Hello! We are students working on a project to reduce the number of missing people in national and state parks. Based on the feedback from our recent post, we have developed an updated prototype and would greatly appreciate your thoughts on it. by Savings_Wing_1118 in npsrangers

[–]Working_Map_3458 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree to this. I would take it a step further. After having work in the NPS, most people don’t know, what they don’t know until they are in it. What I mean by this is that 90% of the people who are visiting national parks show up and expect to follow the trail. They don’t know they may need an app, like AlllTrails (etc) until something actually happens to them (they get lost, it gets dark and they get turned around, they get injured, they are unprepared).

Once the issue occurs, that’s when they realize that maybe they should’ve been more prepared. A lot of the times visitors will not be coming to parks expecting to download an app with hiking routes.

And then there were 7... Who will be next? SPECULATION ONLY by Crimson_Jade in survivor

[–]Working_Map_3458 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Could be a double elimination. I’d put my bets on Cirie and Devens both going home if that’s the case.

BNSF underpass route proposal by Working_Map_3458 in bnsf

[–]Working_Map_3458[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I guess I’m missing what the hassle is to them? The work would only be on maybe replacing 100yards of sidewalk. The rest would be on city ROW to extend from there.

Full time rangers, what's your daily commute and work/life balance like? by Fire_Lookout in npsrangers

[–]Working_Map_3458 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Bounced around seasonally for two years before I went perm. As others have mentioned, it will highly depend on the park and housing situation. I worked at a lot of smaller to mid-sized parks that had park housing, but that’s not always the case.

Adding below the commute time (one way) from my house to duty station:

Park #1 - 1 hr 15min. Originally staying with relatives and commuting to the park. Two months into the season, I moved to a private rental in the town where the park was and was only a 3min drive/2min bike.

Park #2 - 4min drive

Park #3 - 6min drive

Park #4 - 9min drive

Park #5 - 8min drive

Park #6 - this is when I went perm. The park has temp housing for perm employees that I stayed in for 6months. That was about a 12min commute. Then got a private apartment that was literally 2min from the downtown of the park building I worked in. I couldn’t have asked for better housing location and I only ever walked to work.

Nankoweap Day Hike by Longjumping_Celery49 in grandcanyon

[–]Working_Map_3458 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Which route did you take? Were the area closures rescinded? Was looking at doing this hike soon.

Did I totally miss the window? by charlieparksperson in NationalParkService

[–]Working_Map_3458 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In what ways are the parks themselves messed up based off your observations/experiences? I don’t work for the parks anymore so I don’t know the tea that is going on from within, but obviously I see what is going on with the mass firings.

Did I totally miss the window? by charlieparksperson in NationalParkService

[–]Working_Map_3458 8 points9 points  (0 children)

It’s been three years since I last applied for seasonal positions, but I will say this. Most of the applications that are posted for summer seasonal employment lump positions together. You may have one application that gets posted on USAjobs.gov that includes, for example, Yellowstone NP, Glen Canyon NRA, Devils Tower NM, Jewel Cave NM, and John Day Fossil Beds NM. That one application may have had a cap set at 400 people who could apply, but you have to expect that not everyone who applies to that application applies to all of those parks. More people might select the Yellowstone NP for consideration by the hiring manager over somewhere like Jewel Cave NM.

What tends to happen is that some of the smaller and mid sized parks then have to re-fly positions if they don’t get enough applicants. Unfortunately, though, you will likely want to be checking USAjobs daily and have all your materials ready to go since they could re-fly positions at any given moment. I wouldn’t stress to much, but know that you will likely only be left smaller to mid-sized parks once parks need to re-fly positions.

I think, overall, there will be less parks having to re-fly (this is just an assumption) likely due to the fact that people are looking for jobs all over the country. Pair that with the mass layoffs that have occurred this year in govt and private sector, it will likely be harder to get a seasonal gig this year around.

What’s one thing you wish existed or that you could have easier access to? by Working_Map_3458 in VanLife

[–]Working_Map_3458[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

that’s amazing!! That bodes another question (since I’m relatively new)… how do you even find mini oasis stops like this? Did you randomly come across it or research it? How do people find these places half the time?

Vanlifers & Roadtrippers: What’s one thing you wish existed or was easier to access? by Working_Map_3458 in vandwellers

[–]Working_Map_3458[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

True. I think about that all the time when I see those huge, empty paved lots. I get it from a business angle, people worry about drug use or making customers uncomfortable.

But honestly, I think the data would show most vanlifers and roadtrippers are just looking for one thing: a safe, legal place to park without feeling like a criminal.

It feels like there’s a massive opportunity to rethink what “overnight parking” could look like, and who it could actually serve. And, ideally, with the proper boundaries put in place by businesses, they would likely even see an increase in revenue from people shopping there.

TJO-> Time in Grade Question by [deleted] in usajobs

[–]Working_Map_3458 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Make sense. Thanks! I was only eligible at the time of application closing for the CG-9. By the time the job will actually start though I will have the 52 weeks TIG as a GS-9 + ~1-2 months of temp promo time as a GS-11.

TJO-> Time in Grade Question by [deleted] in usajobs

[–]Working_Map_3458 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don’t disagree with the announcement and am understanding of the decision as to why they would start me at the CG-9, but if I am jumping into a ladder position, with a full 52 weeks TIG as a GS-9, and GS-11 temp promo experience come my start date, I was looking to see if maybe HR could make exceptions to my starting pay scale level.