NPS Park Ranger (Protection)

[wildmanbm]

Does anyone have any information on working for this department? I've always been interested and am highly involved in outdoor activities....I am a certified police officer, however I don't have my level 2 NPS certification. The posting doesnt say that it is required. What kind of scheduling, pay, etc? I assume these guys go to LMTP? Also what does the hiring process entail? I havent been able to find much solid information. Thanks!!!

[Raidergx]

How does someone get the NPS Level I or II certification.

[orlandofed5-0]

http://www.nps.gov/personnel/seasonalle.htm

[ACO88]

You have to do the seasonal law enforcement training program to get the level 2. It is required to be a seasonal ranger. You usually have to be a seasonal first before a you become permanent. If you go to a park before the background investigation is complete, you will probably be doing non law enforcement until it clears. By the way there's no benefits for seasonals.

[wildmanbm]

If hired as permanent without the level 2 do they send you to LMTP when your background clears?

[Squirrel]

If hired as permanent without the level 2 do they send you to LMTP when your background clears?

Yes.

What kind of scheduling, pay, etc? I assume these guys go to LMTP? Also what does the hiring process entail?

Scheduling depends on the park. It can be 5 8-hour days, 4 10-hour days, 5-4-9's (three day weekend every other week), or whatever else they conjure up. Some parks have 24/7 coverage, some don't, and just call out Rangers after hours if needed.

Law enforcement Rangers with 6c coverage are in the GL pay scale. In the Federal system, your exact pay depends on your grade (5/7/9/etc.), and your locality.

Take a look at http://www.opm.gov/oca/10tables/indexLEO.asp to see the pay tables. So, by way of example, if you're hired as a GL-5 at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, you would get GL-5 pay in the Chicago-Naperville-Michigan City locality area, making your annual salary $42,320.

If you don't fall into any of the specified categories, you're in the "rest of U.S." locality.

As I mentioned above, yes, permanent NPS LE Rangers go to LMPT. If you have a Level 2 commission, the park can work you for up to two years on that commission before they send you to FLETC, though. (Hence why parks like those commissions -- folks can show up and work immediately.)

The hiring process consists of applying either online, by doing that assessment questionnaire, or by snail-mail. Refer to the job announcement for specifics. If you're qualified enough to make the cert, you'll get a notice saying you were referred to the selecting official. They'll call you, interview, and make a decision. There's no written testing or anything like that. You will have to pass a medical exam (doctor's office physical exam) and the physical efficiency battery (PT test) before you enter on duty. Google for "FLETC PEB" and you'll see what it entails.

How does someone get the NPS Level I or II certification.

NPS Level 1 commission is obtained by attending Land Management Police Training at FLETC. You have to be hired by a land management agency to be sent there.

Level 2 commissions can be granted to graduates of an approved Seasonal Law Enforcement Training Program. Here's a slightly more current list than the one orlando posted: http://www.anpr.org/academies.htm

If you go to a park before the background investigation is complete, you will probably be doing non law enforcement until it clears.

I believe they're allowing seasonals to work in a law enforcement position (badge, gun, etc.) so long as their SAC (Special Agreement Check) passes, and an LBI (background investigation) has been initiated, but not necessarily completed.

It used to be that you had to pass the LBI prior to getting your commission, but I think parks balked about that. They were hiring seasonals for their first season, and their season was ending right when the LBI was clearing -- so, like you said, they never actually worked LE.

[DARE_SUPPORTER]

I applied for a position with them in my area, I have college degree and been through LMPT with severals years experience in local and feds, i didnt even get a no thanks letter nothing? Its been almost 4 months since applying. I have a buddy who works for them and says it a slow hiring process but I thought I would hear something in 4months. Who knows though.

[Squirrel]

Frankly, I have no idea what's up with hiring.

I've applied for several different positions over the past few years, and never received a notice on some of them beyond "we received your application." I have no idea what that means -- if they cancelled the announcement, if they hired non-competitively and didn't create a cert, or what.

Similarly, I've been waiting for a job to be announced for a while now, so that I can apply. Two positions became vacant back at the end of October, beginning of November. The paperwork to announce was submitted just before Christmas. It's now mid-March, and the positions still haven't hit USAjobs.

I just don't know what to tell you.

[DARE_SUPPORTER]

Frankly, I have no idea what's up with hiring.

I've applied for several different positions over the past few years, and never received a notice on some of them beyond "we received your application." I have no idea what that means -- if they cancelled the announcement, if they hired non-competitively and didn't create a cert, or what.

Similarly, I've been waiting for a job to be announced for a while now, so that I can apply. Two positions became vacant back at the end of October, beginning of November. The paperwork to announce was submitted just before Christmas. It's now mid-March, and the positions still haven't hit USAjobs.

I just don't know what to tell you.

Squirrel, Which one did you put in for?

The ones I put in for NPS (protection) Gatlinburg, townsend, and cosby, TN The announcement closed Nov25, 09 I submitted everything online except supporting documents and then I faxed all of those certs and what not, they were all posted to the announcement, But I never got a received or anything email besides the announcement saying received.

Now acouple months ago I saw the same positions open but they were for TEMP seasonal work. I suspected them to have closed the permanent announcement and try to get seasonals in the slow months. Who knows though?

[Squirrel]

Squirrel, Which one did you put in for?

The ones I put in for NPS (protection) Gatlinburg, townsend, and cosby, TN The announcement closed Nov25, 09 I submitted everything online except supporting documents and then I faxed all of those certs and what not, they were all posted to the announcement, But I never got a received or anything email besides the announcement saying received.

Now acouple months ago I saw the same positions open but they were for TEMP seasonal work. I suspected them to have closed the permanent announcement and try to get seasonals in the slow months. Who knows though?

It was a couple years ago, but I had put in for the Arch (Jefferson Expansion National Memorial, if you want to be official) in St. Louis. I never heard anything back. I think they pitched the cert, because nearly a year later, they announced again. That time I got a "no thanks" a couple months later.

I don't know what's up with the Smokies in regards to their permanent announcement. If you saw seasonal announcements a couple months ago, they were for this coming summer, and shouldn't be replacing or filling any permanent vacancies.

Maybe they filled the positions through laterals, and OPM never generated a cert. I dunno...

[DARE_SUPPORTER]

I don't know what's up with the Smokies in regards to their permanent announcement. If you saw seasonal announcements a couple months ago, they were for this coming summer, and shouldn't be replacing or filling any permanent vacancies.

I see thank you, I wasnt set on it just looking to get back to East, TN...LOL

[NPSCop]

Run far run fast! Go work for FWS or BLM instead!

[DARE_SUPPORTER]

Run far run fast! Go work for FWS or BLM instead!

I know thats true...

[ACO88]

Yes.



Scheduling depends on the park. It can be 5 8-hour days, 4 10-hour days, 5-4-9's (three day weekend every other week), or whatever else they conjure up. Some parks have 24/7 coverage, some don't, and just call out Rangers after hours if needed.

Law enforcement Rangers with 6c coverage are in the GL pay scale. In the Federal system, your exact pay depends on your grade (5/7/9/etc.), and your locality.

Take a look at http://www.opm.gov/oca/10tables/indexLEO.asp to see the pay tables. So, by way of example, if you're hired as a GL-5 at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, you would get GL-5 pay in the Chicago-Naperville-Michigan City locality area, making your annual salary $42,320.

If you don't fall into any of the specified categories, you're in the "rest of U.S." locality.

As I mentioned above, yes, permanent NPS LE Rangers go to LMPT. If you have a Level 2 commission, the park can work you for up to two years on that commission before they send you to FLETC, though. (Hence why parks like those commissions -- folks can show up and work immediately.)

The hiring process consists of applying either online, by doing that assessment questionnaire, or by snail-mail. Refer to the job announcement for specifics. If you're qualified enough to make the cert, you'll get a notice saying you were referred to the selecting official. They'll call you, interview, and make a decision. There's no written testing or anything like that. You will have to pass a medical exam (doctor's office physical exam) and the physical efficiency battery (PT test) before you enter on duty. Google for "FLETC PEB" and you'll see what it entails.



NPS Level 1 commission is obtained by attending Land Management Police Training at FLETC. You have to be hired by a land management agency to be sent there.

Level 2 commissions can be granted to graduates of an approved Seasonal Law Enforcement Training Program. Here's a slightly more current list than the one orlando posted: http://www.anpr.org/academies.htm



I believe they're allowing seasonals to work in a law enforcement position (badge, gun, etc.) so long as their SAC (Special Agreement Check) passes, and an LBI (background investigation) has been initiated, but not necessarily completed.

It used to be that you had to pass the LBI prior to getting your commission, but I think parks balked about that. They were hiring seasonals for their first season, and their season was ending right when the LBI was clearing -- so, like you said, they never actually worked LE.

Nice. So we can have criminals getting paid to carry guns in our national parks.

Run far run fast! Go work for FWS or BLM instead!

[Squirrel]

Nice. So we can have criminals getting paid to carry guns in our national parks.

Seasonals will still be checked for warrants, felony convictions, DV convictions, etc. as part of the pre-employment checks.