Park Ranger.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS); Basom (NY); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeks individuals to develop and present interpretive programs for public audiences and school groups. You will prepare on- and off-site environmental education programs and collaborate with volunteers to run various projects and programs.

The role provides information on site regulations, hunting/fishing programs, and other visitor activities, with emphasis on safety and compliance. A background in natural resources education supports success in this position.

Qualifications

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-5 in the Federal service, with duties in interpretive programs and volunteer management.
• Graduate-level study related to natural resources or related fields.
• Bachelor's degree or higher in a related field with qualifying standards such as GPA or honors for SAA eligibility.
• Time-in-Grade requirements apply; hours per week must be documented on resume or SF-50 as appropriate.
• Non-federal applicants must indicate hours per week on their resume to verify qualifying experience.

Responsibilities

• Develops and presents interpretive programs for general public audiences or school groups.
• Prepares on- and off-site environmental education programs for diverse audiences.
• Works closely with volunteers to accomplish projects and programs.
• Provides orientation, interpretive, and regulatory information on site regulations, hunting and fishing programs, and visitor activities.

Skills

Interpersonal communication

Public speaking

Volunteer coordination

Program development

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher in related field

Graduate-level coursework related to duties

Job description

Duties

Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:

• Develops and presents a variety of interpretive programs including orientation talks, conducted walks, and demonstrations to a variety of general public audiences or school groups.


• Prepares and conducts on- and off-site environmental education programs for a variety of audiences.


• Works closely with volunteers to accomplish a variety of projects and programs.


• Provides orientation, interpretive, and regulatory information relating to site specific regulations, hunting and fishing programs, and other visitor activities.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.


• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. A Child Care National Agency Check and Inquiries Investigation is required due to working with Youth.


• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.


• Direct Deposit participation required.


• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit


• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.


• You are required to wear a uniform and comply with uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.

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 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 - 10/02/2026-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.

To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level:

Experience

To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-5 level in the Federal service. Examples of experience may include: developing and presenting interpretive programs; preparing and conducting environmental education/interpretive programs; assisting with the training of volunteers in a natural resources setting; assisting with the management of recreation opportunities such as hunting, camping, fishing, and hiking; and assisting with the development of interpretive materials, such as brochures, guidebooks, handouts, and exhibits. You must include hours per week worked. -OR-

Education

Successful completion of at least have completed 1 full academic year of graduate level education related to the duties of this position.

Examples of this type of study include 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.

Combination

Of education and experience as listed above. To combine education and experience, add the two percentages together. The total percentage must equal at least 100% in order to qualify based on a combination of experience and education). Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include hours per week and transcripts.

Superior Academic Achievement (SAA)

Successfully completed a bachelor’s degree in a directly related field AND meet one of the following: (1) Class Standing: rank in the upper 3rd of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, based on the completed courses; OR (2) Grade-Point Average (GPA): earn a GPA of (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) based on 4 years of education, or based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum -or- (b) 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 completed during the final two years. Note: GPA will be rounded to the one decimal place, for example, 2.95 = 3.0, 2.94 = 2.9; OR (3) Membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society.

Volunteer Experience

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corp, 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.

Education

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:

Additional information

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests

If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA 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, based on your adjudication decision. 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 RA, please review

All DOI employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here,

The duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

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.