Park Ranger - Public Safety & Law Enforcement - Natural Bridge State Park

Title: Park Ranger - Public Safety & Law Enforcement - Natural Bridge State Park

State Role Title: Natural Resource Spec II

Hiring Range: $42,000 - $57,680

Pay Band: 3

Agency: Dept Conservation & Recreation

Location: Natural Bridge State Park

Agency Website: dcr.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

The Park Ranger – Public Safety & Law Enforcement (PS&LE) position serves as a sworn, commissioned, and certified law enforcement officer as defined in the Code of Virginia § 9.1-101, with the responsibility to enforce the laws of the Commonwealth and the regulations of the Department.

As one of Virginia's Law Enforcement Rangers, you will:

• Support Natural Bridge State Park programs and services with special emphasis on providing public safety, law enforcement, and resource protection by enforcing park rules, regulations, and state laws.
• Ensure the protection of people, property, and resources on land owned, leased, or operated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation through articulated and displayed specialized knowledge of public safety and law enforcement activities.
• Patrol properties in a vehicle, on foot, and by other modes of transportation.
• Assist with special events and search and rescue operations.
• Respond to and conduct initial investigations of incidents including felonies, crimes and violations of rules, public use, safety requirements, and motor vehicle accidents, crowd control activities, responding to calls for public safety and law enforcement services, and proactively protecting property resources from all forms of degradation.
• Serve as a public safety resource by interacting with park visitors.

Park Ranger – PS&LEs will also:

• Assist with natural resource protection which includes medical services, as well as facilitates stewardship and orientation.
• Assist with wilderness management, boundary enforcement, and protection of natural and cultural resources (e.g., wildlife, plants, archaeological sites, historic buildings)
• Support wild land fire suppression protection including such duties as wildlife management.
• Maintain park boundaries and signage, mark forest roads/trails, and complete quarterly written trail inspections as well as other forms of written documentation.
• Facilitate stewardship (e.g., diagnosing basic maintenance issues and ensuring public safety through basic facilities and grounds maintenance) and use of appropriate safety equipment and equipment.
• Supervise and train seasonal and wage staff, volunteers, and other work program participants in the maintenance of grounds, facilities, and equipment as appropriate.

The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is the state’s lead conservation agency, and it takes a diverse agency to conserve resources for a diverse commonwealth.

The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation offers paid leave; 13 paid holidays; medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; retirement plans (including 401a Cash Match and 457 Deferred Compensation Plan for classified positions, and VaLORS for law enforcement positions); and is a federally recognized Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) employer.

DCR’s Mission is to conserve the natural, scenic, historic, and cultural resources of the Commonwealth. We invite you to learn more about DCR’s efforts to CONSERVE.

Minimum Qualifications

• Experience working with the public and/or customer service experience.
• Ability to solve problems and develop solutions.
• Ability to work with teams or independently with minimal supervision
• Familiarity with 2-way radios, electronic devices, and computers, including Microsoft Office Suite.
• Basic knowledge of home/grounds maintenance (e.g., cleaning, debris removal, or minor home maintenance).
• Must be able to complete the agency required Basic Law Enforcement Academy and obtain DCJS certification within 18 months of hire.

Additional Considerations

• Current Virginia DCJS law enforcement officer certification.
• Basic knowledge of park/recreation operations (e.g., building and grounds maintenance, resource management, etc.).
• Experience planning and conducting programs and events.
• Experience with leading, directing, and training others.
• Experience reaching logical conclusion from interpreting policy and regulations.
• Experience with responding to or handling emergency situations.
  

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

A valid Driver's License is required to operate a state vehicle or if operating a personal vehicle while conducting business on behalf of the agency.

Selected candidate(s) will need to complete the I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form. DCR participates in E-Verify.

Minorities, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and people with National/Federal Service experience are encouraged to apply. EEO/AA/TT

Valid Driver’s License is required.

PARK HOUSING IS NOT GUARANTEED FOR THIS POSITION. If park housing is available and chosen by the incumbent, the following will apply:

In accordance with 10.1-109.B of the code of Virginia, this position is required to reside in department-controlled housing for the purpose of providing security and operational efficiencies to the property of the Department. The incumbent must enter into a lease agreement and demonstrate possession of liability and personal property insurance.

This position requires incumbent to be or become a Sworn Conservation Officer and attend a 21-week Law Enforcement Academy located in Salem, Virginia. Candidates selected for hire are provided living accommodations during the academy. Must be a US citizen; be at least 21 years old; H.S. grad or possess GED; possess or be able to obtain certification as a LE Officer in VA from the VA Dept. of Criminal Justice Service which includes accepting responsibilities related to being equipped with and using firearms. Successful applicants: shall not have a felony conviction(s) or have pled no contest to a felony or any offense that would be a felony if committed in VA; shall not have a misdemeanor conviction(s) involving moral turpitude, including larceny, concealment, uttering, embezzlement, or perjury; shall not have conviction(s) for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence; shall not have positive results on pre-employment drug screening.

Conditions of employment for this position require the successful completion of a physical agility test and behavioral assessment. Also, successful completion of a physical exam is required to be identified as suitable for the position prior to beginning employment.

Park Ranger – PS&LE positions require shift work which includes weekends, holidays, and overtime. In addition, this position will serve in an on-call capacity, as needed, to provide security and operational efficiencies. Responding to calls outside scheduled hours requires a response within a prescribed timeframe.

Work requires exposure to the outdoors, weather in all seasons, dust, animals, and insects. Successful candidates must be able to perform manual labor to include standing, bending, pulling, climbing, and frequently lifting up to 50 pounds. Successful candidate must obtain certifications in CPR and First Aid and accept responsibilities related to being equipped with and using firearms and will be required to wear a uniform and related law enforcement equipment and comply with the DCR Public Safety & Law Enforcement Uniform standards.

Employment in all positions within the Virginia State Parks is contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background check including a criminal history record check.

DCR employees are encouraged to visit Virginia State Parks! Check out our employee discounts.

• Free parking or admission to all Virginia State Parks.
• DCR classified, retired, and wage staff (after six months of service) are entitled to overnight facility discounts such as:
  • Free camping outside of the Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day period in sites designed for up to six people.
  • Free camping Sunday night through Thursday night (excluding the night prior to a holiday) from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.
  • Fifty percent discount on cabins (up to 3 bedrooms) outside of Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, for a maximum of 14 nights. All reservations require a two-night minimum. Bunkhouses, camping cabins, and yurts are included; one night yurt stays only receive a 25% discount.

Contact Information

Name: N/A

Phone: N/A

Email: hr@dcr.virginia.gov

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.