Seasonal Park Ranger (Interpretation)

Seasonal Park Ranger (Interpretation)

Department: Department of the Interior

Location(s): Seward, Alaska

Salary Range: $33.44 - $43.47 Per Hour

Job Summary: These positions are located at Kenai Fjords National Park in the Interpretation and Education Division. This is a temporary position not to exceed 1039 hours. This is an excepted service appointment that does not confer competitive status. The typical season for this position is April through September but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. The anticipated entry on duty is April.

Major Duties:

• As a Park Ranger (Interpretation), GS-0025-09 at Kenai Fjords National Park, major duties may include: Training: Assists in planning, implementing, and delivering interpretive skills and educational theory and methodology training to seasonal staff. Works with training planning team to evaluate effectiveness of training program and to develop innovations to substantially improve its effectiveness. Coaching: Observes interpretive programs and shares oral and written feedback in a supportive, professional manner. Mentors and leads seasonal staff in day-to-day program development. Uses effective leadership and communication skills to work with interpreters in such a way as to promote respect, confidence, teamwork, and professionalism. Works with coaching team to evaluate effectiveness of coach training program, coaching protocols, and coach effectiveness, and to develop innovations for substantial improvement. Interpretation: Research, develops, and presents a variety of formal and informal interpretive programs which may include conducted walks, campground programs, off trail wilderness hikes and illustrative programs. Prepares written interpretive program outlines. Helps supervise interpretive operations when GS-12 supervisor is not available. Operations: Develops work schedules. Updates or write manuals, standard operating procedures, and handouts. Identifies and reports on facility conditions, exhibit conditions, supply inventories, and purchasing needs. Technology, Web and Social Media: Coordinating, developing and leading digital strategies and efforts to implement and sustain existing and new media platforms that meet audience needs and achieve mission goals. Youth Program Coordination: Coordinate various youth programs and oversee youth program participants assignments and assist with training. 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. Please visit find a park for additional park information.

Qualifications: All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement, 01/16/2026, unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. ELIGIBIITY REQUIREMENTS: Special knowledge or expertise concerning the park's or preserve's natural and/or cultural resources and the management thereof is required. Local knowledge of the resources and the typical conditions that affect the work to be accomplished will be applied in the performance of duties. Applicant resumes should reflect periods of time having lived or worked in or near the area of consideration. -AND- To be eligible your resume must clearly show periods of time having lived or worked in or near the area of consideration. The area of consideration can be found in the below paragraph. Areas considered "near" Kenai Fjords National Park are the communities of Seward and Moose Pass extending north the Milepost 45 of the Seward Highway, as well as to the tribal villages with documented ties. These tribal villages include the Native Village of Nanwalek and the Native Village of Port Graham on the southwestern tip of the Kenai Peninsula as well as Seldovia Village Tribe. Also included is the Community of Homer, extending north on the Sterling Highway to mile post 165 and East End Road's end. -ALSO- The following are the competencies identified for this position. Applicants are not required to address these competencies in a separate document, but are encouraged to include in their resumes experience related to these competencies. Skill in interpersonal relations including team building, conflict management and coaching. Skill in planning and delivering training for seasonal interpreters in interpretive theory and techniques, logistics, natural and cultural history, and ecological principles. Skill in assisting others in interpretive program development through mentoring and formal coaching evaluations. Skill in researching, developing, and presenting thematic, cultural and natural history interpretive talks and guided walks for diverse audiences. Ability to effectively communicate in writing and utilize computer programming and applications. Knowledge of busy visitor facility/center operations, sales outlet, bookstore, or similar, to coordinate operation, develop daily work schedules and ensure successful visitor services. Knowledge of or ability to learn natural and cultural resources topics specific to Kenai Fjords National Park and south-central Alaska, such as Alaska-related climate change issues, Alutiiq culture and history, south-central Alaska geology and glaciology.

How to Apply: There are multiple options for applying to this position, please see application options and instructions below: To apply online: You must submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 01/16/2026. You must provide documentation to support your eligibility claim. Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account. Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application." Click here for USAJobs Help with "How to create an application" To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12857511 Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS. Select documents you want included in this application. Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed. Select if you want to include your demographic information. After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site." Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown. Upload any missing required documents or optional documents. Review and Submit Application. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position. You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement. To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job. Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So, it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application. To apply via mail: Mailed applications must be postmarked by the closing date of the announcement. If applying via mail, you must include answers to the Application Questionnaire. The Application Questionnaire can be accessed via the link in the instructions above. If your application is postmarked by the closing date, it must be received in a sealed envelope no later than seven calendar days after the closing date. The seven-day waiting period may be extended if weather delays mail delivery. Applications may be mailed to: National Park Service Alaska Regional Office Attn: Human Resources 240 W. 5th Ave. Anchorage, AK 99501 Applications must include the vacancy announcement number. If you are applying to multiple vacancy announcements, you must submit a separate application for each vacancy.

Application Deadline: 2026-01-16