Park Ranger (I) Kennels

Summary These positions are temporary and may not exceed 1039 hours (six months) in a service year. They may be terminated sooner or extended depending on management needs. The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period is April – September but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: April 2025. Responsibilities Dog Care: Job requires daily, vigorous physical labor outside in all weather conditions. Duties include caring for, feeding, cleaning up and composting dog waste, handling and harnessing athletic sled dogs for demonstrations for the public during the summer season. In addition, may be asked to use basic hand or power tools for dog yard and/or equipment maintenance and repair. Interpretation: Employs effective oral and written communication skills to research, develop, and conduct informal visitor contacts. Competent with PC compatible equipment and software such as PowerPoint, MS Word, scanners, printers, etc. Provides informal interpretation in the dog-yard in between formal demonstrations. May be asked to assist with education and outreach through various social media platforms. Additional duties for the GS-07 position: In addition to the above duties, you will provide on-the-job training and assistance to team members. You will observe and report on the use of various resources. Additional position information: A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay. This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate. Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1040 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (NPS). If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1040 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1039 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility. The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1039 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1039 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM. Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations. Physical Demands: The work involves extensive periods of standing and walking, in some cases over rough surfaces or inclines, carrying backpacks, tools, rescue equipment, etc. Working Conditions: The work is performed in settings in which there is regular and recurring exposure to moderate discomforts and unpleasantness, e.g., high or low temperatures, confined spaces or adverse weather conditions. The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for occasional/situational telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with prior supervisory approval. Requirements Conditions of Employment 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 operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid drivers license is required. You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operators 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 drivers licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you. 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, overtime and shift work. You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 2 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes. Qualifications All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-10/25/2024-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Resume – Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the number of hours worked per week, full-time, or part-time. If you indicate part-time, you MUST indicate the number of hours worked per week so that your qualifying experience can be prorated for credit. SELECTIVE FACTOR: This position performs Sled Dog and Mushing duties and experience caring for animals on a farm or similar; or, caring for or training dogs in either a dog mushing kennel, boarding kennel, veterinary clinic, or dog training program is required. Candidates who do not meet this requirement by close of this announcement will receive no further consideration for this position. – AND – To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-4 level in the federal service (obtained in either the public or private sector). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience include basic research for the purpose of conducting interpretative tours to point out scientific, historic, and natural features of parks, forests, historic sites or other attractions, providing visitor services such as explaining regulations, answering visitor questions and complaints and providing information about a park or similar recreational area. You must include the number of hours worked per week within your resume. -OR- EDUCATION: You must have four years of education above high school (120 semester hour or 180 quarter hours) leading to a bachelors degree with 24 semester hours of course work in a related field. Related course work are subjects 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 a copy of your transcripts and the number of hours worked per week within your resume. -OR- COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: You must have a combination of experience and education. To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours (or equivalent), in excess of the first 60 semester hours earned towards your degree and divide by 60 semester hours (or equivalent). Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the two percentages. The total must equal at least 100 percent in order to meet this description. You must include the number of hours worked per week within your resume and a copy of your transcripts. To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level in the federal service (obtained in either the public or private sector). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience include researching and conducting interpretative tours to point out scientific, historic, and natural features of parks, forests, historic sites, or other attractions; performing resource management tasks and duties supporting the mission of a park or similar area; providing visitor services such as explaining regulations, answering visitor questions and complaints, and providing information about a park or similar recreational area. You must include the number of hours worked per week within your resume. -OR- EDUCATION: You must have one full year of graduate study in a related field (18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours). Related fields 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. 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 a copy of your transcripts and the number of hours worked per week within your resume. -OR- COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: You must have a combination of experience and education. To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours or equivalent earned towards a graduate degree and divide by 18 semester hours or equivalent. 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 the number of hours worked per week within your resume and a copy of your 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. Education To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. Additional Information A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay. Selectees may be moved between duty stations within park boundaries. Government Housing may be available. Alaska currently does not have a state income tax. Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. All travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the sole responsibility of the selected employees. The employees of the National Park Service care for special places that are the heritage of all Americans. Since its inception in 1916, the National Park Service has been dedicated to the preservation and management of this countrys outstanding natural, historical, and recreational resources. Park ranger – interpreters connect people to parks. They play a key role in ensuring that visitors have a meaningful, satisfying, and safe park experience, help visitors decide how to spend their time in the park, and inform them about the wonders that await their discovery. Park ranger – interpreters are specially trained to engage the public so that each park visitor can find a personal connection with the meanings and values found in the places and stories of that park. They help visitors explore the many dimensions of parks by introducing them to a variety of perspectives. By providing the opportunity for visitors to care about the places they visit, they promote stewardship and the opportunity for those visitors to care for park resources. National parks are among the most remarkable places in America for recreation, learning, and inspiration. The work done by park ranger-interpreters through effective interpretive and educational programs encourages the development of a personal stewardship ethic and broadens public support for preserving and protecting park resources, so that they may be enjoyed by present and future generations.