Location Negotiable after Selection: For more information on NPS law enforcement and to view available locations, see "Find Positions and Locations": Become a Law Enforcement Ranger For position and park related questions, please contact: LE_Recruitment@nps.gov or visit: LE Recruitment page and find a park. Open to the first 350 applicants or 11/17/2026 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.
Park Ranger (Protection) Duties: Enforce Federal laws, regulations and policies; patrol front country and backcountry sites. Emergency response (Incident Command System) including medical services, search and rescue, and wildland/structural fire suppression.
Facilitate visitor stewardship and orientation; wilderness management; boundary enforcement; protection of natural and cultural resources Assist with preliminary investigations of felonies, crimes, and violations of park rules, public use, safety requirements, and motor vehicle accidents. Crowd control activities; proactively protects park resources from all forms of degradation. Conduct law enforcement investigations into misdemeanor violations.
Under the supervision of a Type I commissioned personnel, investigate felony violations and fatalities. Additional duties for GL-7: Independently conduct law enforcement investigations into misdemeanor violations. Under the supervision of a Type I commissioned personnel, investigate felony violations and fatalities. Additional duties for GL-9: Conduct law enforcement investigations into misdemeanor, felony violations and fatalities.
Provide specialized knowledge of resource protection, resource education, and public use management. Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level. Other Position Requirements: Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment. Required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle. Required to wear a uniform and comply with the uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
Occupancy of government quarters may be required. Government housing may be available. Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor. May be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
May be required to travel overnight away from home. Required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority. Bargaining Union eligibility is dependent upon the location. 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 6-9+ months, and you will be in a non-pay status for the remainder of the year. Non pay status is dependent on the location of the position being hired. NOTE: Not all available positions are career-seasonal positions; both full-time (all year employment) and career-seasonal positions are available. Cost of Living Allowance (COLA): The salary annotated on this announcement does not include the cost-of-living allowance, nor locality pay.
Nonforeign Area Cost-of-Living Allowances to calculate locality pay. OPM Salaries and Wages (Special Rates L001-L059) to calculate locality pay. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-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; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary 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 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.
Related Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- 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 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 This position is also open to the public under announcement LE-27-DE-13102143-MR-SD1. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.
This is a primary law enforcement position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8412(d) (FERS). The position is subject to maximum entry age (MEA) requirements. The maximum entry age for this position shall not exceed age 37 unless you have sufficient prior Federal civilian firefighter experience or you are a preference eligible veteran. If you are a preference eligible veteran, you may be eligible for this position after your 37th birthday.
Full federal benefits details →
This position is with National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
The posted pay range is $51632 – $105735/yr.
Applications close on 2026-11-17.
This position is open under the 'Fed Transition' hiring path.
Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government · Retrieved 2026-11-03 · Not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM or USAJOBS.gov
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