Ranger

Work in a unique outdoor environment in the centre of Canberra
Deliver high quality visitor services in a national institution
Support visitor safety and protect Australia’s natural heritage
Who we are

Australia’s natural and cultural heritage is unique. Our land and seascapes are distinctive, home to plants and animals found nowhere else in the world, and to some of the oldest living cultures on earth. These environments and cultures are an essential part of our national identity, and visitors travel from across the country and the world to experience them.

The Director of National Parks (the Director) is responsible for six national parks, the Australian National Botanic Gardens, 58 Australian Marine Parks and the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve established under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Parks Australia is the federal park agency that supports the Director, and they are a division of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (the Department). We work to showcase these natural and cultural wonders to the world, demonstrating to all why these places are so special, and inspiring communities to become more invested in their care and future.

The Science and Australian National Botanic Gardens Branch leads science and conservation planning and policy for Parks Australia, and conducts research in conservation and biodiversity management through a range of programs. We engage in and coordinate diverse research partnerships and ensure First Nations knowledge and innovative solutions are core to our work, enabling us to enhance engagement and embed science into decision-making at all levels.

Our work includes:
Strategic science planning and prioritisation and shaping research partnerships for Parks Australia.
Leading cross-cutting research to support Parks Australia – in areas such as climate change adaptation, nature positive and knowledge weaving.
Providing scientific support for Protected Areas policy and Park Management Plans.
Managing the Australian National Botanic Gardens, home to our Branch and the nation’s largest living collection of native plants.
Innovation in the cross-cutting application of new technologies and data analytics to meet science and application outcomes.
Facilitating research and science capacity building and education.
Curating national collections of biological data and conserving and protecting plants through systematics research, seed banking and ex situ conservation.
Climate adaption and policy for Parks Australia.
Evaluation and reporting to understand management effectiveness and performance of our parks, gardens and agency.
Data and information systems services for Parks Australia.
Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG) is the nations most diverse living collection of Australian native plants. It is tranquil setting for walking and spending time with family and friends, and a living classroom for visitors of all ages. We directly contribute to safe-guarding Australia’s plant species from extinctions and are responsible for leading, building and sharing knowledge of our Australian flora. The ANBG works closely with biodiversity science programs - the Australian Biological Resources Study, the Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, the National Seed Bank, and Biodiversity Informatics - in partnerships for research, for management of physical and digital biological collections, and for management of fundamental national biodiversity data and information accessed nationally and internationally.

The ANBG is an award-winning tourism destination, where locals and visitors to Canberra come to explore, learn, relax and enjoy time in nature. Our public events and education programs aim to tell stories through our unique collection of Australian flora.

We recognise the important role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people play in our workplace. We aim to attract, recruit and develop Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees. Our priority is to ensure a safe workplace where we celebrate all cultures.

The jobs

Rangers are the public face of the Gardens. We are looking for great communicators who provide excellent customer service and have experience engaging diverse audiences. Rangers play a key role in keeping our valuable plant collection, wildlife and visitors safe. We are looking for Rangers who are good problem-solvers and able to think on their feet in emergencies and incidents and have experience managing natural and/or cultural heritage.

The Gardens is open 7 days a week including public holidays. Visitor Rangers work a roster which includes weekends.

In the role you will be responsible for:
Providing excellent customer service and visitor information.
Maintaining and staffing the Visitor Centre.
Supervising Visitor Centre Volunteers.
Day to Day operations of the Gardens including opening, closing and safety patrols.
Assisting with set up and running of events.
Visitor First Aid, incident and emergency response.
Visitor statistics and evaluation.
Wildlife monitoring and management.
Compliance with Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants are encouraged to apply.

What you'll gain from the experience
A career entry point into environmental and conservation work within a nationally significant institution supporting Australia’s biodiversity knowledge and protection.
Practical, on ground experience in a living scientific collection, supporting visitor engagement, wildlife monitoring and environmentally responsible site operations.
An opportunity to apply and grow your environmental or science knowledge in a real-world public setting.
A supportive team environment with on-the-job learning, ideal for graduates looking to build confidence, capability and experience within the APS.
Stable, ongoing employment with access to APS conditions, learning pathways and future career opportunities in environmental and science related roles.
What we are looking for

We are seeking candidates who can demonstrate the following:

Knowledge and experience
Experience providing high quality customer service in a dynamic customer focused workplace, ideally within a public attraction, tourism industry, government agency or relevant industry.
Demonstrated understanding and awareness of the relevant legislation, including the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively and sensitively with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.
Skills and capabilities
Highly developed communication and presentation skills.
Effective organisational skills and ability to prioritise in a dynamic visitor focused environment.
Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
Desirable qualifications
Qualifications in environmental management, environmental science or science communication would be an advantage.
Additional requirements
Hold a current Apply First Aid Certificate or have the ability to obtain this qualification.
Hold and maintain a valid Australian motor vehicle driver licence.
The ability to perform shift work is a requirement when applying for this position(s).
The physical requirements of the role(s) involve a combination of outdoor and office-based work.
You may be required to perform occasional out-of-hours and weekend work.
The ability to obtain and maintain a working with children and vulnerable people check.
Wear an official uniform supplied by the department, including during field operations (as applicable), in accordance with the department’s uniform policy.
Eligibility

Citizenship - to be eligible for employment with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water you must be an Australian citizen.

Pre-employment checks - your suitability for employment will be assessed through a pre-employment screening process. This process includes a requirement to undergo and satisfy a National Police Check, referee checks, character clearance and where required a pre-employment medical assessment, specified mandatory qualification(s) validation and a probation period.