Lead Park Ranger

Government of Alberta; Blackfoot; On-site; CAD 37,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wage in lieu of benefits

Shift premiums for weekends/evenings

Job summary

Government of Alberta is hiring a Lead Park Ranger for the winter season, based at Cooking Lake - Blackfoot Recreation Area, with duties focused on visitor safety and compliance. The role requires outdoor work, varied shifts, and coordination of ranger activities across sites in the region.

The position runs November 2026 to March 2027, offering wage benefits in lieu of holidays and potential shift premiums for evenings and weekends.

Qualifications

• High school diploma and one year related experience in Parks, Lands, Wildfire, Public Education, or roles with strong communication and leadership skills.
• Preference for post‑secondary education in Natural Resources, Environmental Sciences, Recreation or Tourism Management, Conservation Enforcement, or related programs.
• Current Intermediate First Aid and CPR Level C/AED certification (must be kept current for the entire period).
• Valid Alberta Class 5 Driver’s License or equivalent with <6 demerits.
• Criminal Record Check required.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and lead the Park Ranger Program at the site level.
• Engage in positive interactions with park visitors and promote safety.
• Enforce rules and policies and ensure compliance.
• Conduct campground compliance activities and assist with self-registration.
• Deliver key messages and educate the public; respond to inquiries.

Skills

Communication

Leadership

Education

High school diploma

Natural Resources education

First Aid/CPR Level C

Tools

OH&S knowledge

WHMIS

ICS familiarity

Chainsaw certification

Job description

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Company: Government of Alberta

Job Information
Job Title: Lead Park Ranger
Job Requisition ID: 87424
Ministry: Forestry and Parks
Location: Cooking Lake - Blackfoot Provincial Park Recreation Area
Full or Part-Time: Full-Time
Hours of Work: Up to 36.25 hours per week
Permanent/Temporary/Wage: Wage Winter Seasonal Positions
Scope: Open Competition
Closing Date: Open until suitable candidates are selected
Classification: Natural Resources 4 (NR4)
Salary: $26.70 to $33.79 per hour

Wage Benefits:

In addition to regular wages, regular Wage employees receive 11.6% in lieu of benefits and vacation leave:

• 5.6 percent of regular wage earnings instead of paid holidays.
• 6 percent of regular wage earnings instead of annual vacation pay.

If applicable, in addition to the regular wages and the additional pay in lieu of benefits and vacation, regular wage employees are also entitled to shift premiums for weekends and evenings.

Provincial Parks are essential to the quality of life that Albertans enjoy. They conserve our natural landscapes and wildlife habitat and offer a broad range of nature-based outdoor recreational opportunities. Alberta’s parks inspire people to discover, value, protect, and enjoy the natural world and the benefits it provides for current and future generations.

For more information on Park locations visit: https://albertaparks.ca/

We are looking to hire a Lead Park Ranger to work during the winter season from November 2026 to March 2027. This position is an integral member of the wider Camrose District Park Ranger team and depending on workload and staffing needs may be required to work at various sites in this Region, primarily at Cooking Lake Blackfoot Recreation Area near Sherwood Park, and Miquelon Lake Provincial Park near Camrose.

The majority of your work time will be spent outdoors with a primary focus on visitor safety, visitor compliance, and information sharing.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Coordinating and leading Park Ranger Program at site level.
• Engaging in positive interactions with Park Visitors.
• Encouraging understanding and compliance with rules and policies.
• Conducting campground compliance activities, including self-registration compliance.
• Roving and delivering key messages and educations to public.
• Responding to inquiries.
• Referring serious violations to enforcement agencies as applicable.
• Assisting with visitor management and mitigating conflicts between users.
• Assisting the supervisor with nuisance animal and wildlife issues.
• Assisting with sign and trail maintenance as required.
• Understanding and being familiar with Emergency Response Plans.
• Supporting internal and external agencies with public safety matters.
• Completing general administrative and OHS requirements, including shift reports, timesheets, incident reporting, and inspections.

This position will require you to work various shifts including evenings, weekends and holidays. You must be able to perform manual duties outdoors during all weather types.

To be successful in this role, you will need to:

• Ensure there is adherence to all pertinent policies, procedures, and protocols, including Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) and following Government of Alberta guidelines.
• Participate in emergency protocols to provide support to visitors and staff in an emergency situation.
• Practice safe work procedures and adhere to the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS).

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

How Competencies will apply to this role:

Agility: Staff must be agile in order to anticipate and quickly adapt to changing priorities and situations to effectively meet diverse visitor needs and be able to think creatively while working in a changing work environment.

Drive for Results: This position requires staff to have the ability to champion innovation and display high standards in programs, initiatives and services.

Build Collaborative Environments: By promoting collaboration and commitment, encourage broad thinking on projects, you will work together to eliminate barriers to progress, and facilitate open and respectful dialogue.

Systems Thinking: This position is one component of a larger work environment that includes other program areas, so it is important to understand how the position contributes to achieving broader Alberta Forestry and Parks goals.

Qualifications

Required:

• High school diploma and one year related experience in Parks, Lands, Wildfire, Public Education, or roles that require strong communication and leadership skills.

Preference will be given to candidates enrolled in or having completed post-secondary education in Natural Resources, Environmental Sciences, Recreation or Tourism Management, Conservation Enforcement, or other related programs.

Additional requirements (must be submitted prior to employment):

• Recognized Current Intermediate First Aid and CPR Level "C"/AED Certification (must be maintained as current for the entire period of hire by the employee).
• Valid Alberta Class 5 Driver’s License or equivalent with less than 6 demerits.
• Successful candidates must provide a Criminal Record Check.

Assets:

• Knowledge of Provincial and Federal Acts and Legislation, including but not limited to: Occupational Health and Safety, Provincial Parks, Fisheries, and Wildlife.
• Outdoor skills and experience in outdoor activities (navigation skills, backcountry travel, working alone).
• Knowledge of Alberta flora and fauna.
• Knowledge of Indigenous culture.
• Knowledge of assorted hand and power tools.
• Incident Command Systems familiarity (ICS).
• OHV and Snowmobile certification.
• Chainsaw certification.
• Wilderness First Aid.
• Verbal Judo Certification, or similar Effective Communication certifications.

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification.

• This position is based on a 36.25-hour work week, from November 2026 to March 2027.
• Hours of employment are up to 36.25 hours per week, 7.25-hour shifts.
• Weekend, evening and night work will be required; premium is paid for these shifts.
• Flexibility in scheduling is required to meet operational needs.
• Must be physically able to perform the manual duties found in the position assignment.
• Must have access to reliable transportation to and from work.

Any initial costs associated with obtaining required documents/checks as noted will be the responsibility of the candidate. However, some reimbursements may occur. Interview travel expenses will not be reimbursed. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.

Closing Statement

This competition may be used to fill future vacancies, across the Government of Alberta, at the same or lower classification level.

We thank all applicants for their interest. All applications will be reviewed to determine which candidates' qualifications most closely match the advertised requirements. Only individuals selected for interviews will be contacted.

If you require any further information on this job posting or require an accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Alba Ngjelo at [e-mail].