So You Wanna Be a Park Ranger

In the last year or so, I've been getting this question more and more: "How DO you become a park ranger?" The simple answer: "It's complicated." But if the inquiring party has the time and interest, I am always happy to help as much as I can -- because I know I how much I appreciated getting the inside scoop when I was trying to figure out the answer to that question myself.

In light of this, I thought it would be useful (for both you AND me, to get this all written down) to just write a blog post about it. Let's do this!

So you wanna be a park ranger.

1. Know your stuff

The first thing to know is that, A) there are lots of different kinds of park rangers, and B) there are lots of different kinds of parks and public lands. Make sure you know what's what. And don't worry, it gets easier to understand, but it can seem pretty cryptic at first. I'm also now realizing that I think I'll have to write a whole separate blog post about the differences between types of public lands, but for now, I would suggest you do some Google sleuthing. Here's the gist of it:

• The NPS, BLM, and USFWS is all managed under the Department of the Interior.
• The US Forest Service is managed under the Department of Agriculture. 
• State parks and recreation areas are managed under individual state governments.
• You can be a park ranger under any of these agencies, but they will all have slightly different duties, requirements, and responsibilities.

Why is it important to know what US Department these agencies operate under? Because each department has a different responsibility to the United States, and thus will be managed accordingly.

Under each of these agencies, there are multiple types of park rangers. The most common ones you'll come across are:

• Interpretation (formal and informal public education)
• Protection/Law enforcement (protection and enforcing laws, duh.)
• Biologist (conducting biological studies and surveys)
• Wildlife technician (managing and protecting wildlife)
• Backcountry (patrolling the land for safety and maintenance)
• Maintenance (upkeep of facilities)
• Fee Collection (staffing desk/kiosk to collect park entrance fees, issue permits, provide info)
• Cultural resources (museum/artifact management)
• Archaeologist (archaeological research and surveys)
• Forestry technician (forest firefighting)
• State park ranger (typically general ranger duties for state parks)
• Forest ranger (typically general ranger duties for national forests)

NPS Photo

There are actually thousands of different types of positions, some of the more specialized ones including equestrian/cowboy rangers, historical reenactors, astronomers, climbing rangers, etc. 

Part of the reason there are so many types of park rangers is because there are a ton of different types of protected resources under all the various public land designations. You can be a park ranger working in a historic home or building, caves, beaches, lakeshores, monuments, battlefields, and more. You know the Statue of Liberty? That's a National Park unit. The Gateway Arch? That's a National Park Unit. Abraham Lincoln's childhood home? Also a National Park unit. The Washington Monument? ALSO a National Park unit. The more you know, right?

So clearly there are lots of ways to be a park ranger in lots of different places doing lots of different things. Which leads us to our next point...

2. Get qualified

So you've started to figure out what the different agencies do, and what the different types of park rangers do, and hopefully you have some idea of what YOU want to do. But now how do you do it?

While most mid- to upper-level park ranger positions require a bachelor's degree or higher, a common misconception is that you need to get your degree in something environmental-related. While is this helpful, it's not a hard-and-fast rule, especially now that you've seen that a lot of public lands are not even "nature-"related. Get your degree in something that you're interested in, and you're on your way to be qualified for something you'd enjoy doing. 

In addition to getting a higher education, the next most important way to qualify yourself for a park ranger job is to get experience. This is not an option: it's kind of a requirement. It's also one of the most frustrating roadblocks, especially when you're young or going through a total career change. 

The bad news is that you'll probably have to be willing to work for little or no money at first (which is why it's best to do this while you're still young and your college loans are still in their grace period). But there are a number of ways to be smart about it. 

Swearing in my VIP friend as a Jr. Ranger

The National Park Service has the VIP (Volunteers In Parks) program, where you can volunteer essentially as a park ranger for a season and get lots of sweet perks, but no pay. Among said sweet perks is all the same training that most seasonal rangers get, which of course, qualifies you to be a paid ranger.

If you're a student or recent graduate, you can qualify for a paid internship with the SCA (Student Conservation Association), which is how I got my start, and how most rangers I know got started. The nice thing about the SCA is that you not only get a stipend, but your also get a travel reimbursement, and usually the same training as rangers and VIPs.  

Some other ways to get qualified include volunteering at local (county/city) parks, museums, or historical sites, teaching summer camp, interning or working for various organizations or agencies that may have similar duties or missions (for some great resources, check out this post).

3. Start Searching

Most likely, you'll start out as a seasonal ranger (as opposed to a permanent ranger), which means you'll get hired for jobs that last 4-6 months, mostly in the summer. There are some parks that hire winter seasonal rangers, but there are far fewer positions available.  Here's where to find park ranger jobs:

• Federal park ranger jobs (with the NPS, BLM, USFWS, etc): all positions are listed on USAJobs.gov. I'll talk more about that in moment. The advantage of a federal position is usually higher pay, more specific job duties, federal benefits, and standardized training.
• State, county, or local park ranger jobs: you'll have to look it up by state, county, or city. Like, literally Google "Colorado state park ranger positions," "California state park jobs," or "Springfield County park ranger jobs." Each site will be different, each application will be different. Some are easier to find and work with than others. The advantage of a state or local park ranger job is that your duties may be more generalized (a combination of public education, maintenance, patrolling, etc.) and you may be able to stay in your home state rather than more around.

So here's the scoop on USAJobs:

Resumes: First, make sure you upload or build your resume on USAJobs. I build mine on their site, because that way I know I've included everything they want. The big difference between doing a federal resume and any other resume is that the Feds want to see LOTS of details. Go big. Be specific and detailed. Don't worry about keeping it to one page. Also, if you're applying to a job with specific duties (like, an equestrian ranger), you better make sure you upload or update your resume to include that specific experience and qualifications.

The Search: On USAJobs, you search by keyword and location. If you don't care where you work, just search by keyword and leave the location blank. The keywords you'll want to use include any combination of "park ranger" or "park guide," and anything specific you're looking for (I usually also search on "interpretation," 'cause that's what I do, but you could also do "biologist," or "archaeologist," or "technician," etc). When you find ones you like, you can save them and look over them when you're ready. As you read through them, be on the lookout for duties, qualifications, and requirements. Some positions aren't quite what they appear! 

The other important thing to know about searching is when to look. Job postings for summer seasonal positions start coming out in November-February. Postings for winter seasonal jobs come out around May-August, from what I've seen. 

Sometimes you just gotta do paperwork.

Applying: When you go to apply, you'll have to attach your resume and go through the assessment questionnaire. It's roughly the same for most jobs, but will vary slightly, so read everything carefully. The questionnaire will ask you to rate yourself on your experience doing certain things, like working as a frontline representative, leading tours for large or small groups, responding to emergencies, working with power tools, etc. The trick is to rate yourself as high as you are comfortable doing so, and don't be afraid to say you're an "expert" at something if you know you're good at it, or would be able to do it easily. Basically, this gets your application through the electronic system. If you rate yourself too low, all the applicants who rated themselves high in most categories will take priority over yours and be referred on to the next level, while the low self-assessments will not be moved on. It sounds basic, but it's an important part of how the system works.

If your application makes it through, you'll receive an email notification that says something like "Your application has been Referred." These are good! This means that your application is now hopefully in the hands of a real human being. If it didn't make it through, you'll get a "Not Referred" email, which means that there were too many higher-rated applications, or veterans that applied (forgot to mention, veterans and Peace Corps volunteers get preference over the rest of us).

Interviewing: So, let's say you got "Referred." Now you have two options: you wait, or you call. If it's a small enough park you don't necessarily have to call, because they don't get as many applicants. If it's a big park though, like Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, or Denali, sometimes it's a good idea to call the park and ask to speak with the hiring official. When you get the hiring official, first double check that this is a good time to talk (respecting your potential employer's time is suuupeerrr important) and tell them you received a referral notification and you're very interested in the position. If at all possible, try to have some questions ready about the position. This helps you to assess whether or not you DO want the job, and it helps them to see that you're invested. You could also use this as an opportunity to ask what their hiring timeline is, or when you might expect to hear back. The majority of the time, the hiring official will write down your name and they will remember you when they get to your application. Woohoo!

Once you get a phone interview, be professional, but be yourself. After you've done a few, you'll get a feel for the questions they ask, and you can have some answers ready each time. (i.e. have some examples in mind of your successes or weaknesses, what you'd do in different situations, etc.). Make sure you have a few questions for them about the position as well! It's also always a good practice to send a follow-up email the next day or so to thank them for the interview and their time, and tell them you look forward to hearing back.

Next Steps: Many times, I've gotten several job offers at once and have to make the tough decision of turning one down. I usually take into consideration the salary, location, and level of position.

• Federal park ranger positions are generally on the GS ("General Scale") system, which is the federal pay scale. Here's a list of the different hourly wage levels. From an entry-level standpoint, you should be aiming for  GS-04 or GS-05, and after a couple years you should be qualified for GS-07 or higher. Some states, like AK and HI also provide a small pay increase to cover the extra cost of living in their remote locations. 
• You'll also want to consider if it's a seasonal position or permanent, what types of extra duties are required, and what opportunities for career advancement they offer (like special trainings, opportunities to design your own projects/programs, travel, etc.). 
• Also consider if the park aligns with your own interests. For example, I love the remote wilderness, but I once worked at Sitka National Historical Park, a unit focused on teaching early Russian-American history. While I learned a lot and enjoyed my time there, I also found that I gain more fulfillment from working at parks that are more nature-focused.

The Final Word

The biggest things to remember when you're considering taking on the life of a park ranger are:

1. You will likely be starting out as a seasonal worker, and should be willing to move around a bit, as well as be able to manage your finances well to survive on a seasonal salary. With this lifestyle, you'll also have to be job searching about every 6 months, and updating your resume just as often.
2. There are many different kinds of park rangers. You can try a few different positions before you settle on one you like, but be willing to put in the work to gain the necessary qualifications.
3. Be generous in your self-assessment on job questionnaires. This is not the time to be shy. :) Let your personality shine through, but also demonstrate that you are mature, professional, passionate, and driven. It also helps to show specific interest in the park you're applying for.
4. Most important of all: BE PATIENT. You will receive oodles more rejections than you will acceptances. I still do, and I know that I'm very well qualified for most positions that I apply for. It's just how the system works right now. But patience is key; it will take months before you hear back from some positions, so hedge your bets by applying to as many as possible.

PC: Instagrammer @shumfc

I think that's about the gist of it. There is, of course, a lot more to know, but much of the rest you just have to learn for yourself. I am always happy to talk with anyone and answer specific questions, so feel free to ask! I don't think there should be any "secrets" to getting into the park service, so I'm all for helping each other out.

I hope this helps a little bit, and any of your readers have additional tips, corrections, or suggestions, please let me know!