Job Description

Summary

You will serve as a lifeguard within the Visitor and Resource Protection division of Indiana Dunes National Park. The purpose of this position is to provide for visitor safety. You will apply technical expertise in the coordination and implementation of daily service as a team member of the beach safety operation. This position is classified temporary seasonal; not to exceed 1039 hours. Duty station for the lifeguard will occur at West Beach.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Duties

Performs lifeguard services during assigned tours of duty, accomplishing search and rescue, lifesaving, and preventive life guarding. Provides information on park regulations to the public. Patrols beach areas on foot advising visitors of hazardous lake and swimming conditions. Advises supervisor of safety problems and assists in the operation of the First Aid and Lifeguard Services Center, as requested. Prepares rescue reports and maintains records, as necessary. Performs other park support duties (such as festival assistance, garbage pick-up, and inventories), as weather conditions and/or workload requirements dictate. Position requires wearing the full assigned uniform and operation of an all-terrain vehicle.


NOTE: Any applicant tentatively selected may be required to pass park administered testing, which entails the following: 1) Swim 500 yards in 10 minutes or less; 2) Recover a 10-pound weight from 12 feet of water; 3) Swim 25 yards underwater with one breath; 4) Successfully demonstrate proper water rescue techniques; and 5) Demonstrate proper techniques for handling neck and back injuries.



Cut-off Dates: This is an open continuous announcement, in which applications are collected over several months, and have multiple cut-off dates. Applications received by the initial cutoff date will be considered first. **INITIAL CUT OFF IS Wednesday, January 28, 2026** Applications will be considered throughout the open period of the announcement however additional referral certificates will only be issued when a hiring official exhausts current certificate and/or additional vacancies need to be filled.


Indiana Dunes National Park

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
• Direct Deposit: Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
• Drug Testing: 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.
• Driver's License: You will be 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.
• Uniform: You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• Lifeguard Certificate : You will be required to acquire an American Red Cross Lifeguard Certificate or Equivalent within 60 days of entrance on Duty.
• Minimum Age Requirement: 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.
• Government Housing: Housing may be available.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-05/29/2026-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.


To qualify for this position at the GS-04 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:



EXPERIENCE: Have six months of general experience AND six months of specialized experience. General experience is any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position, or experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject areas of the occupation. Examples include working as a lifeguard at the YMCA, counselor at a summer camp, work as a leader with Boy Scout/Girl Scout clubs. Specialized experience is experience which is in the occupation of the position to be filled, in a related occupation, or in one of the specialized areas within that occupation, which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been at least equivalent to the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression of the occupation in the organization. Some examples of specialized experience are a) aid or assistant in the issuance of authorized property, and in the maintenance of inventory control and accountability for such property in a recreation facility; b) aid or assistant in a hotel or resort recreation service, with duties such as setting up areas for games, tournaments, and other organized group recreational activities; c) aid or assistant in the organization and administration of recreation activities, such as preparing calendars, maintaining attendance records, and providing information concerning schedules and activities; d)summer aid in a State or national park, with duties related to the recreational activities of visitors to campsites, trails, picnic areas, nature and raft centers, and boating and fishing areas (e.g. demonstrating camping techniques and park safety, conducting nature tours and overseeing farm animal areas provided for children). You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-

EDUCATION: Have successfully completed 2 years of study above high school that included at least 12 semester hours in courses related to recreation (e.g., basic psychology, group dynamics, physical education, arts and crafts, etc.). IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE: If you are using education to qualify you must document your degree in your resume. You must submit a copy of your transcripts, or a complete list of college courses taken that identifies for each course the college or university, semester or quarter hours earned, grade received, and date completed. We cannot determine eligibility without this information. (A copy of your official transcripts will be required before entrance on duty if you are selected). You must include transcripts.
-OR-

COMBINATION : Have a combination of work experience and education (includes 6 semester hours in courses related to recreation (e.g., basic psychology, group dynamics, physical education, arts, and crafts, etc.)) when added together would equal 100 percent of the needed qualifications for the position. You must include transcripts.



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.

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.


This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

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.

Physical Demands: Requires standing, walking, running, lifting, and carrying heavy items over hazardous sands and rough terrain during periods of environmental and psychological stress. Strenuous exertion under severe environmental conditions is required in search, rescue, recover, and boat
operations. Some assignments are sedentary. May be required to meet/maintain park administered tests (or equivalent); 1. Swim 500 yards in 10 minutes or less; 2. Recover a 10- pound weight from 12 feet of water; 3. Swim 25 yards under water with one breath; 4. Successfully demonstrate proper water rescue techniques; and 5. Demonstrate proper techniques for handling neck and back injuries.



Working Conditions: Work is performed indoors and outdoors, the majority being outside and possibly subjected to extreme weather and/or terrain. Search, rescue, recovery, and ATV/UTV operations require exposure to potentially dangerous conditions.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessments required for this position. A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score will be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions can affect your rating.

Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. You may only submit one resume. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed.


Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of two categories:

• Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position
• Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.

You will be evaluated on the following competencies:

• First Response
• Interpersonal Skills
• Public Safety and Security
• Technical Competence

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/29/2026:

• Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, dates specified in month and year format, 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. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

• Complete All Required Assessments.

• Other Supporting Documents , if applicable, such as:
  • Veterans Preference Documentation:
    • If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran , you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
    • If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge , you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
    • If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran , you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.

• College transcripts, if qualifying based on education.

• Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above 70 on the rating criteria for this position.

Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.



Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

To apply for this position: You must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/29/2026. You must provide documentation to support your claim for each eligibility selected. Please review the required documentation listed in the eligibilities language to ensure you submit the appropriate information. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation.



WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES.

• Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account.

• Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application."
  • Click here for USAJobs Help with "How to create an application"
  • To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link:

• Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS.

• Select documents you want included in this application.

• Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed.

• Select if you want to include your demographic information.

• After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site."

• Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.

• Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown.
  • Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.

• Review and Submit Application.

• While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.

• You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement.
  • To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job.
  • Note: When you click Update Application , you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application.
    

Agency contact information

MWR HR Staffing Team

Email

mwr_hr_staffing_team@nps.gov

Address

Indiana Dunes National Park
1100 N Mineral Springs Rd
Porter, IN 46304
US

Next steps

Once the Occupational Questionnaire is received you will receive acknowledgement that your submission was successful. If you are among the most qualified candidates and your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly for a possible interview. You will be notified of the status of your Application Package at the time candidates are referred for consideration, and when the selection process is complete.

Overview

Accepting applications

Open & closing dates

01/14/2026 to 05/29/2026

Salary

$19.50 to - $25.35 per hour

Pay scale & grade

GS 4

Location

Porter, IN

4 vacancies

Remote job

No

Telework eligible

No

Travel Required

Not required

Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

Appointment type

Temporary - 1039 Hours; The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period is May-Nov but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: May 2026.

Work schedule

Full-time

Service

Competitive

Promotion potential

None

Job family (Series)

• 0189 Recreation Aid And Assistant

Supervisory status

No

Security clearance

Not Required

Drug test

Yes

Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process

• Credentialing
• Suitability/Fitness

Financial disclosure

No

Bargaining unit status

No

Announcement number

MW-1544-INDU-26-12858477-OC

Control number

854346400

Job Tags

Hourly pay, Full time, Temporary work, Part time, Work experience placement, Summer work, Seasonal work, Local area, Remote work, Relocation,

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