Park Ranger Interpretation

You will serve as a Park Ranger Interpretation with the National Park Service at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Open to the first 100 applicants or until 11/04/2026 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Interpretation and Education Manages the development of interpretive materials by subordinate staff for use in a variety of venues. Continuously evaluates the need for new or revised park publications, drafts brochure text, designs layouts, analyzes funding sources and stays within prescribed budget.

Plans, designs, develops, and improves interpretive materials such as signs, waysides, publications, exhibits, and audio, video, and other digital content. Develops and presents a variety of formal and informal audience and learner centered interpretive experiences. Oversees planning and development of interpretive programming, including coordination with the Chief of Interpretation and local partners as appropriate.

Visitor Services and Facility Operations Oversees all aspects of the Interpretive operations at the Visitor Center and other public venues. Engages in and monitors visitor services provided by seasonal employees, park interns, and Interpretation and Visitor Services volunteers. Responds to electronic, telephone, or written inquiries from the public.

Orients, educates, and informs visitors regarding access and opportunities to participate in and contribute to memorable experiences. Supervise less than 20% Directly supervises seasonal employees and park interns, and Interpretation and Visitor Services volunteers. Performs supervisory functions, including but not limited to planning, scheduling, evaluations, and operations.

Responsible for on-the-job safety and health of all employees and volunteers supervised. Will Coordinate the Park's Volunteer Program.

Requirements

Continued ... Probationary Period: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest. 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.

Upon completion of your probationary your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 11/04/2026 -unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. 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 periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. 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.

Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level: 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).

This experience includes activities such as: Experience that demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform successfully 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.

You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least 2 full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education or master's or equivalent graduate degree related to the occupation. Examples of related education include, but are not limited to; park and recreation management, 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.

One year of graduate study is considered to be 18 semester hours. You must include transcripts. -OR- COMBINATION (Experience/Education): Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. For example, 6 months of specialized experience (50% of the specialized experience) and 18 graduate level semester hours (50% of the education), would qualify an applicant for this position.

Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, Ameri. Corps) 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 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. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications