Park Guide (Field Unit Local Hiring Authority)

US National Park Service; West Yellowstone (MT); On-site; USD 36,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

The US National Park Service is hiring a Park Guide at Yellowstone National Park. This is a career seasonal appointment; applicants may apply under both announcements. The role focuses on delivering engaging interpretive programs and assisting visitors with park information and safety.

Qualified candidates must meet the minimum requirements: one year of specialized experience at GS-04 level or education beyond high school with transcripts, or a combination. Volunteer experience is credited.

Qualifications

• One full year of specialized experience at GS-04 level in federal service or equivalent experience
• Education: four years of education beyond high school leading to a bachelor’s degree with related coursework (transcripts required)
• Combination of Experience and Education may be used if it totals 100% with transcripts

Skills

Oral presentation

Public speaking

Park interpretation

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

Job description

You will serve as a Park Guide (Field Unit Local Hiring Authority) for Yellowstone National Park.

This is a career seasonal appointment, for additional information please see the "Duties" section of this announcement.

This position is also open to status candidates under announcement CAHN-26-13060065-IMP-EDL. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.

Requirements Continued...

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a one 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;
• 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 period 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-09/22/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. All candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements.

To receive credit for experience, 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. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying 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.

Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:

To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level you must provide documentation to support meeting one of the following qualification options:

• Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience that involved oral presentation of historical, scientific, or program information to groups; or developing and/or revising technical, historical, or scientific information for oral presentation to groups. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to, Park Guide or tour leader; naturalist; environmental educator or teacher; or other similar work. You must include hours per week worked.
• Education: Successful completion of at least four years of education above high school (120 semester hour or 180 quarter hours) leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, such as American history, science, public speaking, parks and recreation, education, or communications. You must include transcripts.
• Combination of Experience and Education. To combine education and experience, first determine the percentage of experience held by dividing the number of months of qualifying full-time experience possessed by 12 and then multiplying by 100. Then determine the percentage of qualifying college level education completed by dividing the number of credits completed beyond the first 60 credit hours, by 60, then multiply by 100. Add the percentages together. 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.