Park Ranger 1 (Fields Spring) - Internal Only

Washington Department of Natural Resources; Washington; On-site; USD 49,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Subsidized housing

Job summary

Washington Department of Natural Resources is seeking a Park Ranger 1 for Fields Spring State Park in the Blue Mountains of southeast Washington. The role involves outdoor work year-round with a subsidized housing option and a strict requirement for in-person presence.

The position is full-time and permanent, with duties ranging from visitor services and rule enforcement to maintenance and administrative tasks within a diverse state park system.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED is required.
• U.S. citizenship or legal to work in the U.S. is required.
• A valid unrestricted driver's license is required.
• Must be 21 years old.
• Two years of college (60 semester or 90 quarter credits), military experience, commissioned law enforcement experience, natural resource, or recreation field experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day customer service for park visitors.
• Support rule compliance and assist area staff across parks.
• Maintain grounds and facilities and perform routine maintenance.
• Direct public contact with information and assistance.
• Complete administrative duties and park paperwork.
• Supervise lower-level staff and volunteers.

Education

High school diploma or GED

Two years of college (60 semester or 90 quarter credits) or equivalent experience

Job description

Description

Job Title: Park Ranger 1

Location: Anatone, WA

Compensation: $4,406 - $5,928 monthly

Closes: October 15, 2026, at 11:59pm PST

Position Status: This is a full-time permanent position.

Housing is available for this position at a subsidized cost.

This opportunity is internal only and limited to current Washington State Parks employees only.

Join the Blue Mountain team as a PARK RANGER 1 where you're responsible for preserving and enhancing our state parks and natural resources.

This recruitment will be used to fill one (1) full-time permanent Park Ranger 1 position at Fields Spring State Park.

Fields Spring State Park is a forested camping park open year-round, located in the Blue Mountains of southeast Washington, spanning over 800 acres with numerous species of plants, wildflowers, trees, and wildlife. It offers spectacular views of three states and the Grand Ronde Canyon. Hiking, biking, and backpacking are popular during the warmer weather months. Winter activities include tubing runs, sledding, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. Reservable campsites and teepees are available for guests, as are the Tamarack Cabin and the Wohelo Lodge. Fields Spring is also home to the Puffer Butte Retreat Center.

Park Housing is available at a subsidized cost. The residence is a 2-bedroom, 1 bath with a basement. The basement has potential for one additional bedroom. Residence has a sizable pantry, wood burning fireplace, hardwood floors in the living room, carpet in the bedrooms. No garage or storage shed.

As a Park Ranger 1, you will have the ability to work outdoors in a beautiful and scenic environment, while being part of a team that supports one of the most diverse state park systems in the nation. If you are a hard worker that enjoys serving the public, then this may be the position for you. We believe equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, so we encourage candidates from all identities and backgrounds to apply!

This position is not eligible to telework, as physical in-office presence is required to perform essential functions.

Duties

The Park Ranger 1 independently performs a variety of duties defined by the Operations Ranger and Area Manager. This position provides day-to-day customer service, supports rule compliance, assists area staff by working in other area parks, works with staff to maintain consistently high standards for restroom cleaning and grounds, and provides routine maintenance services that support the operation of the park area.

Further, this position protects, preserves, and enhances the park and natural resources, while ensuring the safety and welfare of the park visitors to the park area.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Performs duties of rule and regulation compliance for the park area
  • Educates park visitors on rules and regulations that govern activities within the park area, including Discover Pass and Sno Park enforcement.
• Provides routine maintenance and stewardship functions within the park area
  • Supervises and completes lower-level maintenance projects for park area, where journey level skills are not required.
  • Completes, assigns, and schedules routine grounds and facilities maintenance and upkeep duties.
  • Ensures priorities are adhered to and identified standards for cleanliness and sanitation are met for routine ground and facilities maintenance and upkeep.
  • Inspects lower-level maintenance projects within the park area for compliance with identified standards.
  • Cleans restrooms and other park facilities.
• Provides registration and customer service functions
  • Directs public contact providing general information, rules & regulations, services, emergency information and assistance, and area specific information.
• Performs administrative duties
  • Accurately and timely completes new employee hiring paperwork.
  • Completes park's Cash Receipt Transmittals (CRTs).
• Supervises lower-level staff
  • Supervises and provides oversight and instruction to staff, work groups, and volunteers.
  • Follows all Agency policies and procedures, statewide rules and regulations and the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• High school diploma or GED.
• United States citizen or legal to work in the U.S.
• A valid driver's license (unrestricted, other than corrective lenses).
• Must be 21 years old.
• Two (2) years of college (60 semester or 90 quarter credits), military experience, commissioned law enforcement experience, natural resource, or recreation field experience.

Note: This position requires the legal ability to operate a motor vehicle in the state of Washington. Applicants must possess a valid, unrestricted driver's license at the time of appointment and maintain it as a condition of employment.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES:

• The ability to take action to learn and grow.
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience performing minor construction and repair work.
• Grounds maintenance experience such as cutting grass, weeding flower beds, pruning, raking leaves, picking up litter, plowing snow, operating a snowmobile, etc.
• Ability to obtain Red Card & Pesticide Applicator License (Public Operator) within 12-18 months of hire.
• Supervisory experience.

JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES:

• Ability and willingness to effectively manage emergency situations.
• Ability to adapt to changing business needs, conditions, and work responsibilities.
• Ability to complete forms and reports accurately and timely.
• Ability to consistently enforce and follow governmental laws, rules, and regulations.
• Ability to focus on educating and influencing park users for voluntary compliance.
• Ability to interpret and represent agency policies, procedures, direction, and mission.
• Ability to maintain tools and keep workspaces organized.
• Ability to make independent decisions that achieve desired results.
• Ability to verbally communicate effectively with individuals.
• Ability to use Microsoft Office.
• Ability to work with the public, employees and other staff in a friendly, positive and approachable manner in order to create a positive work environment.
• Have the knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes required to effectively lead personnel.
• Ability to write clearly and succinctly.
• Knowledge of interpretive methods and techniques.
• Skilled in using logic and proven methods when facing challenges.

WORK CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:

• Possess sufficient physical stamina and dexterity to work arduous manual tasks over extended periods.
• Willing to work weekends, holidays and long and/or irregular hours.
• Willing to work in inclement weather conditions.
• Must not have a driving record that indicates a disregard for rules and regulations. Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, hit and run, reckless driving, or an accumulation of driving violations will be evaluated.

TRAINING:

Park Ranger 1's will be required to attend and successfully pass a mandatory one-week training, which will include some in-person attendance requirements. This training will include a curriculum of defensive tactics certifications, basic first aid and adult/infant CPR (w/AED), radio communications, legal update, and other duties and responsibilities specific to the role of a Park Ranger 1, such as:

• Chain-of-command structure
• Supervision of non-permanent employees/volunteers
• Role & authority
• Discover Pass enforcement
• Issuing of infractions
• Crime recognition and incident reporting
• Lawful and effective use of pepper spray
• Tactical communications

Job Suitability Determination:

Successful applicants will have a history of law-abiding behavior and must pass a background investigation. Adverse background data may be grounds for immediate disqualification. Information obtained in this process will remain confidential.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT POSITIONS:

1. No criminal activity while working in the criminal justice system.
2. No use of illegal drugs in the last three years.
3. No possession of illegal drugs in the last ten years.
4. No crime committed as an adult, prosecutable under the statute of limitations.
5. No intentional deception in any stage of the testing process.
6. No intentional deception in the selection process of any law enforcement agency.
7. No domestic violence convictions.
8. No driving under the influence within the last five years.

SUBSTANCE USE INFORMATION:

(1) No possession or use of non-prescribed stimulant, Opium, Cocaine, Codeine, Hydrocodone, Oxycodone, Methadone, Methamphetamine, Amphetamine, Depressants, Hallucinogenic substances, etc., as defined in RCW 69.50.201-214, within the last 10 years or no more than 3 lifetime uses any combination (excluding marijuana/hashish). "Possession" is defined as illegal control, touching, holding, selling, or trafficking of any illegal, non-prescribed drugs.

(2) Zero tolerance for the selling or manufacturing of any drugs, as defined in RCW 69.50.201-214, including the illegal selling or manufacturing of marijuana.

(3) Zero tolerance for the illegal possession or use of any non-prescribed drugs (as defined in RCW 69.50.201-214), while employed or having been employed in a commissioned capacity by a law enforcement agency, including a military position with law enforcement powers.

If your past substance use is outside of our current drug policy, you may request a waiver to the policy by writing a letter to the screening committee that includes full details of the past substance use and provides justification of why you should be granted an exception to our policy. You can also include any evidence or letters of recommendation to be reviewed along with your letter. All waiver requests must be attached to your application and received with your application package. For questions regarding waivers and or submission please send all correspondence to: [e-mail]

SPECIAL NOTES:

Applicants will be required to successfully complete a background investigation which may include, but is not limited to: driving record, fingerprints, and criminal and employment history. Applicants will be required to sign releases of information and shall not have access to any investigative materials and files. Background investigations are part of the pre-employment selection process and are not a commitment to employment.

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

Supplemental Information

All applicants with a legal right to work in the United States are encouraged to apply.

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