Title: Chief Ranger - Public Safety & Law Enforcement

State Role Title: Protective Service Workers, All Other

Hiring Range: $44,000 - $60,564

Pay Band: 3

Agency: Dept Conservation & Recreation

Location: Pocahontas State Park

Agency Website: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: Agency Employee Only - A

Job Duties

If you have always wanted to work in a beautiful and serene environment? Then we have the perfect position for you at Pocahontas State Park! We are hiring a Chief Ranger - Public Safety and Law Enforcement.

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.

Virginia’s award-winning state park system, a division of DCR, boasts an incredible and diverse array of natural, cultural, historical, and recreational resources including parks in the mountains, on the ocean, on the Chesapeake Bay, on 8 major rivers, on 4 major lakes, 4 rail trails, 3 battlefield sites, and 32 sites listed on the National Historic Registry. Our parks encompass over 75,000 acres, offering campsites, cabins, trails, shorelines, lakes and ponds, international dark sky sites, and over 20,000 educational programs and workshops each year.
The Chief Ranger – 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 Pocahontas 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.

Chief Ranger – PS&LE’s will also:

• Provides PSLE oversight at home and nearby park as required, including reviewing reports as requested and ensuring compliance with General Orders, laws, codes, and regulations. - serves as primary contact for daily LE operations with District Ranger, serving as Acting District Ranger when requested.
• Provides ongoing law enforcement operational awareness and statistical awareness to the site PM for assigned sites, ensuring PM awareness of trends or issues that could impact site operations.
• Requests and coordinates site-specific LE special operations proactively and in response to issues, coordinates preparation of assigned site event operational/security plans for routing to District Ranger and DM.
• Coordinates scheduling of site Park Ranger PSLE with site PMs and District Ranger PSLE to ensure appropriate coverage.
• Assisting in wilderness management, boundary enforcement, protection of natural and cultural resources (e.g., wildlife, plants, archaeological sites, historic buildings), and supporting wildland fire suppression protection, including such duties as wildlife management.
• Maintaining Park boundaries and signage, marking forest roads/trails, and completing quarterly written trail inspections as well as other forms of written documentation.
• Facilitates 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.

The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation offers paid leave; a minimum of 13 paid state holidays per year; 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 problem solve 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).
• Requires the incumbent to possess and maintain certification through the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) to maintain employment.
• Employee will be expected to obtain and maintain appropriate SAR certification(s) and support the DCR Search and Rescue (SAR) Team/Virginia Department of Emergency Management during operations at their group of assigned parks or a geographic area.
• Employee will be expected to obtain and possess knowledge of controlled burns and wildfire response to provide appropriate public safety and law enforcement response at their assigned park(s) or a geographic area as approved by leadership of the Division of State Parks and OPSLE.
• May also be required to obtain and maintain certifications to serve as First/Aid CPR Instructor, or obtain CPTED certification, or other similar activities as approved by leadership of the Division of State Parks and OPSLE.

Work requires exposure to the outdoors, weather in all seasons, dust, animals, and insects. Must be able to perform manual labor, including standing, bending, pulling, climbing, and frequent lifting up to 50 pounds. Must obtain certifications in CPR and First Aid, and accepts 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 OPSLE Uniform standards.

Additional Considerations

• Basic knowledge of park/recreation operations (e.g., building and grounds maintenance, resource management, etc.)
• Experience in planning and conducting programs and events.
• Experience in leading, directing, and training others.
• Experience reaching logical conclusions from interpreting policy and regulations.
• Experience in responding to or handling emergencies.

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.

Submission of an online application is required for this position. DCR does not accept applications, resumes, cover letters, etc., in any other format. When applying for jobs, please ensure your online application and/or resume are complete with duties and skills associated with your work experience.

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.

THIS POSITION WILL BE REQUIRED TO LIVE IN PARK HOUSING. In accordance with 10.1-109.B of the Code of Virginia, this position is required to reside in Department-controlled housing for the purposes 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.

Position requires incumbent to be a Sworn Conservation Officer, and maintain certification as a law enforcement officer in Virginia through DCJS. Conditions of employment require the successful completion of a physical exam, and a behavioral assessment is required to be identified as suitable for the position before beginning employment.

Chief 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.

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

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 before 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: Human Resources

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.