More than rangers - Organization and job diversity in the modern Park Service.

Not everyone has the advantage of growing up as a park brat, but that doesn't mean that a life in the Park Service is out of reach. We talk with people all the time who are convinced that it's their dream job, but there's just no way that they could do it. They don't think they could compete, they don't think they could relocate, and most of all they don't think their skills are applicable to the service.

The reality is that the NPS is a complex organization, with thousands of different jobs and duties. The Rangers that visitors see are the public face of the Park Service, but for ever Ranger you see there are 5-10 support staff working to ensure that everything goes smoothly in the background.

Many of the contributors to this blog are members of the support staff. We operate in jobs that the public is never going to see, doing things that people don't associate with the National Parks. We don't wear uniforms, or give programs to teach people about the parks, but we bleed green and grey just the same. Our talents aren't suited to interacting with visitors day after day, but we still work hard to ensure that the parks remain safe, functional, and preserved for future generations to enjoy.

If you're interested in becoming part of the Park Service, but don't want to become a "Ranger", then it might help to have a brief overview of the organization of NPS.

NPS Employment within a park, monument, region, etc. breaks down into 5 main "Divisions", each with designated duties related to the Park Service mission.

Administration: The admin staff of parks handles things like payroll, budget, human resources, Information Technology, and purchasing. Other departments, such as Concessions and OPAC (office of planning and compliance), usually also end up as a subset of this division.

Facility Maintenance (also known as "Design and Engineering"): The maintenance staff works to cover everything from building and housing maintenance to trail construction and waste management. In most NPS locations this is actually the largest portion of the staff.

Science & Resource Management (also known as "Natural\Cultural Resources"): S&RM functions as the academic side of the Park Service. Staff who work for S&RM include Biologists, Botanists, Zoologists, Archaeologists, Paleontologists, Hydrologists, Geologists, and every other kind of "ologist" you could imagine. They work in tasks as varied of their specialties, with duties ranging from active research to historic preservation.  

Interpretation: These are the Rangers that people think of when they imagine the National Park Service. Flat hats with green and grey uniforms giving programs or guiding events in the park. Interpretation staff make up half of the "Ranger" title. They offer presentations and programs, provide visitor information, and cover all kinds of other work designed to help people learn about, and enjoy their National Parks.

Visitor and Resource Protection: V&RP includes the primary other "Ranger" type. Law Enforcement Rangers. This division also includes programs like Backcountry Management, Fee Collection, Wildland and Structural firefighting, Emergency Services, and campground staff.

Once upon a time in the Park Service a "Ranger" was expected to be everything for a park. The law enforcement, the scientist, the interpreter, and the maintenance staff. These days the requirements of each job have become compartmentalized, because you can't expect every employee to be a federally credentialed law enforcement officer while also having a degree in Botany and knowledge on how to work a bulldozer. Because of this the Park Service family is incredibly varied in skill set, and just because you can't track a deer through the woods or give a Ranger Program to a crowd doesn't mean that's not a place where your skills can be put to use.

So, if you think that you'd rather have a Bison for a neighbor than an apartment building, or you feel like you'd rather be paid in sunrises than cold hard cash, consider taking a look joining the NPS family. You'll kick yourself every time you see your paycheck, and you'll wonder why you signed up for 150-mile grocery runs, but every time you get to step out and enjoy the beauty around you you'll understand that it was the best bad decision you ever made.

~CBD

A River Runs Through It (Part 1)

The Colorado River.  One of the main elements that shaped the Grand Canyon.  Glorious, internationally known, and extremely cold.  Less than 10% of visitors to Grand Canyon National Park are estimated to have seen it up close (Durango Herald), and even fewer have traveled down it on the river.  It was my honor to participate in an NPS employee trip last summer.

Commercial paddle tour (photo: SaintLost)

Something that most people aren't aware of is how expensive it is to get on a commercial river trip of the Colorado.  Here's what I found in my brief research.  Motorized (shorter, full length of Colorado within Grand Canyon) trips run an average of $2,630/person, while paddle trips (usually twice as long in time) are an average of $3,870/person.  The people I saw on these trips seemed very happy, but I doubt I would pay that much to raft down the Colorado.

Commercial paddle tour (photo: SaintLost)

My trip was only the lower half, which seems to typically be about half the full length price on commercial trips.  So, I hiked in to Phantom Ranch, the first time I'd ever really been below the Rim, despite living here for numerous years prior.  While it was a difficult, it was definitely worth the effort.

The Colorado River, immediately off the Bright Angel Trail (photo: SaintLost)

I did run out of water before the end, however. That was the hardest part, but I was rewarded with lemonade at the ranger station!  The afternoon and evening just consisted of hoping the pain in my legs would go away and resting.  A surprising thing, that I'd only heard rumors about in the past, was that one of the Science division employees ran ice cream down from South Rim for us to have that night. She ran down the South Kaibab trail in about two hours, then ran straight back up after having some water! I should mention that this was at night, which is more perilous on the trail.

About to load the boats with our gear (photo: SaintLost)

The next morning, we all rose quite early (for me) and started hauling gear to the boats.  Shoving our things into water-tight bags, getting acquainted with the boats and the crew, and trying to figure out what was needed for the ride itself were among the things we did before shoving off.  Lo and behold, the pain in my legs had intensified (despite extensive stretching the night before), so that will be a recurring theme for at least this entry.

Traveling down the Colorado! (photo: SaintLost)

Starting off on the bigger boat (the S rig), we went through a few smallish rapids before stopping to do some vegetation preservation work.  This basically means that we all worked together to water some saplings that the Science & Resource Division was trying to grow on one of the "sandbars".  I don't have any pictures of it, but the task ended up being most efficiently accomplished via a train of people passing water buckets up the steep, sandy hill. The hard work was a rewarding feeling, and just standing around in the water meant that I wasn't stressing my already cramped up legs.

Employees hard at work (photo: SaintLost)

After this, we loaded back on the boats and proceeded downriver. We eventually stopped to look at a rowboat that was perched up on a rocky outcropping and a story was told, but I couldn't walk up to it, so I stood just offshore in the wonderful, ice cold river water.  One of the boatmen, a friend of mine, stayed down at the bottom with me and we did the normal "gossiping" about NPS Divisional politics, which gets pretty dense, depending on the size of said Division.

Unrelated shot of the Grand Canyon! (photo: SaintLost)

I don't remember where we stopped for lunch, nor do I remember what it was, but I can tell you that all the food I ate on this trip was delicious.  From what I understand, river guides/runners end up as really great cooks from all the practice.  I do think that dinner was chicken fajitas; oh so tasty.  Stopping for the night on a really high sandbar is when I discovered that I had a bad sunburn developing on my feet.  It wasn't until days later that I realized how bad it was, but that's something I'll mention off and on during this series.

In any case, sleep was easier than I thought it would be and I only needed the footprint from my tent to sleep through the night.  You do get a good picture of the consequences of having a solo office job, since I was friends with only one person on this trip and it was difficult to socialize with everyone else, given how socially awkward I am.

A random side canyon (photo: SaintLost)

I will end this first part by saying that while the commercial trips looked low key, the employee river trip was more wonderful than I could possibly have imagined. More stories and pictures to come in Part 2!

My First Permanent Job with the Park Service

Editor's Note: This post is part #1 of a series on becoming part of the National Park Service. New posts in the series should be added in the coming weeks.

I’m a park brat, the same way that some people are military brats.  One of my parents worked for the Park Service my entire life, so it was always a part of my life.  It wasn’t until I was in college that I even considered it as a career possibility.

We rarely visited other Park Service locations when I was growing up.  Indeed, we only really traveled once a year and there was only one NPS location near where I grew up.  However, I did see almost every inch of the park my parent worked for.

Photo credit: SaintLost

Photo credit: NPS

I think being a park brat heavily influenced my eventual decision to pursue a career with NPS.  Initially, I wanted nothing to do with it, still being in that “rebellious” mindset of not wanting anything to do with my mother in the workplace.  Eventually, I fell in love with it all and set myself on the path to getting a job.  Hint: Start looking at USAJobs.gov!

The cert, the list of the top 10 or so people that qualified, for any given position is going to be heavily populated with either people with perfect qualifications (some are liars) or those with veteran’s preference (not a bad thing).  You might not think it, but a lot of people want the entry level positions working for the Park Service, even working at an entrance station.

My story is more about luck than anything else.  I had a lot of drive-thru cashier experience, so it ended up that I was perfect for working at an entrance station.  However, I think the only reason I made the cert is because of my stint as a seasonal Park Ranger.  How they came to my name above whoever else they had interviewed I’ll never know.

What I do know is that interviewing with enthusiasm was a huge part of why I was chosen. While I didn't know everything about the job I was pursuing, I did know that I wanted it. As a friend of mine always tells me, the worst thing that can happen from applying for a job is that they offer it to you. I realize there are arguments against that saying, but the meaning behind it really is that applying for a job doesn't actually hurt. IF you get the job, then you have to decide whether or not you want it and are willing to uproot your life for it. Working for an organization with remote sites like the National Park Service, upheaval really is a big possibility and commitment. Your new job is likely to be hours away from the nearest major city, and things like going out to dinner at a restaurant or catching a movie after work may no longer be possible. It's up to you to determine what is important to you.

Photo credit: SaintLost

For me, taking this job involved moving cross-country and being over an hour away from the nearest grocery store. My brother made that move easier, but it was also expensive. Only in certain circumstances will NPS be able to help pay for the cost of moving. Mine was not one of them.

Working at an entrance station isn't glamorous. It isn't usually exciting, can be stressful, and doesn't pay as much as other government jobs. Yet, I wouldn't trade the experiences, friends, and career path I made for anything in the world.

Photo credit: SaintLost

One of the main things I recommend if you want to pursue a career with the Park Service is have some notable experience at one.  Try to volunteer at the closest location, get a seasonal position, or work as a student hire (much easier to get than a seasonal position, if you lack experience.)

My tips for building your resume on USAJobs:

• Be extremely thorough in your description of duties at past jobs. Even the smallest thing can be seen as a game changer from the perspective of the person doing the hiring.
• Write a succinct list of the skills you gained and the duties you had in your various positions. Be very thorough.
• Read through the questionnaires that you have to fill out when applying for a job ahead of time. Include anything you have experience with, but had not previously included, on your resume. Without this, you’ll be automatically disqualified from consideration.

If you have questions about specific types of positions, feel free to leave a comment on this blog.