National Park Service reviews

Pay is $250 per 40 hour week if you commute, $150 if you live in staff housing, so you will be making less than minimum wage. Technically it's a volunteer job.

)) Sad culture: Most people join the NPS out of a desire to be of service. I certainly did. Unfortunately, the combination of constant funding shortages, bureaucratic red-tape, and poor leadership meant that most projects were severely overextended, to the point where success was unlikely. You will have some victories, some things to feel good about, but probably not as many as you expect, and maybe not enough to balance out the relatively low salaries. )) Unlikely career path: Budgets have shrunk 1%-10% for the past 10 years. This means that when people retire, their jobs often go with them. To get a permanent or long-term job, you will likely need to spend 2-10 years working seasonal positions with no benefits and (sometimes) frequent relocation. To land a leadership role, you will need lots of luck and determination.