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Have you ever wondered what career might best fit your personality? Do you like working outside or inside, or both? Would you rather interact with people, teach people or, observe people? Would you rather work with animals or plants? The National Park Service has a plethora of different types of jobs that appeal to many different personalities and preferences.

Which Ranger Career Are You?

A school group gather around to observe nature.

How would your friends describe you?

Where do you spend your time during the weekends?

You have a group project due tomorrow, what are you doing right now?

Education ranger teaches a group of fourth graders outside in Grand Teton NP.

Where are you most comfortable working?

Pick your favorite subject in school.

Choose the picture that you think tells a story.

Pick the option that best describes you!

A red fox (cross phase) carrying an arctic ground squirrel, its latest prey

What's your favorite trail snack?

Dall sheep spend most of their lives high atop steep slopes, where it is difficult for predators to reach them

Which one is your favorite animal?

You are an Interpretive and Education Ranger! You know the resources within your park like the back of your hand, acting like a living encyclopedia of the entire park. What’s more, you can answer complex questions from visitors, as well as allow them to teach others about the park during your ranger led hikes or evening programs. You love helping people have the best experiences they can within your park, and it shows in your personality! It’s easy for you to transition into your educator role because you love to teach others, especially those open to the wonders of the natural and cultural worlds within your park. You are imaginative, creative and enthusiastic. Whether it’s teaching high schoolers about geology in the Teton range, or talking about the biology of winter survival for animals during a snowshoe hike through the woods, you excel at engaging students in unconventional contexts.

Interpretation/Education Ranger

You are a scientist! You are drawn to the wonder and unknown of the park, constantly asking questions of “why” and “how”. You want to research and discover new things that explain why the park works the way it does. You are a scientist able combine the big picture with much smaller samples: Whether its tagging elk or deer to track their migration patterns, or using science and data collection to monitor the health and behavior of a wild wolf pack, you get out in the park and help protect animals in their wild and untamed habitat. Or maybe you study the effects of invasive plants on native habitat, and find ways to repopulate a field with native grasses. You also may monitor and collect seeds from beautiful wildflowers or trees and other plants that you can store in a lab so these species may never go extinct. You might even be drawn to the geology of the park. Discovering why the mountains tower over the valley or how the rivers and creeks alter the landscape. Surveying the area and creating maps of the underlying rock layer. The possibilities are endless!

Scientist : Wildlife Biologist, Botanist, Geologist

You are a Trails Worker! You can use mathematical equations to create a useful step in a network of trails! You aren’t afraid of busting out your muscles either, breaking rocks, cutting bridges and putting together each piece to create a functioning pathway. You leave a lasting legacy, and can return years from now to see your lasting handiwork. Most of all, you help make the park accessible to all types of visitors, no matter their age, background or ability while trying to reduce human impact of the environment, it’s a form of artwork!

Trail Worker

You are a Backcountry Ranger! One of your favorite activities on your weekends might be to embark on long hiking or overnight backpacking expeditions within the park, and you are lucky enough to get to hike for work as well! Patrolling trails, handing out permits and making sure that visitors are safe during their hiking and backpacking adventures is your primary responsibility. You are an expert at living in bear country, and make sure visitors take with them all the gear they need: including bear spray, food canisters, water, and supplies.

Backcountry Ranger

You are the brain of the park’s many systems. You work with others to help design buildings, waterways, and other necessary amenities, all while thinking about the impact on the environment and landscape. In this way, you aim to best preserve the national park’s natural feel, while also creating a comfortable and safe environment for people to visit.

Engineer

You are the Law Enforcement Officer! Your job is to make sure everyone is enjoying the park in a safe and lawful manner. Often times you end up patrolling animal jams on the road, but every now and then the law needs to be enforced. You also help during any emergency in the park, and have the ability to remain calm, cool, and collected in high stress situations. You can also communicate safety regulations to a variety of visitors and cultures, from basic traffic safety to hiking and backpacking safety. People look up to you and your knowledge of the park, as well as what it takes to keep people safe!

Law Enforcement/Emergency Medical Services/Climbing Ranger

Superintendent may be one of the hardest, but most rewarding jobs in the Park Service! You are responsible for representing the park and its mission, as well as having the last work on any decisions that may be beneficial or potentially harmful for the park. You have a background and good understanding of all the divisions that it takes to keep the park running, and make decisions that protect your workers as well as the park! Let your inner leader shine!

Superintendent

You dig up the past and use the objects that people left behind to paint a picture of who they were and what their lives were like! From American Indians who hunted and lived upon the landscape to Mormon pioneers and dude ranchers that once settled here, you string together small clues: a cabin, fire pits, tools, patterns left behind. Once discovered and researched these places have to be preserved or rehabilitated. As the Historic Preservation Worker, you like to do things the old fashioned way, and fix windows or doors with the same tools that were used to create a historic cabin, over 50 years ago!

Archaeologist and/or Historic Preservation Worker

You are part of the business administration team! You are the backbone of everything that goes on in the park. You’re in charge of all of the paperwork and permits that are required in order for the park to run smoothly. As part of human resources you get to help those who are hired to work for the park. You can use your tech savvy skills as part of Information Technology, IT. They are in charge of maintaining the park phone system, radios, computer network, while keeping our information secure. Budget determines how much money there is to spend and helps other divisions manage their spending. Business Resources manages the concession contracts, business who wants to operate within the park, like hotels, guided services, and activities such as horseback riding and rafting. The administration side of the park is a behind the scenes operation, but the park would not function without you!

Business Administration

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Which Ranger Career Are You?

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Which Ranger Career Are You?

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