Park Manager Trainee - Park Region 3

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania; On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania seeks a Park Manager Trainee to gain hands-on experience in managing state parks, supervising staff, and supporting daily operations. You will learn from experienced managers and develop leadership skills for future advancement within Pennsylvania's park system.

The role involves budget participation, public interaction, and coordination with agencies and partners. Must be willing to travel across the Commonwealth and reside on state park grounds if housing is

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in parks, forestry, engineering, natural sciences, landscape architecture, or related field.
• Two years paraprofessional/technical experience with Associate degree.
• Four years paraprofessional or technical experience in a public park or recreation area.

Responsibilities

• Supervise staff and support park operations under management guidance.
• Assist with budget preparation, monitor expenditures and purchasing needs.
• Respond to visitor questions and assist with events and partnerships.
• Maintain park resources and ensure compliance with park rules and policies.
• Support planning and organization of schedules and park operating standards.
• Assist with facility maintenance, repairs and construction projects.

Skills

Park supervision

Budget processes

Public interaction

Resource stewardship

Operational planning

Facility management

Education

Bachelor's degree in parks & recreation or related field

Associate degree + 2 years paraprofessional experience

Four years paraprofessional/technical experience

Equivalent combination of experience and training

Job description

THE POSITION

Become a Park Manager Trainee with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and start a career that makes a real impact! This role gives you hands‑on experience in the daily operations, maintenance, and planning that keep state parks running smoothly. You will learn from experienced managers while building skills that prepare you for future advancement. This role sets you on the path to meaningful leadership in Pennsylvania's state parks!

THE POSITION

Become a Park Manager Trainee with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and start a career that makes a real impact! This role gives you hands‑on experience in the daily operations, maintenance, and planning that keep state parks running smoothly. You will learn from experienced managers while building skills that prepare you for future advancement. This role sets you on the path to meaningful leadership in Pennsylvania's state parks!

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

This trainee role provides hands‑on experience in supervising staff, managing facilities, and supporting park operations under the guidance from park management. As a Park Manager Trainee, you will perform the following duties:

• Learn Park Supervision: Assist with guiding staff, reviewing performance, and supporting daily work activities
• Assist Budget Processes: Participate in budget preparation, monitor expenditures, and review purchasing needs
• Public Interaction: Respond to visitor questions, assist with special events, and coordination with agencies and partners and help coordinate park events
• Maintain Park Resources: Contribute to natural resource care and help apply park rules, policies, and regulations
• Resource Stewardship: Support efforts to maintain natural resources, uphold park rules, and ensure safe and respectful park use
• Support Operational Planning: Help organize schedules, manage workflow, and learn park operating standards
• Facility Management: Support maintenance, repairs, and construction projects across park grounds and buildings

Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description.

Work Schedule and Additional Information:

• Full-time employment
• Park Management is a 24 hour operation that may require overtime during emergency situations. Employee will work 37.5 hours/5 days per week to include holidays and weekends. Days and shifts will vary.
• Requires travel throughout Commonwealth for training and work assignments
• Telework: You will not have the option to telework in this position.
• Salary:In some cases, the starting salary may be non-negotiable.
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

QUALIFICATIONS

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE, TRAINING & ELIGIBILITY

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:

• Four years of paraprofessional or technical experience providing administrative, maintenance, visitor, safety, or environmental education services in a public park or recreation area ; or
• Two years of paraprofessional or technical experience providing administrative, maintenance, visitor, safety, or environmental education services in a public park or recreation area; and an associate degree in parks and recreation, forestry, engineering, natural sciences, landscape architecture, or a closely related field; or
• A bachelor's degree in parks and recreation, forestry, engineering, natural sciences, landscape architecture, or a closely related field; or
• An equivalent combination of experience and training.
• Applicants will be considered to have met the educational requirements once they are within 3 months of graduating with a qualifying degree.

Special Requirement

• This position requires possession of an active motor vehicle license.
• This position requires passing a psychological testing (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). Failure to pass this test is a basis for removal from the position.
• This position requires passing Pennsylvania State Police and FBI criminal background checks. A record of conviction of a criminal offense for which more than one year in prison can be imposed as punishment is a basis for removal from the position.
• This position requires obtaining and maintaining commission as a State Park Officer.
• This position requires obtaining valid certification in standard first aid and adult, child, and infant CPR approved by the American Red Cross, American Heart Association, or equivalent. Training will be provided by the Department.

Other Requirements

• You must be willing to wear prescribed uniform.
• You must be willing to reside on state park grounds when housing is available.
• You must meet the PA residency requirement . For more information on ways to meet PA residency requirements, follow the link and click on Residency Guidelines.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

Legal Requirements

• You must pass a background investigation.
• This position falls under the provisions of the Child Protective Services Law.
  • Under the Law, a conditional offer of employment will require submission and approval of satisfactory criminal history reports including, but not limited to, PA State Police clearance, PA Child Abuse history clearance, and FBI Fingerprint clearance.
• In accordance with Act 153 of 2014 this position is required to complete Child Abuse, Criminal and Federal Criminal History Checks around the time of hire and thereafter every 5 years.

Veterans

• Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. 7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.pa.gov/agencies/employment/how-to-apply.html and click on Veterans.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS)

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.

The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state legal. All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION

• Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
• Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
• Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
• You must provide complete and accurate information or:
  • your score may be lower than deserved.
  • you may be disqualified.
• You may only apply/test once for this posting.
• Your results will be provided via email.