Adventureland Park 2027 - Aquatics Lead

0911 Festival Fun Parks, LLC; Altoona (IA); On-site; USD 17,000 - 22,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible schedule

Free park admission

Employee events

Cross-training opportunities

Job summary

Adventureland is hiring Aquatics Leads to oversee lifeguard operations, mentor hosts, and ensure guest safety across water attractions. You will coordinate team scheduling, training, and incident response while upholding Ellis & Associates standards.

Seeking individuals with lifeguard experience, willingness to complete Ellis Lifeguard Training, and a customer-focused approach in a fast-paced outdoor setting. Seasonal, on-site roles available across the park.

Qualifications

• No formal education requirements; 1+ year lifeguard experience preferred.
• Must complete Ellis & Associates Lifeguard Training Program before lifeguard duties.
• Spanish or other bilingual skills a plus.

Responsibilities

• Supervise the Aquatics team and assist other departments as needed.
• Ensure lifeguards follow Ellis & Associates standards and state safety rules.
• Conduct pre-opening checks of water attractions and lifeguard rotations.
• Provide first-aid within scope and assist guests with concerns or lost items.
• Maintain safety and cleanliness across park areas; respond calmly to emergencies.

Skills

Lifeguard supervision

Team leadership

Safety awareness

Guest service

Education

Ellis Lifeguard Training Program

Ellis Lifeguard Certification

Job description

Our story began 75 years ago when the Herschend family discovered wonder deep in an Ozark Mountain cave—and chose to share it with the world. Today, Herschend is the largest family-held themed attractions company, with over 40 leading attractions and immersive experiences that reach audiences worldwide. While each brand offers something unique, all are united by a shared purpose: Bringing Families Closer Together by Creating Memories Worth Repeating®. Our passionate hosts make this purpose possible through everyday acts of love and service—what we call Heartspitality®—the intersection of heart and hospitality.

As an equal-opportunity employer, we strive to provide environments where every host, guest, and partner feel welcome, valued, and loved. We firmly believe that words and actions matter, which is why all individuals are to be treated equally and with respect.

Aquatics Leads are responsible for the care and safety all guests and employees in the park. Leads will oversee the day-to-day operation in their assigned area as well as assist with administrative duties.

Roles & Responsibilities

Supervisory Duties:

• Assist with the daily supervision of the Aquatics team and any other assigned departments
• Lead by example, attitude, and as a representation of Adventureland's core values
• Act as an approachable mentor and coach to all assigned Hosts
• Become knowledgeable of performing the essential duties of all aquatics and lifeguarding positions and backfill these positions when needed
• Participate in new-hire orientation and training activities for all assigned employees
• Ensure lifeguard rotations are within the Ellis and Associates standards
• Ensure lifeguards are exceeding the Ellis and Associates standards
• Ensure that all required meal and other breaks are being given in accordance with Iowa law
• Assist with team scheduling and timekeeping activities

Departmental Duties:

• Delight all guests by quickly and expertly providing courteous assistance to address their questions or concerns.
• Stay alert when assigned to swimming areas to ensure guest safety.
• Oversee daily morning checks for water attractions and waterslide testing
• Oversee daily pool cleanings, tube field testing, and in-service classes for assigned team
• Respond to all radio calls and properly log down time on rides in Dispatch station
• Provide bathroom breaks for all Hosts, as needed
• Render first-aid (within scope of knowledge) to injured guests or Hosts
• Handle operation-related guest concerns and assist with lost children
• Escalate major guest concerns to management or maintenance team in a timely manner
• Maintain constant vigilance and proactively identify potential hazards; inform Park leadership and/or maintenance team of any such situations in a timely manner
• Ensure that all Park areas are clean and free of hazards, prior to daily opening
• React in a calm and professional manner during emergency situations
• Assist with crowd control in emergency situations
• Ensure pre-opening and closing check lists are done by Aquatics Hosts
• Update and ensure proper Zone Coverage and Zone Validations are done for each spot in the park
• All other duties assigned by leadership

Education and Experience

• No education requirements for this position
• 1+ year of previous lifeguard experience desired
• Must successfully complete the Ellis & Associates Lifeguard Training Program before becoming a lifeguard at Adventureland.
• All Lifeguard candidates will be required to obtain the Ellis Lifeguard Certification instructional handbook and pass all certification requirements. (Swim 200 yards doing front crawl or breaststroke; Retrieve 10-lb brick from at least 6 ft of water; and tread water without hands for 2 minutes)

Language

• Ability to read, write, and speak fluent English; Spanish or other bilingual language skills are a plus.

Requirements

• Must be at least 16 years of age to comply with Iowa Child Labor Laws
• Ability to work flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays
• Must be willing and able to work with a vastly diverse staff of lifeguards, including both American and International students
• Demonstrated ability to successfully perform all swim tests, water rescues, assists
• Ability to comply with all uniform policies
• Must possess safety-oriented mindset and understand the importance of complying with all Federal, State, and local regulations regarding aquatics safety standards
• Ability to attend 4 hours of in-service training per month
• Ability to take control of emergency and intense situations while remaining calm
• Ability to manage crowd control during emergency situations
• Must demonstrate a willingness to learn and ability to follow instructions
• Must be guest-focused and work well with other Hosts and supervisors
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision

Physical Requirements

• Ability to swim 200 yards using front crawl/freestyle or breaststroke
• Ability to retrieve a 10-pound brick from at least 6 feet of water
• Ability to tread water for 2 minutes without the use of hands
• Ability to stand or walk for extended periods of time
• Ability to swim, wade, and stand (sometimes in moderate currents)
• Ability to frequently kneel, stoop, bend, squat, twist or reach above shoulder-level
• Ability to use hands to grasp, finger, handle, or feel
• Ability to carry, push, pull, lift, and hold objects weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to aid and physically move guests of varying heights and weights

Vision Requirements

• Must possess 20/25 correct vision (corrective lens, if required, must be worn while on duty) Specific vision abilities are required for this job, including close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Ability to see differences between colors and brightness Ability to see details of objects that are more than a few feet away

Working Conditions

• Continuous exposure to outdoor aquatics environments
• Continuous exposure to variable outside temperatures, including high heat, direct sun, cold, humidity, dust, rain, and other weather conditions
• Fast-paced environment with constantly shifting priorities and challenges
• Regularly subjected to water and pool chemicals

Team member benefits

Working at Adventureland is about making people happy! It’s about being independent and having fun, making new friends and earning extra money while doing so. As a Adventureland employee, you can be the smiling face that makes a great first impression for incoming guests, a cook that serves up tasty treats and culinary delights, a lifeguard who soaks up the sun while keeping guests safe, or a ride operator that keeps guests coming back for more thrills! There are many exciting seasonal job opportunities available to take your summer job to new heights!

Adventureland Perks & Benefits

• Flexible schedule
• Ability to cross-train and learn unique skills across various departments
• Free admission to Adventureland Theme Park/Waterpark and select parks on your days off
• Invitations to exclusive company-sponsored employee events throughout the season

We're not just in the attractions business; we're in the people business- and that starts with our own. Our 20,000+ hosts across North America are the heartbeat of our diverse and growing company.

In keeping with our company values, we nurture a balance between work and family, strive to promote 70% from within and support each host’s efforts to develop a fulfilling and rewarding career.