Park Ranger (Interpretation)

Duties

Summary

This position is located in Sitka National Historical Park, in the Interpretation Division.

Responsibilities

About this opportunity: This position will serve as the Chief of Interpretation for Sitka National Historical Park and is responsible for managing the Interpretation Division, including serving as a role model in excellent interpretive skills and visitor services. This position serves as program manager and professional-level advisor for all interpretative and education programs, and planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating the programs.

The incumbent is responsible for day-to-day scheduling and operation of the park’s interpretation program and supervision of permanent and seasonal interpretive rangers, interns, and volunteers. Operations include one visitor center open year-round, one historic building open seasonally, exhibits, seasonal demonstrating artists, social media platforms, park publications, the park website and project implementation. The incumbent is also responsible for being an involved member of the park management team.

The division currently has 3 permanent employees, and the incumbent will be actively involved in recruiting seasonal interpretive positions. The selectee will also assist in seasonal training schedules, review work plans, evaluate interpretive programs, and oversee staff schedules.

This position serves as the Park Public Information Officer, working closely with local media to publicize park evens, goals, and plans. Acts as Park Liaison for community groups with an interest in national parks to help foster support for National Park Service (NPS) and Sitka National Historical Park goals and objectives.

The incumbent will also manage the division budget and is responsible for planning, programming and budgeting activities. This position provides information and makes decisions of park-wide importance on park issues and is not limited to just their functional area.

For additional information regarding major job duties of this position, please contact Mary Miller, Park Superintendent, 907-747-0111, [email protected]

About the National Park Service: The employees of the National Park Service care for special places that are the heritage of all Americans. Since its inception in 1916, the National Park Service has been dedicated to the preservation and management of this country’s outstanding natural, historical, and recreational resources. Park ranger – interpreters connect people to parks. They play a key role in ensuring that visitors have a meaningful, satisfying, and safe park experience, help visitors decide how to spend their time in the park, and inform them about the wonders that await their discovery. Park ranger – interpreters are specially trained to engage the public so that each park visitor can find a personal connection with the meanings and values found in the places and stories of that park. They help visitors explore the many dimensions of parks by introducing them to a variety of perspectives. By providing the opportunity for visitors to care about the places they visit, they promote stewardship and the opportunity for those visitors to care for park resources. National parks are among the most remarkable places in America for recreation, learning, and inspiration. The work done by park ranger-interpreters through effective interpretive and educational programs encourages the development of a personal stewardship ethic and broadens public support for preserving and protecting park resources, so that they may be enjoyed by present and future generations.

Area Information: Sitka National Historical Park, Alaska’s oldest federally designated park, was established in 1910 to commemorate the Battle of Sitka, which took place in 1804. All that remains of this last major conflict between Europeans and Natives of the Northwest Coast is the site of a Kiks.adi Fort, located within the confines of this scenic 113-acre park located in a temperate rain forest on the Indian River estuary. The park’s story continues at the Russian Bishop’s House, one of four surviving examples of Russian colonial architecture in North America. This original 1843 log structure conveys the legacy of Russian America through exhibits, refurbished living quarters and the Chapel of the Annunciation. A world-renowned collection of Tlingit and Haida totem poles arrayed along historical Totem Trail and in Totem Hall, and other Native Alaskan cultural property as well as artifacts from the Russian era, form the heart of the park’s extensive curatorial collection.

Sitka is located on Baranof Island in Alaska’s Southeastern Panhandle. It can be reached by commercial airline and is a port of call for cruise ships as well as ferries on the Alaska Marine Highway System. Sitka has a moderate climate. Summer has frequent rain, and temperatures range from the high 50’s to high 60’s F. Winter has rain and snow, with stretches of sunshine, and temperatures ranging from high teens to the 40’s. Annual precipitation is 85 inches per year.

Travel Required

Occasional travel – You may be expected to travel up to 2 nights per month for this position.

Supervisory status

No

Promotion Potential

None

Job family (Series)

0025 Park Ranger

Requirements

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

U.S. Citizenship required.

Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.

Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.

Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required.

Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.

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). Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal civilian employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

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, Note: please do NOT submit a copy of your driver’s license with your application package.

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.

If you are a new employee in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.

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.

You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-06/30/2021-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

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.

To qualify for this position at the GS-11 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-09 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, abilities, and competencies needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience one grade lower could include: Supervising or leading a park education and interpretive program; serving as a lead interpretive ranger, educator, or teacher in a park, historic site, recreation, or conservation area; management or program specialist work involving the development and/or implementation of policy related to the education/interpretation programs in park areas or similar operations; or other similar work. You must include hours per week worked.

• OR-

EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least three full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education, or, a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, in a directly-related field such as 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 above may be accepted if it clearly provides applicants with the background of knowledge and skills necessary for successful job performance in this position. You must include transcripts.

• OR-

Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. To calculate your percentage of qualifying graduate education, divide your number of semester hours in excess of 36 semester hours by 18 or the number your school uses to represent one year of full time graduate academic study. To calculate your percentage of experience, divide your months of qualifying specialized experience by 12. Add the two percentages. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts.

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. You must include hours per week worked.

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

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.

A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR §575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.

A Relocation Incentive May Be Authorized for a Federal employee when the employee must move, as directed by the National Park Service (NPS) either through a management directed reassignment or selection for employment, to a different location at least 50 miles away from the one where his/her position of record held at time of selection is currently located, due to a need of the NPS. A relocation incentive is not the same as a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move and, as such, may be granted in conjunction with one another.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

Physical Demands: Some fieldwork requires the incumbent to be in good physical condition and health to accomplish strenuous activities such as hiking and backpacking in difficult terrain. Travel is frequently by vehicle on unpaved roads, by ski, snow machine, ATV, or fixed-wing aircraft. Winter temperatures plunge below zero and biting insects in summer are common.

Working Conditions: Work environment is in an office and the field. Field trips, auditing and emergencies require exposure to all kinds of weather and terrain for prolonged hours.

The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position may be suitable for occasional telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

Alaska currently does not have a state income tax or statewide sales tax.

In the event of an accident while traveling in a government aircraft, the payable benefits of a private life insurance policy may be affected.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document that you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application. Click the following link for more information, https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated ‘ineligible’, ‘not qualified’, or your score will be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions can affect your rating.

Candidates who apply under Competitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are highly qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Best qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

Candidates who apply under Noncompetitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are minimally qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your responses to the online assessments completed during the application process. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

Administration and Management

Attention to Detail

Customer Service

Flexibility

Integrity/Honesty

Interpersonal Skills

Learning

Managing Human Resources

Oral Communication

Partnering

Self-Management

Stress Tolerance

Teamwork

Technical Competence

Writing

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.

Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process.

If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance

Other

Drug test required

No

Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process

Credentialing

Required Documents

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 06/30/2021.

Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates specified in month and year format, and indicate hours worked per week. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.

A complete Occupational Questionnaire

Merit Promotion Eligibility Documentation such as:
Federal employees must submit a copy of their latest SF-50 “Notification of Personnel Action” that reflects career or career-conditional tenure showing position title, series, grade and tenure (please do not submit an Award SF-50 as it does not provide the needed information) and, if different, an SF-50 showing highest permanent grade ever held or you may not be considered under the merit promotion process. Time in grade will be determined by reviewing your resume and required SF-50’s.

If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess the one-year time-in-grade, as required by this announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade, such as a Within Grade Increase.

Federal employees must also submit a non-award SF-50 for each federal position listed if hours worked per week are not included on your resume.

Veterans Preference Documentation (e.g. DD-214, SF-15, VA Letter as appropriate)

Documentation for the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) eligibility, which includes ALL Appointment AND Termination SF-50s for EACH appointment as well as ALL performance evaluations, for each qualifying period of temporary employment claimed.

Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as:Veterans Preference Documentation:
If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you don’t have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.

If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.

If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.ebenefits.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.

Performance Appraisals and Awards:
All applicants must submit their most recent performance appraisal showing the official rating of record and signed by a supervisor or, if one is unavailable, a statement as to why it is not available (including if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level).

Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.

College transcripts, if qualifying based on education.

Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above 85 on the rating criteria for this position.

Noncompetitive or Special Hiring Authority. Applicants who are eligible to be considered based on a Noncompetitive or Special Hiring Authority (i.e. Schedule A, VRA, Peace Corps, Americorp Vista, former PLC member, 30% or More Disabled Veterans, etc., who have met the eligibility requirements for noncompetitive conversion, etc.) must submit appropriate documentation to verify your eligibility.

Reasonable Accommodation Requests: see “Next Steps” section for information.

Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials – you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.

Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency’s staffing offices.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Benefits

Benefits

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.

Review our benefits

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.

Help

This job is open to

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees who meet the definition of a “surplus” or “displaced” employee.

Federal employees – Competitive service

Current or former competitive service federal employees.

Individuals with disabilities

Land & base management

Certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency.

Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista

Special authorities

Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.

Veterans

Clarification from the agency

The area of consideration (who may apply) includes: current competitive service career/career-conditional federal government employees plus Land Management Workforce Flexibility (LMWFA); Schedule A; Veterans (VEOA, VRA, 30% and VOW Act); Reinstatement; Public Land Corp (PLC); Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP); National Service; Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP); and Reemployment Priority List (RPL) eligibles.