Park Ranger (Protection), GS-0025-07 at Cortez

JOB SUMMARY:

Experience your America by building a fulfilling career by joining the National Park Service. The National Park Service preserves unimpaired, the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.

Do you want excitement and challenge in your job?   Become a Park Ranger (Protection) protecting the National Park Service resources. As a Park Ranger in this position, protecting the resources will be your main focus.  You will patrol backcountry areas, protect park resources and visitors, apprehend violators, enforce park rules and regulations, provide emergency services, manage wildlife/human interactions on the roadways or in campgrounds, and encourage visitors to develop a sense of stewardship for park resources.  You will also provide information to visitors about park resources.

The Seasonal Recruitment Operations Center is currently accepting applications to fill up to six (6) temporary positions at the Southeast Utah Group.  Appointments made under this announcement are limited to 1039 hours (six months) in a service year.  Appointments may be terminated at any time and can be extended if workload and funding allow. Anticipated Entry on Duty: February 2014

The Southeast Utah Group is comprised of two parks and two national monuments:

Canyonlands National Park, Arches National Park, Natural Bridges National Monument, and Hovenweep National Monument. 

Employee works at ONE of the following locations:

• Canyonlands National Park (locations near Moab, Monticello, or Hanksville, UT) 
• Arches National Park (located in Moab, UT)
• Natural Bridges National Monument (located near Blanding, UT)
• Hovenweep National Monument (located near Cortez, CO).

Recreation opportunities are abundant in the area and include, rock climbing, hiking, canyoneering,  boating, skiing, mountain biking, jeeping and other outdoor activities.  Abundant sunshine and warm temperatures create a good climate for outdoor pursuits.  Spring and Fall are exceptional seasons. Winter temperatures are generally moderate and allow for a wide range of outdoor pursuits. Summer temperatures can reach 100+.  FOR HOVENWEEP NATIONAL MONUMENT ONLY:  This is a required occupancy position.  You are required to reside in a housing unit owned by the National Park Service which is designated for your use because your physical presence is required within the park in order to provide timely response to emergencies outside of normal working hours.  Although such use increases the likelihood of your availability for response, it does not restrict you from leaving the residence.

This announcement is being advertised under delegated examining procedures and is open to all U.S. citizens.

 

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

 

APPLICANTS WHO DO NOT SUBMIT THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION WILL NOT RECEIVE FULL CONSIDERATION.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Background and/or Security Investigation required.
• Must possess or be able to obtain a NPS Type II Law Enforcement Commission.
• Must possess or be able to obtain state issued drivers license.
• Must pass the Physical Efficiency Battery (PEB) prior to start date.
• Pre-employment medical exam and drug testing are required.

DUTIES:Back to top

Incumbent performs duties such as conducting criminal and accident investigations; making arrests, issuing citations, and enforcing United States Code and 36 Code of Federal Regulations.  The incumbent also conducts front country and back country vehicle and foot patrols and archaeological site monitoring.  Incumbent is responsible for educating visitors regarding the requirements for backcountry/wilderness travel and camping, the reasons for the regulations, technical climbing conditions, etc.  He/She serves as incident team member while providing emergency medical care to the sick and injured and conducting technical search and rescue operations. May serve on a structural and/or wildland fire crew.  Assists other districts and parks within the Southeast Utah Group in emergency incidents.  Physical fitness requirements must be met prior to and on a continuing basis during employment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:  Rigorous field work requires above average physical performance, endurance and superior conditioning.  This includes prolonged standing, walking over uneven ground, and recurring bending, reaching, lifting and carrying of items weighing over 50 pounds and shared lifting and carrying of heavier items, and similar strenuous activities requiring agility and dexterity.

Duties often involve working in isolated outdoor environments while exposed to severe weather conditions.  Dangerous persons must be physically confronted, subdued, and apprehended many of whom are known to carry weapons.  There is a high-stress component associated with much of the incumbents work assignment.

 

WORK ENVIRONMENT: Duties require extended periods of outdoor work and exposure to conditions including temperatures well below freezing to in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit.   Investigations are conducted on foot, in four-wheel drive vehicles, or other forms of conveyance in remote back country settings.  Emergency service and law enforcement work requires entry into hazardous environments, exposure to dangerous persons, animals, and substances, and potential exposure to infectious diseases.  Long periods of surveillance work may be required in cramped or unpleasant locations and under unpleasant conditions.  A wide range of personal protective equipment and clothing is required to be used and work, some of which may be uncomfortable, hot or inconvenient to wear.  Adherence to specific safety procedures and other precautions is required.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:Back to top

To qualify for this position, you must demonstrate that youpossess either the specialized experience or the education as describedbelow.  Equivalent combinations of experience and education may also beused to qualify.

Selective Placement Factor:  Minimum Age Requirement.

This position has a mandatory requirement that applicants must beat least 21 years of age.  

Selective Placement Factor (Mandatory ScreenOut):  Law Enforcement Commission.

Applicants must meet one or more of thefollowing criteria to be considered for these positions:

• Current Possession of a valid NPS Type II Law Enforcement Commission.
• Previous possession (within the past three years) of a NPS Type I or II Law Enforcement Commission.
• Completion within the past three years of a NPS approved Seasonal Law Enforcement Training Program (SLETP).  NOTE:
• This is not regular police officer training.  Please visit http://www.anpr.org/academies.htm for additional information on schools and academies that offer the training required to be eligible for an NPS Type II Law Enforcement Commission.
• Current enrollment in NPS approved SLETP.

Applicants must certify in their supporting documents thepossession of at least one of the above criteria.

Selective Placement Factor (Mandatory Screen Out): Drivers License.

Possess a current valid state drivers license ingood standing.  Upon tentative selection, you will be required to submitdrivers license information.  If you do not meet the requirements of thisselective factor, you will be rated ineligible for these positions.

Quality Ranking Factor – Technical Rock Climbing.

Led a climb at the minimum technical difficultylevel of Grade IV,5.7, A2 difficulty. (Describe the name of the climb or climbsthat satisfy the above requirements. More than one climb can be listed tosatisfy the requirement. Please describe any additional technical rock and/oralpine climbing experience.) 

Quality Ranking Factor - Emergency Response.

Certified as a First Responder, EMT-B, paramedic, or park medic.

Quality RankingFactor Firefighter Type II.

Served as aFirefighter Type II and/or possess Firefighter Type IIcertification (or higher) .

These are highly desirable skills and applicants who possess thisskill will receive additional points during the scoring process.  Upontentative selection, you will be required to submit certification of levelclaimed.

For the GS-07 grade level

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to at leastthe GS-05 level in the federal service.  Specialized experience isexperience performing law enforcement duties for the protection,conservation, use, and management of natural and/or cultural resources in parkareas or similar operations, which involved the application of law enforcementauthorities and procedures to protect visitors and resources. –OR- B. Onefull academic year of graduate education related to theoccupation. One year of full time graduate education is defined as18 semester hours. –OR- C. Equivalent combinations ofeducation and experience. 

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifyingexperience.  In order to receive credit for experience your resume mustclearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for eachposition, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the numberof hours worked per week.

Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or publicsectors. The OPM Qualification Standards Handbook is availablefor review at: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications .

ARE YOU USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY?  You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims.  Unless otherwise stated: (1) unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) a list with all your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course.  All materials must be submitted by the closing date of this announcement

Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- natural resource management, natural sciences, earth sciences, history, archaeology, 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.

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.  Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website:http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html  All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly.

Foreign Education:  Education completed outside the United States must have been evaluated by a private U.S. organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials, commonly called a credential evaluation service or education that is recognized by the Secretary of Education from an accredited body http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/

Please include in your resume your commission number with expiration date or your anticipated graduation date from an approved NPS Seasonal Law Enforcement Academy.

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement, Friday, October 25, 2013

You must submit documentation of how you meet the selective placement factor(s) and/or quality ranking factor(s), as indicated in this vacancy announcement, to be considered qualified for this position.

Applicants must possess a valid state drivers license.  This position requires that you operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties.  As a condition of employment, you will be required to submit a completed GSA Form 3607, Motor Vehicle Operators License and Driving Record.  You must also submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that discloses all valid drivers licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.  Your employment, after your tentative selection, will be contingent upon receipt of these documents in a timely manner and that those documents establish, to the satisfaction of the selecting official, that you possess a valid drivers license. 

Applicants are required to pass the Physical Efficiency Battery (PEB) prior to entering law enforcement positions.  The duties of this position require arduous physical exertion involving walking, running, lifting, standing, use of firearms, and exposure to inclement weather. The Physical Efficiency Battery (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 the upper body strength for one repetition; 3) 1.5 mile run – measures cardio/respiratory fitness; 4) sit and reach – measures the flexibility in the lower back, legs and shoulders; and 5) body composition – measures the body fat.  Prior to appointment, applicants will be tested in all five components, but only the agility run, bench press and 1.5 mile run will be measured for a passing score in the 25th percentile (age and gender adjusted) of these components.  These procedures will ensure that law enforcement officers are capable of performing strenuous physical training and law enforcement duties.  Applicants shall be disqualified for appointment if they fail to meet any physical requirements.  Probationary or seasonal employment is subject to termination for failure to meet the 25th percentile in each of the identified components being measured.

• Minimum Age - Prior to appointment, applicants must meet the minimum age requirement of 21 years old
• Selectee will be required to carry a firearm while performing duties and maintain firearm proficiency.  Therefore, must be free of any domestic violence convictions.
• This is a drug testing designated position.  The individual selected for this position will be subject to and must pass a drug test prior to entrance on duty.  Incumbent may be subject to random testing.
• Must wear the National Park Service uniform and comply with National Park Service uniform standards.
• May be assigned to work nights, early mornings, rotating shifts, holidays, and weekends.
• Tour of Duty may depend on duty location (i.e. five 8-hour days per week, 4 10-hour days per week, or an alternative work schedule).
• Occasional travel is required 10 nights per month.
• Occupancy in government housing is not required for this position (exception: Hovenweep National Monument vacancy/position).
• Government housing maybe available.
• Overtime is required.
• All federal employees are required to have federal payments (salary) made by direct deposit.
• Males born after 12-31-1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see http://www.sss.gov/)

FOR HOVENWEEP NATIONAL MONUMENT ONLY: This is a required occupancy position.  You are required to reside in a housing unit owned by the National Park Service which is designated for your use because your physical presence is required within the park in order to provide timely response to emergencies outside of normal working hours.  Although such use increases the likelihood of your availability for response, it does not restrict you from leaving the residence.
If you are selected for Federal employment, you will be required to fill out a Declaration of Federal Employment, OF-306, prior to being appointed to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.  Failing to answer all questions truthfully and completely or providing false statements on your application may be grounds for not hiring you, or for firing you after you begin work.  Also, you may be punished by fine or imprisonment (U.S. Code, Title 18, section 1001).

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

Once you complete and submit your application package, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements.  In addition, we will evaluate your responses to the online assessment questionnaire to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for the position.  To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click on the following link View Occupational Questionnaire

 

The assessment questionnaire is designed to measure your ability in the following competencies needed to successfully perform the job: 

· Criminal Law

· Use of Force and Self Defense

· Oral Communication

· Interpersonal Skills

· Writing

· Law Enforcement

· Problem Solving

Basis for Rating: Your application will be evaluated and rated using Category Rating Procedures. Candidates will be ranked into 3 categories:

· Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position. 

· Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the requirements of the job.

· Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.

 

Veterans Preference:  If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-points veterans preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility. If you are claiming 10-point veterans preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans Preference" plus the additional proof required by that form. For more information on veterans preference see http://www.usajobs.gov/Veterans

 

Veterans Preference applies to category rating after candidates are assessed. Preference eligibles who meet the qualification requirements are assessed and placed in the appropriate quality categories. Preference eligibles receive veterans preference by being listed ahead of non-preference eligibles within the same quality category in which they are placed.  No preference points, i.e., 5 or 10 points, are added to the preference eligibles rating.  An agency may not select a non-preference eligible if there is a preference eligible in the same category unless the agency receives approval to pass over the preference eligible in accordance with 5 U.S.C. § 3318.

 

Preference eligibles who meet the qualification requirements for the position and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-9 level or higher).  As noted above, an agency may not select a non-preference eligible over a preference eligible in the same category unless the agency receives approval to pass over the preference eligible in accordance with 5 U.S.C. § 3318.

 

Your resume and supporting documentation will be verified.  If you rated yourself higher than what is supported by your application material, your score will be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.  Please follow all instructions carefully.  Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

Country: USA, State: Colorado, City: Cortez, Company: National Park Service.