Park Ranger (Mountaineering) (Seasonal)

U.S. Department of the Interior; Talkeetna (AK); On-site; USD 34,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of the Interior is seeking a Seasonal Park Ranger (Mountaineering) to conduct high-altitude patrols in Denali and the Alaska Range, including coordination with VIPs and emergency responders. Positions are temporary and may not exceed 1039 hours per service year.

Responsibilities include search and rescue missions, backcountry enforcement, visitor information, and liaison with park concessionaires. Expect on-call work, weekends, holidays, and possible overnight travel.

Responsibilities

• Leads extended, high altitude mountain patrols on Denali and elsewhere in the Alaska Range.
• Performs search and rescue operations involving high altitude technical climbing and coordination with aircraft and multiple agencies.
• Ground and aerial patrols to enforce park regulations; winter travel may involve skiing, snow machines or dog sleds.
• Provides information and interpretation to park visitors, issues park use permits, and advises mountaineers.

Job description

Summary

You will serve as a Park Ranger (Mountaineering) (Seasonal) . These positions are temporary and may not exceed 1039 hours (six months) in a service year. You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work. Failure to submit any of the required documents/information will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents/information has been submitted.

Major Duties

Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Leads extended, high altitude mountain patrols on Denali and elsewhere in the Alaska Range, accompanied by appropriately trained Volunteers in Parks (VIPs).

Performs or directs search and rescue operations involving high altitude technical climbing, use of emergency medical techniques, coordination of helicopter and fixed wing aircraft, coordination of other resources from numerous agencies and sources.

Performs aerial and ground backcountry patrols to enforce park regulations. Ground patrols involve backpacking in winter and summer. Winter travel also may involve use of skis, snow machine, or dog sled.

The summer travel involves small river craft such as packraft and raft. Operates a visitor contact station and provides information and interpretation of the park to the general public, issues park use permits and provides expert advice and assistance to mountaineers heading into the park from Talkeetna.

Provides liaison between the NPS and park concessionaires and business use licensees. Participates in the planning of district operations by providing input to supervisor regarding park operations, needs, requirements, etc.

Gathers, compiles, and reports mountaineering and resource management data. Drafts replies to mountaineering related correspondence and maintains patrol reports. Investigates accidents and prepares accident and incident reports.

Physical Demands: Work requires standing, backpacking, mountaineering, expert skiing, and 5.9/WI 4 climbing, on and over a variety of rough, uneven, rocky, hazardous surfaces for days at a time; driving vehicles and snow-machines, operating rafts and packrafts; and lifting (150 pounds) and carrying moderate to heavy loads (in excess of 50 pounds) while hiking or climbing at altitudes of up to 20,310 feet. Incumbent must have the agility, mental alertness, physical strength and stamina typically associated with the aforementioned tasks in wilderness survival and travel and with high altitude mountaineering.

Working Conditions: Most work is performed outdoors, at high altitudes (20,310 feet), in a wide range of weather conditions (from 70 degrees to -40). Regular and recurring exposure to moderate and sometimes severe discomfort is experienced. Work may be performed at various hours of the day and night and for prolonged periods during emergency situations. The incumbent is frequently exposed to high risk and potentially dangerous situations, with the possibility of serious injury or accidental death. Selectees may be moved between duty stations within park boundaries. Government housing is available.

Please visit find a park for additional park information.

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. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualification

Requirements

U.S. Citizenship required. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males. Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program. You will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.

You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required.

You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's 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 disclose all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.

You may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.

You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.

You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, and overtime.

You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 25 nights per month.

You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.

You will be required to have a Wilderness First Responder (WFR), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Paramedic (EMTP), or higher-level, medical certification and training by entrance on duty. (If EMT/EMTP level, must be national registry.)

You will be required to have an Avalanche Professional Level 1, or higher-level, Avalanche certification and training by entrance on duty.

Evaluations

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g. resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of any additional assessment(s) required for this position. Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed. Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service-connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher.

Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into the following categories:

• Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and 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 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 are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.

You will be assessed in the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): First Response Seach and Rescue (SAR) Technical Competence Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Current or former displaced Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified, score at least 85 (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Providing false or misleading information on your resume or supporting documentation may result in removal from consideration or other action consistent with applicable federal hiring regulations. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/26/2026 - unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement: Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates in month-year format (include month/day/year format if needed for 52 weeks of experience), and indicate hours worked per week (or full-time). Your resume must clearly show how long you have held each grade/rank. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. Your 2-page resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements. If you have federal experience, you should include series, and grade for each position held, and if experience is part of a career ladder position, you must clearly distinguish the job duties and length of time working for each grade level. More information on how to write a Federal Resume: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include Complete All Required Assessment(s). Documentation that you meet the Selective Factors/Screen Outs. All college transcript(s), if qualifying based on education. Please submit both undergraduate and graduate level transcripts, as applicable. Veterans Preference Documentation, if applicable. Veterans must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (member 4 copy) or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Parent or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.va.gov/records/ or call 1-800-827-1000. If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active-duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation. Interagency Career Transition (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): You MUST submit proof of eligibility including 1) copy of the agency notice, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc.; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be well qualified. For more information visit: USAJOBS Help Center - Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL). Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from all documents. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.

Other Information

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement. You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate.

Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) Statement: The salary annotated on this announcement includes the locality, but does not include the additional cost-of-living allowance. The following areas on this announcement have additional cost-of-living (COLA) pay: Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau, AK - 1.49% Other Alaska - 3% If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed.

For information visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive. A continued service agreement may be required if it is determined you are eligible for a permanent change in duty station (PCS), recruitment, or relocation incentive. All Department of Interior (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, https://www.doi.gov/ethics/ethics-prohibitions. The duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.