Department of Interior careers give Veterans a mission far beyond the parks
VA News ·
In the newest At the Table, VA Deputy Secretary Paul Lawrence talks with Department of Interior Deputy Secretary Kate MacGregor on meaningful Interior careers.
Across the country, many Veterans are looking for a next mission that lets them keep serving. The discipline, teamwork and sense of purpose they gained in uniform translate naturally to careers that protect public lands, power communities and keep the nation’s most visited places safe. With more than 50,000 employees and roughly 300 lines of work, the U.S. Department of the Interior offers a place for nearly every Veteran.
In the latest episode of “At the Table,” VA Deputy Secretary Paul R. Lawrence, Ph.D., talks with Interior Deputy Secretary Kate MacGregor about career opportunities for Veterans at Interior. Their conversation highlights the breadth of Interior’s work, showcases why Veterans are well suited for careers across the Department, and outlines the resources available to help them get started.
MacGregor encourages Veterans to look past the National Park Service.
Interior stretches across every state and the nation’s insular areas. It manages most of the multiple-use land west of the Mississippi through the Bureau of Land Management, supports water resources and infrastructure in the West through the Bureau of Reclamation, oversees the national wildlife refuge system, and conducts scientific research through the U.S. Geological Survey. All told, Interior manages and produces nearly 20% of America’s energy—including oil, natural gas, coal and hydropower.
About 16% of Interior’s workforce are Veterans. In some bureaus, such as the Bureau of Reclamation, that share reaches 30%.
For Veterans who want to work outdoors, the park ranger role is a good place to start.
Rangers welcome and guide visitors, maintain safe trails, and help ensure hunting and fishing activities on public lands are conducted safely. Ranger positions and other law enforcement roles exist not only in the National Park Service but also in the Bureau of Land Management and the National Wildlife Refuge System, where some support the nation’s border mission.
The U.S. Wildland Fire Service brings together wildfire management programs and highly trained firefighters, including elite hotshot crews, to respond to some of the nation’s most dangerous and challenging wildfires.
The U.S. Park Police protects visitors and provide essential law enforcement services at national parks and landmarks across the country.
Veterans with technical skills have options as well. At Grand Coulee Dam, Bureau of Reclamation machinists use metal lathes to build the parts that keep the dam running every day. And offshore inspectors fly by helicopter to drilling rigs to conduct safety inspections.
For Veterans with project management experience, Interior is leading efforts under President Trump’s executive order to make Washington, D.C., safe and beautiful, with opportunities to support project planning, procurement, permitting and coordination.
Veterans and Gold Star family members can get free lifetime entry to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites, including National Parks and Wildlife Refuges with The America the Beautiful Military Lifetime Pass.
Eligible Veterans include those who served in the Guard and Reserve, as well as family members of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. The pass covers entrance and standard day-use fees at sites managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It does not cover camping, tours, special permits or concession fees.
To obtain the pass, you may present one of the following forms of identification: a Department of War ID card, a Veteran Health Identification Card, a VA Veteran ID Card, or a state-issued driver’s license or identification card with a Veteran designation. You may pick up the pass at the entrance station of a participating site, obtain a digital pass through Recreation.gov, or order a physical card by mail. A fee may apply when ordering a physical card.
Many Veterans enjoy hunting and fishing, and Interior’s mission includes making sure they can.
MacGregor points to the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act, a bipartisan law enacted in January 2025 to expand outdoor recreation on federal lands and waters, improve infrastructure and enhance accessibility. Interior is working to increase access through more acreage, more seasons and more species, including for disabled Veterans who may have difficulty reaching a particular fishing or hunting area.
MacGregor encourages Veterans to start at USAJOBS.gov and the Interior careers website , where openings are listed across the country, from the Washington, D.C., area to Boise, Idaho, to Wyoming to historic sites like Gettysburg.
Interior also holds hiring fairs across the West and throughout the nation, where staff can offer tips on applying. The Department has a local hiring authority that can bring people on faster than the traditional USAJOBS process. You can learn more about Interior’s Veteran programs at doi.gov/veterans.
Veterans do not need to know exactly what they are looking for. Browse open positions, attend a hiring fair and ask questions. Interior will be there to help you find a role that fits your skills and your interests, and to put your service to work for the nation’s public lands.