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Park Ranger (Visitor Services Specialist)
Department of the Interior
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
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Summary
Visitor Services Specialist GS-0025-7/9 at J.N. "Ding" Darling NWR, recruit, schedule, and train volunteers across Southwest Florida refuges. Located on Sanibel Island, this refuge draws over 800,000 annual visitors and features a visitor center, auto tour, hiking, and waterway trails. You play a key role in delivering excellent customer service and ensuring a quality wildlife recreation experience.
You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
Learn more about this agency
Summary
Visitor Services Specialist GS-0025-7/9 at J.N. "Ding" Darling NWR, recruit, schedule, and train volunteers across Southwest Florida refuges. Located on Sanibel Island, this refuge draws over 800,000 annual visitors and features a visitor center, auto tour, hiking, and waterway trails. You play a key role in delivering excellent customer service and ensuring a quality wildlife recreation experience.
You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
Learn more about this agency
Overview
Help
Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 08/07/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on August 7, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Sanibel, FL
No matching locations found.
Work site options
Telework eligible Yes-as determined by the agency policy. Remote job No Relocation expenses reimbursed No Salary $50,460 - $80,243 per year Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 9
Promotion potential 9
Learn more about pay scale and grade
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule Full-time Travel Required Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status No Federal service type This job is in the Competitive Service Represented by a union No
Drug test No Security clearance Not Required Position sensitivity and risk Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number R4-26-13014783-BE-MP Control number 877784400
This job is open to
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Internal to an agency
Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.
Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.
Land and base management
Current or former employees of a base management agency.
Clarification from the agency
This is a Merit Promotion announcement for career and career conditional Federal employees internal to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, I/CTAP eligibles and those who are eligible under the hiring paths listed above. Refer to Required Documents section for more information.
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Duties
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Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:
Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.
Requirements
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Conditions of employment
Qualifications
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 08/07/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
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 periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. 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.
Minimum Qualification GS-7:
One year of specialized experience that was equivalent to at least the GS-5 grade level meeting one or more of the following: 1) Participating in developing and presenting interpretive programs; 2) Preparing and conducting environmental education/interpretive programs; 3) Assisting with the training of volunteers in a natural resources setting; 4) Assisting with the management of recreation opportunities; 5) Assisting with the development of interpretive materials, such as brochures, guidebooks, handouts, and exhibits.
OR
Two full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education in a major field of study in 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, or other closely related subjects pertinent to the management and protection of natural and cultural resources. You must submit a copy of your college transcripts.
OR
A combination of experience and education, which when combined, equals 100% of the requirement. (To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours or equivalent earned towards a graduate degree, in excess of 18 semester hours, and divide by 18 semester hours. Then, take the number of months of experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must submit a copy of your college transcripts.
OR
Completed all the requirements for a bachelors degree and possess Superior Academic Achievement (SAA). I meet one of the following: I had a 3.0 average (on a scale of 4.0) based on the average of all completed college courses at the time of application or courses completed during the final 2 years of undergraduate curriculum OR I had a 3.5 average or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of all completed college courses at the time of application or course completed during the final 2 years of undergraduate curriculum OR I was elected to a national scholastic honor society. If qualifying for SAA based on grade point average no more than 10% of course work may be graded on a pass/fail or non-traditional grade basis. I will submit copies of my college transcripts.
Minimum Qualification GS-9:
One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level meeting one or more of the following: 1)Developing environmental education curricula or programs; 2)developing and managing partnerships with community organizations and corporations; 3)utilizing knowledge of natural resources and public use related laws, regulations, policies, standards, or procedures to lead a visitor services program.
OR
Two full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education in a major field of study in 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, or other closely related subjects pertinent to the management and protection of natural and cultural resources. You must submit a copy of your college transcripts.
OR
A combination of experience and education, which when combined, equals 100% of the requirement. (To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours or equivalent earned towards a graduate degree, in excess of 18 semester hours, and divide by 18 semester hours. Then, take the number of months of experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must submit a copy of your college 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
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. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications
Additional information
Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.
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 positions supervisor.
If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive. A continued service agreement may be required if it is determined you are eligible for a permanent change in duty station (PCS), recruitment, or relocation incentive.
All DOI employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, DOI Ethics Prohibitions | U.S. Department of the Interior.
Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.
Expand Hide 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.
Benefits
Help
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.
Review our 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.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g. resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessment(s) required for this position. To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.
Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed.
You will be assessed in the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
Please see "How to Apply" section below for rating criteria.
To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of additional assessment(s), including a structured resume review and structured interview. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.
All qualified non-competitive applicants and the best-qualified Merit Promotion applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration.
DUE WEIGHT: Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process. If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, you must submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration or your score may be lowered. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level.
Benefits
Help
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.
Review our 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.
Required documents
Required Documents
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The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) -08/07/2026-unless otherwise stated.
Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
Do not submit photographs with your application package. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
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Rating Criteria:
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the 08/07/2026 to receive consideration. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation.
The application process is as follows:
Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To view the announcement status or your application status, visit https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.
Agency contact information
Human Resources Staffing Division
Email fwshiring@fws.gov Address Division of Human Resources
Division of Human Capital Management
1875 Century Blvd Suite 370
Atlanta, GA 30345
US
Next steps
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging in to your USAJOBS account as we will not be responding to inquiries about the status of applications as long as the system has been updated.
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
You can find your path with the Department of Interior at https://careers.doi.gov/.
Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background checks, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the Human Resources Office posting this announcement.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Criminal history inquiries Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
Financial suitability New employee probationary period
Privacy Act Reasonable accommodation policy
Selective Service Signature and false statements
Social security number request
Required Documents
Help
The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) -08/07/2026-unless otherwise stated.
Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
Do not submit photographs with your application package. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
Help
Rating Criteria:
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the 08/07/2026 to receive consideration. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation.
The application process is as follows:
Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To view the announcement status or your application status, visit https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.
Expand Hide how to apply
Agency contact information
Human Resources Staffing Division
Email fwshiring@fws.gov Address Division of Human Resources
Division of Human Capital Management
1875 Century Blvd Suite 370
Atlanta, GA 30345
US
Next steps
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging in to your USAJOBS account as we will not be responding to inquiries about the status of applications as long as the system has been updated.
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
You can find your path with the Department of Interior at https://careers.doi.gov/.
Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background checks, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the Human Resources Office posting this announcement.
Expand Hide next steps
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Criminal history inquiries Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
Financial suitability New employee probationary period
Privacy Act Reasonable accommodation policy
Selective Service Signature and false statements
Social security number request
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The Department of the Interior protects and manages the Nations natural resources and cultural heritage; provides scientific and other information about those resources; and honors its trust responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and affiliated Island Communities. Click here to learn more about The Department of the Interior and its bureaus.
The mission of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is to work with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. Click here to learn more about The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Agency contact information
Human Resources Staffing Division
Email fwshiring@fws.gov Address Division of Human Resources
Division of Human Capital Management
1875 Century Blvd Suite 370
Atlanta, GA 30345
US
Summary
Visitor Services Specialist GS-0025-7/9 at J.N. "Ding" Darling NWR, recruit, schedule, and train volunteers across Southwest Florida refuges. Located on Sanibel Island, this refuge draws over 800,000 annual visitors and features a visitor center, auto tour, hiking, and waterway trails. You play a key role in delivering excellent customer service and ensuring a quality wildlife recreation experience.
You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
Learn more about this agency
Overview
Help
Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 08/07/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on August 7, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Sanibel, FL
No matching locations found.
Work site options
Telework eligible Yes-as determined by the agency policy. Remote job No Relocation expenses reimbursed No Salary $50,460 - $80,243 per year Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 9
Promotion potential 9
Learn more about pay scale and grade
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule Full-time Travel Required Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status No Federal service type This job is in the Competitive Service Represented by a union No
Drug test No Security clearance Not Required Position sensitivity and risk Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number R4-26-13014783-BE-MP Control number 877784400
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