtual audiences using interpretive skills, techniques, and tools; experience preparing and delivering structured and informal presentations to diverse audiences.

-OR-

1 full year academic year of graduate education related to the occupation (see Education section for more information).

-OR-

Superior Academic Achievement (see Education section for more information).

-OR-

A combination of education and experience.

To Qualify At The GS-09 Level

Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the difficulty and complexity of the next lower grade (GS-07) of the position to be filled.

Examples of specialized experience may include: experience that involved developing and presenting a wide variety of audience and learner-centered interpretive experiences using a variety of interpretive skills, techniques, and tools delivered in person and through interpretive media and technology; conduct site or topic based research on different scientific and/or historical subject and evaluate many different sources for their relevance, validity, and bias; engage the public through formal structured programs (e.g. walks, talks, tours, presentations, demonstrations, etc.) and informal presentations.

-OR-

2 full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education (see Education section for more information).

-OR-

Master's or equivalent graduate degree related to occupation.

-OR-

A combination of education and experience.

In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements - please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your 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.

You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Physical Demands: Majority of duties are performed while sitting or standing, but the position may also require periods of strenuous physical activity including walking, hiking, climbing, and/or riding in four-wheel drive vehicles over rough terrain. Lifting boxes and equipment up to 25 lbs. is common.

Work Environment: Most assignments are performed indoors in an office setting, but some activities require exposure to variances in weather and terrain such as cold or hot temperatures, rain, and wind, and/or natural hazards of a mountainous or coastal environment. Field visits may also expose the incumbent to natural hazards such as poison oak and ticks. Training to live and work around the north coast of California is required and provided by the BLM and our partner state and DOI agencies.

Education

Education (Superior Academic Achievement - S.A.A.): S.A.A. is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership.

• Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the 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.
• Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a grade-point average of:
• 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as 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 the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2years of the curriculum.

Education (Academic Year): An academic year is computed as follows:

• At the undergraduate level, 120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours meets the degree requirements.
• At graduate level, 18 semester hours or 27quarter hours should be considered as satisfying 1 year of full-time study.
  
  

If using education to qualify, you must submit copies of all transcripts or a list of college courses that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college/university. See Required Documents section for more information.

If your degree is from a Foreign Institution See Foreign Education.

Additional information

DOI uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit E-Verify

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well qualified for the position with a score of 90 or above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information: CTAP or ICTAP

Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service

Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid by the Department of the Interior. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee.

The official worksite for the selectee is the duty station identified in this vacancy announcement. The selectee will typically report to this duty location on a regular and recurring weekly basis. The selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

This announcement is being advertised concurrently under number CAMP-24-12415441-LH, for status candidates and special hiring authority eligible. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.

Certain incentives (such as Recruitment, Relocation or Student Loan Repayment) may be authorized to eligible selectees. If 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 - Up to $5,000 has been authorized for highly qualified applicants.
• Relocation Incentive - Up to $5,000 has been authorized for highly qualified applicants.
• Student Loan Repayment.
  
  

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 will 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://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

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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 specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made. Your responses to the online questionnaire will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. Qualified applicants will be placed in one of three predefined categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified and Qualified. However, your resume must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Candidates placed in the Best Qualified category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be contacted for an interview.

Your answers to the online questionnaire will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Data Interpretation
• Education and Training
• First Response
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Organizational Awareness
• Public Planning
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork