Park Ranger (Alpine Rescue and Mountaineering)
Park Ranger (Alpine Rescue and Mountaineering)
Mount Rainier National Park, Ashford, WA and Longmire, WA United States
Duties
The chief duties of this position include professional alpine mountaineering, aviation, technical rope rescue, avalanche forecasting, and emergency medical services. You participate as a team leader or member on patrols to climb any of the 25 main routes on Mount Rainier. Terrain consists of trails, sub-alpine meadows, rocky slopes, snow fields, glaciers, and vertical ice from 1,800 to above 14,400 feet in winter-like conditions, even in the summer. Camping and climbing at high altitude, on glaciers, even in stormy conditions is required. Conducting resource monitoring, concession monitoring, and visitor interactions will also be your responsibility. You must maintain a high level of physical fitness and are required to be able to hike to Camp Muir in typical fair-weather summer conditions in less than four hours.
The incumbent is expected to ski proficiently in the backcountry, in off-piste terrain, and in a variety of challenging un-groomed conditions. Skis are used as a main mode of travel both up and down the mountain for all but about 3-4 months on Mount Rainier.
Major duties include:
- Leading technical rope rescue and helicopter rescues in an alpine mountaineering environment within Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic National Parks. Must be proficient as a backcountry skier or snowboarder.
- Providing emergency medical services and care for patients until they can be transported for additional medical treatment.
- Coordinating and performing as an instructor in mountaineering, aviation, emergency medical services, avalanche, and technical rope rescue disciplines.
- Staffing front-country ranger stations and registering climbers where preventative search and rescue and resource protection messages are given.
- Staffing climbing high camps including helping with general upkeep, cleaning, and sanitation of backcountry facilities.
- Leading multi-day alpine mountaineering patrols at Mount Rainier and occasionally at other national parks.
Mount Rainier National Park is located in southeast Pierce County and northeast Lewis County in Washington state. It was established on March 2, 1899 as the fifth national park in the United States. The park encompasses 236,381 acres (369.35 sq mi; 956.60 km2) including all of Mount Rainier, a 14,411-foot (4,392 m) stratovolcano. The mountain rises abruptly from the surrounding land with elevations in the park ranging from 1,600 feet to over 14,000 feet (490 - 4,300 m). The highest point in the Cascade Range, around it are valleys, waterfalls, subalpine meadows, old-growth forest and more than 25 glaciers. The volcano is often shrouded in clouds that dump enormous amounts of rain and snow on the peak every year and hide it from the crowds that head to the park on weekends. The Carbon Glacier is the largest glacier by volume in the contiguous United States, while Emmons Glacier is the largest glacier by area.
About 1.8 million people visit Mount Rainier National Park each year. Mount Rainier is a popular peak for mountaineering with some 11,500 attempts per year with approximately 50% making it to the summit. Work takes place at all levels in the park from low-country ranger stations to climbing and rescue activities at the summit. Work is extremely strenuous and often conducted in poor weather. Backcountry travel is required and subject to primitive conditions and composes up to several weeks each year.
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR ยง575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.
See vacancy posting for full requirements and to apply: USAJOBS - Job Announcement