Environmental Jobs in National Parks (E.g.: Rangers)

To some, a job in a state or national park is the very picture of environmental work. The availability of state park jobs depends on local state budgets. The federally funded National Park Service, which is a bureau of the Department of Interior and administers almost 400 national parks and other protected sites around the country, hires people ranging from seasonal visitor center staff, who may still be in college, to highly trained ecologists, archeologists and biologists, who hold PhDs.

Hiring at national parks has been relatively healthy after a 2006 budget boost, says Park Ranger Joshua Boles, but it’s still a competitive place to find work because so many people apply. If you want a permanent position as a ranger, it can help to start out as a seasonal worker, intern or volunteer.

For any job, the National Park Service looks for people who have a talent for talking to the public, and experience in and enthusiasm for education or environmental work. Available positions are posted at www.usajobs.gov.

Read a typical day in the life of National Park Ranger Joshua Boles.