Pros
The NPS is one of the most mission-driven organizations that I've been exposed to. The employees, volunteers, and partners work to uphold that mission with a passion that verges on obsession. The parks and programs do great work to tell the stories about America's natural and cultural resources. The rangers who greet the public at parks, and lead tours (called interpreters), are pretty fabulous and some of the best story tellers around.
Cons
The NPS hiring system is forever fragmented and inefficient--partly bc it is a federal agency, partly bc of the seasonal hiring system that still haunts the agency today, and partly bc the HR staff are complacent. If you start as a seasonal, the chances of getting a permanent job are very low--do not let people fool you into thinking otherwise. The parks function like islands unto themselves, so sharing information and collaborating across the org is nearly impossible. The lack of accountability for even the small things is appalling, driving people who actually have drive and goals (what the agency needs) to find work elsewhere. I've also heard terrible stories about bad things happening by employees to employees at every level of the org--and the wrong-doers just get shipped to another location instead of being fired or punished in some way. The organization also tries to be all things for all people--when focusing a bit more could greatly help the public understand the org, and the employees do their jobs better.
