Park Ranger (Interpretation)

US National Park Service; Tulelake (CA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits equivalent to permanent-park-

Job summary

U.S. National Park Service seeks a Park Ranger (Interpretation) in Tulelake, CA to interpret resources, connect visitors with learning opportunities, and manage heritage resources.

The role includes presenting talks, leading educational programs, and guiding visitors to resources. This seasonal yet career-position offers benefits like permanent appointments after seasonal service and a work period of about 11.5 months per year, with non-pay status for the remainder.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to present interpretive content and conduct educational programs.
• Experience assisting visitors in parks, museums, or similar settings.
• Strong communication and public engagement skills.

Responsibilities

• Plan and present interpretive talks, guided walks, and demonstrations.
• Develop interpretive or educational program content and materials.
• Assist visitors, answer questions, and connect resources to learning objectives.

Skills

Interpretive talks

Educational programs

Visitor assistance

Public communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree-related coursework (24 semester hours)

Job description

You will serve as a Park Ranger (Interpretation). This position interprets resources, connect visitors, support learning, and manage heritage resources.

Career-Seasonal appointments are permanent positions and include the same benefits as permanent appointments, but do not provide work on a year-round basis. You will work for approximately 11.5 months, and you will be in a non-pay status for the remainder of the year.

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/12/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

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

• 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) that demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled. The experience may have been in technical, administrative, or scientific work, fish and wildlife management, recreation management, law enforcement, or other park-related work. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: Assisting with presenting interpretive talks, educational programs, guided tours; or assisting visitors in a park, museum, historic site, nature center, environmental education program, or similar setting. You must include hours per week worked. -OR-
• Education: Successful completion of at least four years of education above the high school level leading to a bachelor's degree with 24 semester hours related to course work. You must include transcripts. -OR-
• Combination of education and experience. To combine education and experience, first divide the number of semester hours of education beyond two years (total semester hours minus 60) by 60. 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.

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

• Specialized Experience Requirement: 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) that demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled. The experience may have been in technical, administrative, or scientific work, fish and wildlife management, recreation management, law enforcement, or other park-related work. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: 1) Planning and presenting interpretive talks, guided walks, educational programs or demonstrations; or 2) Researching and developing interpretive or educational program content, presentations, exhibits or information materials. You must include hours per week on resume. -OR-
• Education: Successful completion of one-full academic year of graduate education (18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours) related to the occupation in directly related fields 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 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. You must include transcripts. -OR-
• Combination of education and experience: First take the number of months of qualifying, full-time work experience and divide by 12. Multiply the resulting decimal by 100. Then take the number of graduate credits completed and divide by 18. Multiply the resulting decimal by 100. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. NOTE: Only graduate level education is creditable when combining. You must include hours per week and transcripts. -OR-
• 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 one decimal place, for example, 2.95 = 3.0, 2.94 = 2.9; OR (3) Membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society. You must include transcripts.

To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level

• Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors) that demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled. The experience may have been in technical, administrative, or scientific work, fish and wildlife management, recreation management, law enforcement, or other park-related work. Specialized experience must include two of the following 1) Independently research and develop interpretive programs or educational content; 2) Independently planning and presenting interpretive talks, guided walks, educational programs or demonstrations; 3) coaching/mentoring interpretive or similar staff. You must include hours per week worked on your resume. -OR-
• Education: Successful completion of a master's or equivalent graduate degree or at least two full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree (two years of graduate education is defined as 36 semester hours) or LL.B. or J.D., if related. The degree is in related fields 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. You must include transcripts.
• Combination of education and experience: First take the number of semester hours or equivalent earned towards a graduate degree, in excess of 18 semester hours, and divide by 18 semester hours or equivalent. Then, take the number of months of experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. NOTE: Only progressive graduate education beyond the first year is credible when combining. You must include hours per week and transcripts.