Nothing is guaranteed, but if a current or former military service member takes the following four steps, they’ll have a better chance of landing a highly-coveted position with the Department of the Interior, as one of their National Park Service Rangers.

Step One: Possess (or Get) a College Degree

According to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), a Park Ranger (code 0025 in their system) must have, at the very least, two years above high school with 12 semester hours of related course work. And this doesn’t take into account natural competition for the jobs, i.e. other candidates will most likely have a college degree, giving them a huge advantage over anyone who doesn’t.

You can check on, or apply, to Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits online by clicking here.

Another leg up: proof you’ve taken (or even majored in) college courses specific to the job itself — natural resource management, natural sciences, earth sciences, history, archeology, anthropology, park and recreation management, law enforcement/police science, social sciences museum sciences, business or public administration, behavioral sciences, or sociology.

Step Two: Have a Résúme

If you don’t have one already, this cool online tool will create one for you, free of charge. It’s also a good idea to have both your college transcripts and your DD-214 handy.

Step Three: Fill Out a SF-15

An SF-15, otherwise known as an application for veteran’s preference, will only increase your chances to land the position. Get it here.

Step Four: Get an Account With USAJOBS

If you don’t have one already, click here to sign up.

Step Five: Search for the Position, Then Apply

Once on the site and logged in, use the “Keywords” search bar in the upper left, then type in “Park Ranger.” You can also narrow down the search by typing in a location (there’s also a “Top filters” tab on the right where you can check off “Veterans” if need be).

Once you’ve found a job you’re interested in, click on it, then click on the blue “Apply” button to apply. Below it there will be a “+” tab for instructions on “How to Apply” and “Required Documents.”

 

For more information on federal employment, click here.