PARK RANGER - 37000953

Requisition No: 841886 

Agency: Environmental Protection

Working Title: PARK RANGER - 37000953

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 37000953 

Salary:  $2,813.33 monthly 

Posting Closing Date: 12/23/2024 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

PARK RANGER

State of Florida

Department of Environmental Protection

Job Vacancy

OPEN COMPETITIVE

Closing Date: 12.23.2024

Our Organization and Mission:

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is the state’s lead agency for environmental management and stewardship - protecting our air, water and land. The vision of DEP is to create strong community partnerships, safeguard Florida’s natural resources and enhance its ecosystem. 

The Work You Will Do:

PARK RANGER (37000953)

An opportunity is anticipated for a self-motivated, hard-working individual to provide resource management, interpretive, maintenance, administration, visitor services, and protection experience to fill a Park Ranger position at Blue Spring State Park located in Orange City, Florida.  Blue Spring Park resources include 2,644 acres of land, the largest spring on the St. Johns River; Blue Spring is a designated Manatee Refuge and the winter home (mid–November through March) to a growing population of West Indian Manatees. 

Supervisor:

Darrell Thomas, APM; 386.775.1599 or

Darrell.R.Thomas@FloridaDEP.gov

How You Will Grow:

DEP encourages its leaders to constantly innovate and seek efficiencies. We believe in supporting and encouraging you as you take on important and often complex projects while offering you the opportunity to gain valuable experience quickly.

Where You Will Work:

Blue Springs State Park

2100 West French Avenue

Orange City, Florida 32763

At Blue Spring State Park you can experience two completely different seasons. Summertime is great for recreational water activities such as snorkeling and tubing in the clear spring water.

Winter is perfect for observing manatees and other wildlife from our beautiful scenic overlooks and enjoying park programs or boat tours on the St. Johns River.

We recommend that folks come early, not only to beat the crowds but so you can do more while you are here. We might seem like a small park, but we have a large choice of activities for you to enjoy.

Click the attached link to learn more about this beautiful park:  https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/blue-spring-state-park

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State’s total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits including:

• Annual and Sick Leave benefits;
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal Holiday each year;
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision, and other supplemental insurance options;
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions (For more information, please click www.myfrs.com);
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Tuition waivers;
• And more!

For a more complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

Pay:

Base salary $2,813.33 monthly/$33,760.08 annually

Your Specific Responsibilities:

Visitor Services -Explains facilities and services provided for public use, enjoyment and education; meets visitors, answers questions, provides information and directions.  Attempts to resolve visitor complaints while maintaining good public relations.  Provides natural and cultural history interpretive programs and services via tours, walks, and campfire program.

Resource Management - Implements ecological burning plan for fire type plant communities; recognizes communities, control burning techniques and maintain fire lanes.  Implements vegetation and wildfire management plans; recognizes communities and maintains optimum species control via natural and chemical means.  Implements site restoration projects such as reforestation and erosion control.  Implements water resource management plans.

Maintenance - Constructs, maintains, and repairs small buildings, fences, trails, service roads, fire lanes, boardwalks, campsites, picnic sites, boat ramp, docks, and all other necessary facilities.  Maintains cleanliness of grounds and facilities.

Administration - Prepares forms and reports on a wide range of subjects including fees, receipts, visitor use, visitor contacts, patrols, wildlife sighting and population counts, accidents, crisis and miscellaneous incidents, vehicle, boat, and equipment operations, property records, p-cards, purchase orders and requisitions, etc.  Answers telephone, operate radio equipment, personal computer and maintain logs.  Answers correspondence and maintains park files.

Protection-Ensures Park rules are enforced pertaining to all natural, historical and archaeological facilities and resources and use thereof for enjoyment of the visitor.

Performs related work as required.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of: basic prescribed/wildfire concepts.

Skill in:  utilizing motor vehicles; using various hand tools, small engines, power tools; good public relations; basic arithmetic.

Ability to: follow verbal and written instructions/directions; communicate effectively, verbally and in writing; perform physical labor; operate radio equipment; perform cash register transactions; deal with visitor inquires in a tactful and courteous manner; understand and apply rules, directives, policies, laws and regulations; prepare reports; work independently with minimum supervision; participate in all aspects of resource management; work outdoors; lift 40 pounds; establish and maintain effective working relationships with others; operate personal computers, successfully complete Ranger Academy

Minimum Qualifications:

• Valid driver’s license
• Successful completion of background/fingerprint check

BACKGROUND SCREENING REQUIREMENT: This position is a Position of Trust. Any applicant being considered for employment must successfully complete a Level 2 State and National criminal history check as a condition of employment before beginning employment, and also be screened in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, F.S.  No applicant may begin employment until the background screening results are received, reviewed for any disqualifying offenses, and approved by the Agency. 

DEP is committed to successfully recruiting and onboarding talented and skilled individuals into its workforce. We recognize the extensive training, experience, and transferrable skills that veterans and individuals with disabilities bring to the workforce. Veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact our recruiter for guidance and answers to questions through the following email addresses:

HR_VeteransPreference@dep.state.fl.us

HR_ER@dep.state.fl.us

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.