Park Guide

Summary

You will serve as a Park Guide with National Park Service. The primary purpose of this position is to provide guide services to visitors. The work involves giving talks, interpreting natural and historic features, answering questions, guiding tours, and providing miscellaneous services to visitors.

Duties

• These permanent full-time interpretive Park Guide positions are located at sites across the beautiful and historic Golden Gate National Recreation Area including: Alcatraz, Muir Woods, Fort Point/Presidio, and Marin Headlands. Generally staff are stationed at one site, though there may be flexibility to move between sites during your time at Golden Gate. They will be expected to learn opening and closing procedures, offer public talks and tours, and respond to visitor questions, among other duties. Each position will have a selection of collateral duties depending on the skills of the person and the needs of the site. These can include focus areas such as: volunteer program support, seasonal staff training, digital media support, night tour programming (Alcatraz), or special event support. We have a strong division that focuses on excellent interpretation, employee wellness, professional development opportunities for staff and creating transformative experiences in our national parks. These positions are located in the San Francisco Bay Area. Limited park housing may be available for permanent employees through a bid system. Transitional housing is typically available for 3 months. Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Presents interpretive and education programs. Greet visitors, provide information, give formal and informal presentations, and direction. Independently operates a vistor center and advise visitors of the regulations governing visitation to the sites and the need to protect resources. Responsible for monitioring and reporting the condition of the park resources, working closely with interpretive closely with interpretive colleagues, other divisions, and ensuring the safety of visitors, employees and the public.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 11/13/2026-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. Selective Placement Factors: This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. If you do not provide evidence that you possess the following selective factor(s), you will be rated not qualified. This position requires the operation of a government vehicle as part of the official and essential duties of the role. As such, applicants are required to have a valid driver's license at the time of appointment and must be able to maintain this qualification while serving in the position. -AND- Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: Specialized Experience: To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: working at a visitor center, museum, school or other similar setting that involves the sharing of information and education with others; independently leading children or adults in interactive activities that teach them science or history in a classroom, museum, park or other outdoor or learning institutional setting; working with groups and individuals administrative tasks such as tracking visitor interactions; registering program participants; implementing building or site opening and closing procedures, creating social media posts or content for temporary signage. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- Education: Successful completion of 4 years of education above high school (120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours) leading to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with courses related to the occupation such as American history, science, public speaking, parks and recreation, education or communications. One full year of academic study is 30 semester hours. (NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcript or a complete list of college courses taken that identifies for each course the college or university, semester or quarter hours earned, graded received, and date completed. If you are qualifying based on education and you do not submit specific coursework information as described, your application will be rated as not qualified. A copy of your official transcripts will be required before entrance on duty, if selected). -OR- Combination of education and experience as listed above. NOTE: only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. For example, 6 months of the specialized experience described in A above (50% of the experience requirement) and 1 academic year of study beyond the second year from an accredited institution (50% of the qualifying education), equals to 100% of the total requirement. (You must submit a copy of your transcripts indicating the number of credit hours and courses in order to qualify based on a combination of experience and education). 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

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. Direct Deposit participation required. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/. Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment. You are required to wear a uniform and comply with uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided. You are required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority. Ability to hike over uneven terrain As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest. This probationary period is 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 period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Grade: GS 5. , You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.. Telework eligible. Apply by 2026-11-13 on USAJOBS.