Park Ranger (Seasonal)
National Park ServiceSummary
Open to the first 350 applicants or until 10/26/2026 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.
The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period for Alaska Regional Office is April to May but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: April 2027.
The parks and duty stations hiring for these positions are below, as is each park's anticipated seasonal period. The typical seasonal period may vary during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding.
Denali National Park and Preserve (Denali Park, Kantishna and Toklat, AK. Applicants selected for Kantishna will be duty stationed at Wonder Lake, AK): April - September
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (Bartlett Cove and Yakutat, AK. Applicants selected for Yakutat will be duty stationed at Dry Bay, AK): April - October
Katmai National Park and Preserve (King Salmon, AK): May - September
Kenai Fjords National Park (Seward, AK): April - September
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (Skagway, AK): May - September
Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (Port Alsworth, AK. Applicants selected for Port Alsworth may be duty stationed at Twin Lakes, Chinitna Bay and/or Silver Salmon Creek, AK.): April - September
Sitka National Historical Park (Sitka, AK): April - October
Selectees may be moved between duty stations within park boundaries.
Government housing may be available at Denali Park, Seward, Skagway, and Sitka. Government housing is available at Kantishna (Wonder Lake), Toklat, Bartlett Cove, Yakutat (Dry Bay), King Salmon, and Port Alsworth (Twin Lakes, Chinitna Bay, Silver Salmon Creek).
Please visit find a park for additional park information.
You must apply to each park, duty station, and grade you are interested in working at.
This position includes protection of park resources and visitors through patrols, education, and compliance checks. The individuals selected will provide information regarding regulations and explain the importance of resource preservation and protection. The individuals will contact and provide visitors information regarding Leave No Trace principles and specific hazards found throughout the park. Patrols are conducted by both motorized and non-motorized watercraft and on foot in both front country and remote areas of the park. Other duties consist of providing backcountry orientation, emergency medical services, search and rescue, environmental protection, and resource management data collection. Selectees may also perform development and delivery of Interpretive talks and tours. May require hikes up to 8 miles a day over rough, uneven terrain.
Additional duties for the GS-07 position: Teaches others - provides on-the-job training, mentoring and assistance to team members by providing guidance, feedback, and direction to accomplish projects and/or daily operations.
All positions are subject to drug testing. You will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. These positions are subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
All positions except those at Bartlett Cove and Yakutat (Dry Bay) will be required to carry firearms in the backcountry or other locations for non-law enforcement reasons such as protection from animals.
All positions except those at Denali Park, Kantishna (Wonder Lake), Toklat, Skagway, and Sitka will be required to operate a small watercraft less than 26 feet in length. Operation includes transport of personnel (including visitors), tools, and materials/supplies to job/work sites.
Physical Demands: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as long periods of standing, walking, driving, bending, etc. The work, on a regular and recurring basis, requires considerable and strenuous physical exertion such as climbing, hiking and lifting heavy objects. Work may be performed on uneven, steep, rough, slippery, and/or rugged terrain. Incumbents must have the ability to routinely carry backpacks of up to 50 pounds in steep terrain and in adverse weather conditions.
Work Environment: The work is performed in a setting 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 work environment regularly involves high risks with exposure to potentially dangerous situations or unusual environmental stress. In addition, work may be performed in areas of extremely rough terrain with wide annual variations in climatic conditions.
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.
Conditions of employment
- U.S. Citizenship required.
- Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
- Males must meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement.
- Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
- Except for some positions at Bartlett Cove and all positions at Seward and Sitka, an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) certification is required before entrance on duty.
- Some positions at Bartlett Cove and all positions at Seward require you to obtain/maintain First Aid and CPR after entrance on duty.
- Positions at Kantisha (Wonder Lake) and Toklat require occupancy in government quarters.
- Positions at Skagway will be required to obtain/maintain a valid US Passport or US Passport Card.
- 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/or shift work.
- You may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.
- All positions except those at King Salmon will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of their official duties; a valid driver's license is required. You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's License, Driving Record, and within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities, 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 travel overnight away from home up to 20 nights per month.
- You may be required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority.
- You must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.
Qualifications
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-10/26/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.
Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your 2-page resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience.Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. You may only submit one resume. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes.
SELECTIVE FACTOR for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) positions:
Some positions require an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Certification. Certification levels required are Wilderness First Responder, Emergency Medical Responder, or higher; Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician, Emergency Medical Technician, or higher; and Emergency Medical Technician, or higher. (If EMT level, must be National Registry.) This is not applicable if you do not want to be considered for positions that require an EMS certification.
You may apply to non-Emergency Medical Services (EMS) positions that do not require EMS certification, and/or positions that require EMS certification. You must apply to the appropriate park(s), grade(s), duty station(s) and EMS level(s), based on your preferences, in order to be considered for those positions. The preferences you select when you apply will determine the positions you will be considered for.
Below are the parks, grades, duty stations, and EMS levels (if any) that may be filled. Some parks have multiple EMS levels. Use this information to aid in determining which position(s) you would like to be considered for when you apply.
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Denali National Park & Preserve:
- GS-05 & GS-07 - Denali Park; WFR or higher (Backcountry Rangers)
- GS-07 - Denali Park, Kantishna (Wonder Lake) & Toklat; EMT or higher (General Rangers)
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Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve:
- GS-05 - Bartlett Cove; non-EMS & WFR or higher
- GS-05 - Yakutat (Dry Bay); WFR or higher
- GS-07 - Bartlett Cove; non-EMS & EMT or higher
- GS-07 - Yakutat (Dry Bay); EMT or higher
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Katmai National Park & Preserve:
- GS-07 - King Salmon; WFR or higher
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Kenai Fjords National Park:
- GS-05 & GS-07 - Seward; non-EMS
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Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park:
- GS-05 - Skagway; WFR or higher
- GS-07 - Skagway; Wilderness EMT or higher
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Lake Clark National Park & Preserve:
- GS-05 & GS-07 - Port Alsworth, Twin Lakes, Chinitna Bay, Silver Salmon Creek; WFR or higher
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Sitka National Historical Park
- GS-07 - Sitka; non-EMS
Candidates who do not meet EMS requirements will not be considered for positions with EMS requirements.
To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess one of the following 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). This experience includes activities such as: park guide or tour leader; law enforcement or investigative work; archeological or historical preservation research work; forestry or fire management work in a park, recreation, or conservation area; management, assistant, or program specialist work involving the development and implementation of policy related to protection, conservation, or management of park areas or similar operations. You must include hours worked per week in your resume.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Four years of education above high school (120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours) leading to a bachelor's degree with 24 semester hours, 36 quarter hours, or the equivalent 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. You must include a copy of your transcripts.
-OR-
COMBINATION OF SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE & EDUCATION: To combine education and experience, first take the number of credit hours in excess of the first 60 semester hours, or equivalent, 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 qualify. You must include hours worked per week in your resume and a copy of your transcripts.
To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level, you must possess one of the following qualifications by close of the announcement:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 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; monitoring and reporting on the condition of natural and/or cultural resources to protect those resources; performing patrols to check permits and conducting search and rescue; providing visitor services such as explaining regulations, Leave No Trace, answering complaints, and visitor questions on natural and/or cultural resources about a park or similar recreational area. You must include hours worked per week in your resume.
-OR-
EDUCATION: One full year of graduate study in a related field. 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. One year of graduate education is 18 semester hours, 27 quarter hours, or the number your school uses to represent one year. You must include a copy of your transcripts.
-OR-
COMBINATION OF SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE & EDUCATION: To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester or quarter hours earned towards a graduate degree and divide by 18 semester hours, 27 quarter hours, or the 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 hours worked per week in your resume and a copy of your transcripts.
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 the interpretation of foreign education programs and that (1) deemed your education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program, or (2) given full credit for courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.
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.
Additional information
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.