Park Guide

Summary This GS-0090-05 Park Guide position will be located at the Meriwether Lewis Site in Hohenwald, TN, part of the Natchez Trace Parkway. This is a permanent, full-time, Career Seasonal appointment. Please, see "Duties" section below for more information about Career Seasonal appointments. Government / Park housing is not available. Responsibilities This is a permanent, full-time, Career Seasonal appointment. Career-Seasonal appointments are permanent positions and include the same benefits as permanent appointments, but do not provide work on a year-round basis. You can expect to be in a non-pay status for a maximum of 6 pay periods (12 weeks) per year, scheduled from early December to late February. A Park Guide is a uniformed employee of the National Park Service serving as a front-line park representative. They provide information, give interpretive tours, and educational programming to the public. The primary purpose of this position is to provide guide services to visitors. Major Duties: Answering questions on a variety of subjects. Guiding small groups and providing services to visitors. Present limited and repetitive pre-established talks including introductions to films, map talks, and static exhibit interpretation. Orient hikers to conditions and equipment needs. Performs duties, including programs, that require application of broad subject-matter knowledge of the park. May guide larger groups (up to 50 people) on longer walks or programs. Provide a wide range of services for park visitors. Physical Demands: The work requires standing for long periods of time, walking for long distances, climbing and descending steep inclines, bending, and lifting moderately heavy items. Mental stress and physical fatigue occur due to high volume of personal contacts, occasional emergency responses, and repetitive nature of interpretive programs. Work Environment: Work is performed both indoors and outdoors resulting in exposure to a variety of weather conditions. Requirements Conditions of Employment 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 www.dhs.gov/EVerify/. DRIVER'S LICENSE: Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment. UNIFORM: You are required to wear a uniform and comply with the uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided. WORK SCHEDULE: You may be required to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and overtime. TRAVEL: You may be required to travel overnight away from home occasionally. You may be required to obtain a government charge card for travel purposes. You must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program. PROBATIONARY PERIOD: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period. For more information regarding Probationary Periods, please see "Qualifications" section below. Qualifications All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/04/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week, with dates in month/year format to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected. ** Please refer to the "Required Documents" section for Resume requirements. ** To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: At least one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-4 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Your resume must show hours per week worked AND the to/from dates in month/year format for each position. Specialized Experience is experience that involved oral presentation of historical, scientific, or program information to groups; or developing and/or revising technical, historical, or scientific information for oral presentation to groups. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to: Park Guide or tour leader; naturalist; environmental educator or teacher; or other similar work. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least four years of education above high school (120 semester hour or 180 quarter hours) leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, such as: American history, science, public speaking, parks and recreation, education, or communications. If using education to qualify, you must upload a legible copy of your college transcripts that includes your name, credit hours, and degree awarded. -OR- COMBINATION: Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. For example, 6 months of the specialized experience described in A above (50% of the experience requirement), and 3 years of college study from an accredited institution (75% of the qualifying education) as specified in B above, equals greater than 100% of the total requirement. If using education to qualify, you must upload a legible copy of your college transcripts that includes your name, courses, and credit hours completed. 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. Note: To receive credit for volunteer experience please follow the same required resume format as paid experience (i.e., hours per week worked, dates in month/year format, etc.) ______________________________________________________ PROBATIONARY PERIOD: 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. 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. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualification Additional Information AREA INFORMATION: The Natchez Trace Parkway stretches 444 miles across Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee, guiding travelers through hardwood forests, canebrakes, wetlands, and open prairies-each rich with diverse plant and animal life. For thousands of years, this historic travel corridor connected Native peoples, traders, soldiers, and settlers, and today it continues to welcome millions who come to explore its natural and cultural heritage. This position is located in the park's north district, based in Hohenwald, Tennessee, home to the final resting place of early American explorer Meriwether Lewis. Hohenwald is a rural community offering essential amenities such as grocery stores, medical services, and small local businesses. Because local housing is limited, many employees choose to live in nearby Columbia or Lawrenceburg. For broader urban amenities, Nashville is only 1.5 hours away, providing world-class music, museums, dining, and entertainment. Government / Park housing is not available. Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate. The duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster with supervisory approval. EXPLORE Act Veteran Hiring Pilot Program: The Department of the Interior has created a two-year Veteran Hiring Pilot as established by the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act that aims to expand employment opportunities for Veterans (and eligible transitioning Service Members). This position has been identified as EXPLORE Act Veteran Hiring Pilot eligible. The pilot supports DOI's conservation and resource management mission by connecting qualified Veterans with career opportunities across the Department. To learn more, visit https://www.doi.gov/veterans/explore-act. All Department of Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, https://www.doi.gov/ethics/ethics-prohibitions.