Description

Temporary Washington State Park Aide jobs are perfect for:

• People who like to get outside and enjoy nature, do physical work, and contribute to a truly important mission - maintaining a fantastic Parks system for everyone!
• Individuals who are interested in a longer-term career with State Parks. Many permanent staff, including members of our executive team, started their careers as Park Aides.
• Students who are looking for summer work.
• Active retirees looking for work that keeps them moving and doing good in the world. Less than full-time work is a possibility in many locations.

Some benefits you might not know or be thinking about:

• Temporary positions are eligible for vacation and sick leave.
• Holiday pay might be available to you depending on when and how long you work.
• Great teammates who care about their work.
• Learning and refining a set of very practical and transferrable job skills.
• Being in nature is good for your physical and mental well-being.
• Wildlife sightings! From chipmunks and quail, to orcas and moose, and everything in between.

Park Aide jobs can be fun, fulfilling and career starters, but there are a few important things to consider:

• Weekend work is expected, and you might be asked to work evening shifts.
• Our Parks are busiest on spring and summer holidays, so we need more of our workers to be on schedule those days. Getting time off around a holiday is not guaranteed.
• Bathroom cleaning is a task that most Park Aides get to experience fairly regularly.
• Most positions are at least moderately physical – walking, raking, bending, kneeling, lifting and moving lighter items (and heavier ones with assistance). If that is not appropriate for you, but you are still interested, read the announcement carefully to determine if there might be a position dedicated to less physical work at the park(s) you are interested in.

The following parks may have low-cost housing options for temporary Park Aides this season: Fields Spring State Park, Lyons Ferry State Park, and Palouse Falls State Park. Contact the Park directly for more information on housing availability.

The following parks may have low-cost options for a recreational vehicle (trailer, camper, etc.) site for temporary Park Aides this season (must provide own functioning RV): Camp Wooten State Park, Columbia Plateau Trail State Park, Lysons Ferry State Park, Palouse Falls State Park, and Sacajawea State Park. Contact the Park directly for more information.

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This recruitment will be used to fill multiple non-permanent Park Aide positions located throughout the Blue Mountain Area; Camp Wooten, Columbia Plateau Trail, Fields Spring, Lewis & Clark Trail, Lyons Ferry, Palouse Falls and Sacajawea State Parks. This Area has many positions beginning in March and April. The number of vacancies will vary from park to park.

Positions in this area typically are scheduled to work 40 hours a week, but we may have ability to offer less than full-time work – over the entire period of employment or for specific periods. If you are interested in less than 40 hours a week, just let us know in the supplemental questions section of the application process.

Benefits eligibility for this position may be different than what’s listed in the benefits tab of this recruitment announcement, for more information on employee benefits eligibility visit - Public Employee Benefits Board (PEBB) .

Park Aide Recruitment Video - Typical Day - Washington State Parks

To read about other current and former Park Aides' experiences, click Here!

Camp Wooten State Park- (located in Columbia County) Nestled in the valley along the Tucannon River in the Blue Mountains, sits State Park's largest retreat center, Camp Wooten. Built in the 1930's by Civilian Conservation Corps crews this camp now hosts many large groups looking for a beautiful place to get away from it all. Camp Wooten offers a dining hall with large commercial kitchen, a recreation hall, sleeping cabins, restrooms with showers, and even an indoor swimming pool. There are sleeping accommodations for up to 200 people and with park manager approval, tents and RVs may be allowed.

Columbia Plateau State Park Trail- (located in Adams County) is a 4,109-acre, 130-mile-long rail-bed trail that traces the 1908 original path of the Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railroad 15 scenic developed trail miles along the Snake River are stunning for hikers, bikers, or equestrian riders who explore from the Ice Harbor Dam trail head to the Snake River Junction trail head.

Fields Spring State Park- (located in Asotin County) is a 792-acre, forested park open year-round. Located in the Blue Mountains of Southeastern Washington, Fields Spring has several miles of hiking, biking, and running trails, as well as campsites, lodges, teepees, and a cabin for overnight guests. Winter activities include cross-country ski trails, a tubing hill and snowshoeing. Fields Spring has a diversity of wildflowers, native trees and plants, wildlife, and birds, and is located near popular hunting and fishing areas in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

Lewis & Clark Trail State Park- (located in Columbia County) is a 37-acre camping park with 1,333-feet of freshwater shoreline on the Touchet River. The park is a rare treasure of old-growth forest and river in the midst of the surrounding arid grassland. Like an oasis in the middle of the desert, this lovely wooded park on the Touchet River refreshes visitors with its unusual vegetation and geology. The park is rich in history.

Lyons Ferry State Park- (located in Franklin County) is a 168 acre park situated at the confluence of the Palouse and Snake rivers. It once was home to early groups of the Palouse Indians. The park has more than 52,000 feet of shoreline and offers a variety of activities, including boating, fishing, hiking and swimming. Lyons Ferry was named for the ferry crossing that operated across the Snake River from the mid-1860s until the late-1960s, when it was replaced by the Lyons Ferry Bridge, also known as the Snake River Bridge.

Palouse Falls State Park- (located in Franklin/Whitman Counties ) is a 94-acre park known as an ideal picnic and birding spot. The park offers three distinct views of the state waterfall. The lower viewpoint provides a direct view; it is reached by a set of steps from the main day-use area adjacent to the parking lot. The second, at the end of a paved interpretive path, tells the story of the secluded canyon. Both the interpretive path and gravel secondary parking area lead to the third and highest viewpoint, the Fryxell Overlook, offering panoramic views of the falls and Palouse River Canyon.

Sacajawea State Park- (located in Franklin County) is a 284-acre inland waters, day-use park at the confluence of the Snake and Columbia rivers. It features 9,100 feet of freshwater shoreline. The area is spread out with a big sky and excellent views of the two rivers as they flow together. The park features the Sacajawea Interpretive Center, where visitors can learn about the story of the Lewis and Clark expedition through the experiences of Sacagawea, the young Shoshone Indian woman who accompanied the expedition.

Duties

Under the supervision of the Park Ranger or the lead of a Senior Park Aide, Park Aides perform a variety of tasks at a State Park, beach, or historical area. A typical work day may include anything from registering campers and collecting camp fees, to cleaning facilities, mowing lawns, or explaining park rules. The specific duties will have some variation by park location.

Primary duties include, but are not limited to:

• All positions- Maintain park facilities through light routine maintenance and janitorial services.
• Perform grounds maintenance work, such as cutting grass, weeding flower beds, pruning shrubs, raking leaves, and picking up litter.
• Maintain park lawns using a mower, weed eater, trimmer, and various maintenance tools.
• Provide park information to visitors and answer phones.
• Register campers, collect, sort and count revenue; prepare bank transmittals and deposits.
• Perform daily garbage collection and litter control.
• Clean restrooms and stock cleaning supplies.
• Clean rental properties and perform general housekeeping duties including washing windows, scrubbing floors, mopping, and sweeping.
• Drive light truck or other state vehicle to transport supplies and equipment within the park area; haul refuse and garbage.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must be a minimum of 17 years old.
• Possess a valid (unrestricted) driver's license. - If your DL is out of state (other than WA State), you will be required to show proof of a valid and current unrestricted driver's license at the time of the interview.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Possess bilingual skills (Spanish language preferred).

JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES:

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT
All Washington State Parks and Recreation employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Any offer of employment is contingent upon verification of your vaccine status. Please note - a medical or religious accommodation may be available once an offer of employment is made. If you have questions about this requirement, please contact the recruitment team at HR.Recruitment@parks.wa.gov.

UNIFORM INFORMATION:
All non-permanent Park Aides are required to wear a uniform. A complete and properly worn uniform helps establish the professional identity of a Park Aide and promotes respect as a Washington State Parks employee. All non-permanent Park Aides will receive 2 shirts, 1 baseball cap, and a clothing stipend of $75.00 per calendar year. Some positions may qualify for a $150 clothing stipend depending on the length of the position. Clothing stipends are intended to offset the cost of clothing worn in the workplace such as pants, boots, raingear, etc.

Supplemental Information

To ensure consideration, please complete the online job application and profile at State Parks Jobs.

NOTE: Prior to a new hire, a background check, including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position.

This position is included in the non-supervisory bargaining unit represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE). For more information: https://wfse.org/.

Diversity Policy Statement

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is committed to creating an equitable, hospitable, appreciative, safe, and inclusive park environment – one that embraces and values the full spectrum of all community members' contributions. The Commission makes this commitment because:

• Diversity strengthens the workforce in competence and ability.
• Celebrating diversity appreciates and values individual differences.
• Diversity serves an increasingly heterogeneous society.
• Diversity helps ensure the relevance of a state park system, its mission, properties, and programs to all people of this state today and in the future.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strengthens our ability and commitment to serve all citizens.

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating and sustaining a working environment that includes, welcomes, and respects diverse identities of race, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, and more. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam veterans and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are invited to apply.

Persons desiring any accommodations in the application process or this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the human resources office at (360) 902-8565. Applicants who are deaf or hearing impaired may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.

For more information about these positions, please contact the Park directly. You can search for the specific Park contact information here.