National Park Service: Job Descriptions

The Park Service hires people with a surprising range of educational backgrounds. Not everyone who the Park Service hires knows a lot about trees and recreational management. In fact, the skills and experiences that are in highest demand include:

Law enforcement
Interpretive and information services
Curatorial/archival/museum experience
Audio visual and communication
First Aid/emergency medical skills
Lifesaving certification

If you have experience with any of these kinds of work, be sure to point it out when you apply.

As a ranger at Yellowstone Park puts it, "When I go to hire people, what makes them most competitive is a general grounding in resource management combined with people skills and relevant technical skills."

Having a clear understanding of National Park Service positions and the application process will help you choose where and when to apply. The sections that follow include descriptions and qualifications for the most common seasonal positions. Read these sections carefully. For your convenience, at the end of the job descriptions we've included a list of the NPS field area offices and their addresses. Refer to these whenever application information suggests that you first call the regional office for information.

For an interview with a resource education ranger, click here.

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