Summary This position is located in Yosemite National Park, in the Visitor and Resource Protection Division.

Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will be paid if the selectee lives outside of the local commuting area and is otherwise eligible for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulation.

Duties

Help

The occupant of this position serves as the Mather District Ranger.The Mather District encompasses the Canyon Ranch, Crane Flat, and Tuolumne Meadows Sub-Districts. It is the largest district in Yosemite National park, containing two-thirds of the park's acreage. Much of the district is at higher elevations; as such, large parts of the district are closed in winter. Elevations in range from 2,800 ft to over 13,000 ft. Temperatures range from below freezing in the winter to over a 100 F during the summer. This is a required occupancy position. Housing for this position is located in the Hodgdon Meadows area near the Big Oak Flat Entrance. The housing is 30 minutes from Groveland, CA and 1 hour and 15 minutes from Sonora, CA. Schools, churches, medical clinics, and grocery store are in Groveland, CA. The nearest hospital and other services are in Sonora, CA.

Major Duties Include:

• Develop, write, update, implement, and validate a variety of operating and supporting action plans, standard operating procedures and other management documents.
• Perform supervisory duties with commissioned and non-commissioned staff including hiring, evaluation, and disciplinary actions
• Perform law enforcement investigations and emergency services
• Provide leadership and oversight of critical Yosemite Emergency Services programs at the district level (LE, SAR, EMS)
• Provide expertise and leadership by exercising operational support for Rangers assigned on a permanent, seasonal or project/incident basis

Hiring Manager Contact Information: Mark Krebs

Mark_Krebs@nps.gov

Requirements Help

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males
• Subject to pre-employment physical and drug testing.
• Must possess a Type I Law Enforcement Commission.
• Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
• Any individual who is currently holding, or has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet time-in-grade requirements (must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent in the Federal service); with few exceptions as outlined in 5 CFR 300.603(b). Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal civilian employees applying for reinstatement who have had a break in service of less than one year, as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointments. Time-in-grade does not apply to new excepted service appointments and must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
• Selectee(s) will be required to carry a firearm while performing duties and maintain firearm proficiency.
• Selectee(s) must be free of any domestic violence convictions. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
• You will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
• Prior to appointment, you must be determined physically fit by an authorized government physician to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties; and also pass a medical examination (which includes vision, hearing, cardiovascular, and mobility of extremities) given by an authorized government physician. You will also be required to undergo periodic medical examinations throughout employment.
• Occupancy of government quarters is required.
• You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• Additional Requirements located under qualifications*

Qualifications Requirements Continued...

• Prior to appointment, the people selected for these positions must be determined physically fit by an authorized physician to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties, pass a medical examination, and pass the Physical Efficiency Battery (PEB). The PEB is a fitness test consisting of five different components: 1) agility run - measures the ability to get up from the ground and sprint while changing directions; 2) bench press - measures upper body strength for one repetition; 3) 1.5 mile run - measures cardio/respiratory fitness; 4) sit and reach - measures flexibility in the lower back, legs and shoulders; and 5) body composition - measures body fat. Prior to appointment, selectees will be tested in all five components, and must pass the agility run, bench press and 1.5 mile run in the 25th percentile.
• You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required. You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's 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 driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.
• You may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.
• 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 to1 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
• You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
• You will be required to possess a current [Emergency Medical Technician-Basic/First Responder] certification.
• The position to which you will be appointed is subject to a financial disclosure reporting requirement and you will be required to complete a new entrant Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of your appointment.
• Applicants must be at least 21 years old.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period OR a 2-year trial period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. Trial periods only apply to Schedule A, excepted service hiring authorities. The probationary and trial periods are an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated.

Upon completion of your probationary or trail period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications: All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-12/10/2025-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

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 for each federal position listed as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of qualifying 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. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying 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.

SELECTIVE FACTOR: Applicants must meet ALL of the following to qualify:

• Must currently possess, previously held (within the past three years), or be able to obtain a valid Type I National Park Service (NPS) Law Enforcement Commission, or equivalent, by the closing date of this announcement 12/10/2025. More information can be found in the 'Education' section of this job announcement.
• This is a secondary-administrative law enforcement position under the special retirement provisions of 5 U.S. C. 8336 (c) (CSRS) and 5 U. S. C. 8412 (d) (FERS). PLEASE NOTE: Applicants may meet qualification requirements, but may not be eligible for special retirement coverage. If such an applicant is selected, they will be placed in the regular retirement system. To be eligible for Secondary retirement coverage under CSRS, an employee must transfer directly (without a break in service exceeding 3 days) from a primary position to a secondary position. To be eligible for Secondary retirement coverage under FERS, an employee must: 1) transfer directly (without a break in service exceeding 3 days) from a primary position to a secondary position, AND 2) complete 3 years of service in a primary rigorous position including any such service during which no FERS deductions were withheld, AND 3) must be continuously employed in a secondary position(s) since moving from a primary rigorous position, except for any break in employment from a secondary position that began with involuntary separation (not for cause). It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure this office has enough information to determine your special retirement status to ensure you do not lose benefits (normally through submission of your work history or other documentation that demonstrates work history of approved covered positions). You must let this office know if you are in a Primary position.
• Must have a current, valid State Driver's License by closing date of this announcement 12/10/2025.

-AND- **Applicants must possess 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/GL-11 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors) performing the following:

• Investigating alleged criminal activity and conducting investigations of applicable federal or state laws.
• Collecting evidence according to established procedures and professional standards.
• Collaborating with other law enforcement or emergency response agencies on investigations or
• emergency incidents.
• Writing a variety of investigative and/or legal documents.
• Providing guidance to other staff on law enforcement policies, procedures or techniques

You must include hours per week worked.

• Additional Qualifications located under Education*

Education

Qualifications Continued... 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.

Law Enforcement Commission: This position requires applicants to possess, previously held (within the past three years), or be able to possess by the announcement closing date 12/10/2025 a valid Type I National Park Service (NPS) Law Enforcement Commission (or equivalent), which requires completing training from an accredited institution, which currently consists of over 650 class hours and lasts on average 17 weeks.

Applicants must have worked in a sworn officer position during the last 3 years AND successfully completed a Police Training Program certified by, sponsored by, or approved by, a local, state, tribal, or Federal agency, or by the military, OR must have successfully completed a Police Training Program certified by, sponsored by, or approved by, a local, state, tribal, or Federal agency, or by the military within the last 3 years. If you have completed a Police Training Program from a local, state, tribal, or Federal agency, or the military, and have prior sworn law enforcement experience, you may be eligible to attend the NPS Basic Academy Bridge Course in lieu of FLETC, followed by 11 weeks of field training.

There is no substitution of education for experience at the grade level(s) of this announcement.

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.

A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR

• 575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.

A Relocation Incentive May Be Authorized for a Federal employee when the employee must move, as directed by the National Park Service (NPS) either through a management directed reassignment or selection for employment, to a different location at least 50 miles away from the one where his/her position of record held at time of selection is currently located, due to a need of the NPS. A relocation incentive is not the same as a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move and, as such, may be granted in conjunction with one another.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

Physical Demands: Incumbent must be in excellent physical and mental condition in order to safely and competently perform under emergency situations. Incumbent must maintain a year-round physical fitness training program. The work regularly includes long periods of standing, hiking and/or climbing, in many cases on uneven, steep, rough, slippery, and/or rugged terrain. Strenuous exertion is frequently required in law enforcement, firefighting, search and rescue, medical and related emergency activities.

Lifting or carrying equipment weighing over 50 pounds, such as search and rescue or firefighting equipment is required. In some assignments, heavy packs may have to be carried long distances over very rugged terrain, in extreme heat or cold.

Working Conditions: The incumbent works in a mountainous park with temperatures ranging from I00 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer to sub-zero temperatures in the winter. Elevation ranges from 2,000 to 13,000 feet above sea level. The work environment involves regular and recurring exposure to high physical/emotional stress and moderate risks or discomforts such as low temperatures, high winds, adverse weather conditions, falling limbs or trees, and similar situations as well as dangerous and complex pieces of equipment. Employee will be required to utilize personal protective equipment pursuant to agency and Office of Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines/regulation.

Telework: The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.

Documentation for the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) eligibility: You must submit ALL SF-50s and performance information for each period of temporary/term employment that qualifies for LMWFA. Performance documentation can be obtained by contacting the supervisors for the positions you served in during your 24 months. If they did not complete performance appraisals ask them to provide a statement of performance for each period of service. The statement must specify the dates for each employment period and your level of performance consistent with your SF-50s.

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.

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.