Seasonal Public Safety Dispatcher

Summary

These positions may be filled for a six month seasonal period, but can vary due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: April-July 2025.

For more park(s) information, select "Learn more about this agency" below:

Appointment Type: Temporary Not-to-exceed 1039 hours.

Yellowstone hopes to hire at the GS-5 and GS-6 levels, while Grand Teton will only hire at the GS-5 level

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Duties

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• Provide public safety dispatch services in an emergency communications center setting. Specifically, the incumbent will obtain, verify and analyze incident information including location, reporting party contact information, nature and severity of the incident while applying effective communication skills to control the call via telephone and/or radio.
• Apply knowledge of geography, resource availability and accessibility, and agency specific systems to dispatch appropriate resources to an incident.
• Accurately document (in real time) incident information including, but not limited to reporting party contact information, incident details, changes in severity or conditions, responder status and call priority. Information is documented in a computer automated dispatch system (CAD).
• Enter person and vehicle information into the Criminal Justice Information Network and disseminates returns for critical information pertaining to officer and/or public safety.
  
  
  

Physical Demands: Incumbent must function efficiently in a confined space for extended periods with no breaks and no opportunity to leave the confines of the Communications Center. The dispatcher is considered an "essential employee," meaning he/she is required to work most holidays, report for duty during adverse weather conditions, and be expected to work for long hours exceeding normally scheduled shifts in case of emergencies. Position is sedentary with high amounts of stress. Incumbent is subject to shift work, rotating shift work, and uncommon tours of duty. Work requires use of the voice in vocal communications for periods of hours at a time. Voice must be clear, audible, and tone effective with words plainly spoken and understandable. Incumbent must be able to hear clearly and discern a variety of audible communications and signals simultaneously. Incumbent must be able to read critical information from multiple sources, including computer screen, fax, and written log quickly and accurately. The work is of an emergency nature and is emotionally stressful. Incumbent must possess manual dexterity sufficient to operate computer terminals/keyboards and related equipment and to maintain written logs. Work involves occasional lifting of boxes and supplies up to weights of 50 pounds.

Working Conditions: The work is normally performed in a well-lighted and temperature-controlled room. Noise levels are routinely high due to electronic equipment, telephones, radios, and other discussions ongoing in the performance of duties. The setting is typically confined and secure, and entrance and egress is controlled. During the training period and/or on other occasions, the incumbent will be assigned to accompany field law enforcement personnel in patrol vehicles to learn or gain a more detailed familiarization with agency field operating procedures and jurisdictional boundaries. Incumbent may not leave the center unless relieved by another qualified dispatcher.

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
• Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
• Depending on location, occupancy of government quarters may be required.
• Depending on location, government housing may be available.
• You may be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and/or shift work.
• You may be required to travel overnight away from home occasionally.
• You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
• You will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
• If selected for a position/location required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required. You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's License and Driving Record. You must also submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that disclose all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.
• Applicants 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.
  
  
  

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-04/07/2025-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40 hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience. Please also include the grade level for any federal positions.

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:

EXPERIENCE: At least one full year 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). Examples of qualifying specialized experience include but are not limited to, the following: perform work that provides familiarity with public safety policies and procedures such as but not limited to working as a security guard, law enforcement officer, or emergency responder (medical or search and rescue); relay information from callers using a multi-line telephone or multi-frequency radio system to initiate a response; serve as a dispatcher for safety or non-safety services (i.e. perform dispatch functions on a fire, construction site, other) You must include hours per week worked. Please also specify the grade level of any federal position

• OR-
  
  
  

EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least four years of education above high school in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. The education must have been attained in an accredited college or university. You must include transcripts

• OR-
  
  
  

Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. For example, 6 months of specialized experience (50% of the specialized experience) and three years of education above high school (50% of the education) would qualify an applicant for this position. Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e. beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts.

To qualify for this position at the GS-06 grade level, you must possess the following minimum qualification by close of the announcement

EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Examples of qualifying specialized experience include but are not limited to, the following: provide dispatch and/or call taking services, related to public safety (medical, law enforcement, search and rescue, fire or other emergencies/public safety related); operate computer systems such as but not limited to National Criminal Information Network (NCIC), National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NLETS), Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), or similar systems that aid in public safety dispatching to run queries and document communications. . You must include hours per week worked. Please also specify the grade level of any federal position.

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.

ICTAP/CTAP Statement: Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special prior­ity selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level on all competencies.

Education

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

Additional information

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

Click here for the OPM Salaries and Wages to calculate locality pay.

This job opportunity announcement will be used to fill one or more additional selections at anytime without notification.

Not all locations listed will be filling positions. Eligibility and qualifications will be verified if there is a vacancy for the location and grade for which you applied.

Positions will be filled at one grade level and have no promotion potential.

Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1040 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (NPS).

If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1040 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1040 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility.

The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1040 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1040 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM.

Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations.

The National Park Service has determined that most temporary positions are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster. However, some positions may be able to telework based on the nature of the work.

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