This position serves as a full-performance Park Ranger (Interpretation) within the National Park Service (NPS) located in Independence National Historical Park. The purpose of interpretation is to enrich people's lives through meaningful experiences and enjoyable recreation; preserve and protect natural and cultural resources through broad collaboration and shared stewardship; and inspire social and environmental consciousness to build community and sustain the health of the planet.

Duties

Open, operate, and close a variety of historic buildings and visitor contact locations in a busy urban park setting. Provide training, guidance, and feedback to Park Guides and volunteers; Develop thematic and inclusive interpretive products utilizing 21st Century techniques including Audience Centered engagement; Provide informal interpretation throughout the park including historic printing demonstrations and roving. Utilize skills and knowledge of audiences in interactions with the public; Provide information, develop and conduct formal interpretive programs in English and Spanish, develop Spanish language content for printed media; Occasionally assist in translation of interpretive media from English to Spanish. Provide tours and programs in Spanish. Physical Demands: The work requires some physical exertion and can involve extensive periods of standing and walking, in some cases over rough surfaces or inclines outdoors or in caves, and carrying backpacks, tools, rescue equipment, or other loads. Some employees may engage in firefighting, search and rescue, and other strenuous activities; these employees may be required to lift or carry equipment weighing more than 50 pounds over long distances. Employees who participate in all-risk operations will be required to meet fitness requirements on a continuing basis. Working Conditions: The work can include moderate risks or discomforts that require safety precautions (e.g., exposure to extreme temperatures, climates, rough terrain, wild animals, pests, and/or insects). The incumbent may be required to use protective clothing or gear, such as masks, boots, gloves, etc. Some employees may be engaged in all-risk operations and be exposed to high risk and potentially dangerous situations which require a range of safety and other precautions Promotion Potential: 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. Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level. Probationary Period: If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period. Park Ranger (Interpretation) : 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 country's 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.

Requirements

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-07/01/2024-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. SELECTIVE FACTOR: This position performs Bilingual duties where you must be able to read, write, and speak in the Spanish language, and having the ability to communicate effectively in English and Spanish 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: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Experience may have been in technical, administrative, or scientific work in fish and wildlife management, recreation management, law enforcement, or other park-related work. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include but are not limited to the following: park guide or tour leader, work in a park, recreation or conservation area, environmental education, history and/or cultural resources education, and natural sciences education. Work will include independent research and presentation. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least four years of education above high school (120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours) leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or 24 semester hours of course work in a related field. (Related fields of study include natural resource management, natural sciences, earth sciences, history, archaeology, 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). -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. NOTE: Only education more than the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to l year of specialized experience. For example, 6 months of the specialized experience described above (50% of the experience requirement), and 3 years of college study from an accredited institution (50% of the qualifying education) which included at least 12 semester hours of related coursework as specified in B above (50% of the related coursework required). 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: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Experience may have been in interpretation, visitor services, training, resource monitoring, or other park related work. Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: planning and execution; developing work plans; estimating materials/supplies and employee needs; presenting interpretive talks or tours; conducting research; training, coaching and mentoring others; monitoring and reporting condition of resources; assisting with coordination of special events and projects. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one full year of graduate study in one of the following fields: natural resource management, natural sciences, marine biology/sciences, earth sciences, history, archaeology, anthropology, park and recreation management, law enforcement/police science, social sciences, wetlands ecology, or other closely related subjects pertinent to the management and protection of natural and cultural resources. (One year of graduate education is 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours). -OR- Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.) as evidenced by one of the three following methods: you are in the upper third of your graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses; OR you have a GPA of 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum, or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in your major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; OR you are a member in one of the national scholastic honor societies. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. For example, one half year of the specialized experience described above (50% of the experience requirement), and 14 semester hours or 21 quarter hours of directly related graduate level college study in an accredited institution (50% of the qualifying education). To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Experience may have been in interpretation, communications, exhibit design, digital technology, visitor services, training, resource monitoring and compliance, partner, and community engagement. Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: presenting interpretive and/or educational programs, walks, tours, presentations, demonstrations; planning and execution of special events; researching, writing and developing content for use in exhibits, websites, brochures, publications and signage; conducting independent research; onboarding new employees; monitoring and reporting condition of resources; developing work plans and schedules; compiling evaluation reports; conducting workshops; tracking and analyzing statistical data. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least 2 full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education or I have a master's or equivalent graduate degree related to the occupation (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 above may be accepted if it clearly provides applicants with the background of knowledge and skills necessary for successful job performance in this position. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. For example, 6 months of the specialized experience described above (50% of the experience requirement), and 1 full academic year of progressively higher-level graduate education in a field directly related to the work of the position (50% of the qualifying education).

Education

Qualifications:

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. 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 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.

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.

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.

Contacts

• Address Independence National Historical Park 143 S Third Street Philadelphia, PA 19106 US
• Name: Sarah Hummel
• Email: [email protected]