Park Ranger 1 (Twenty-Five Mile Creek) - Internal Only

Washington State Health Care Authority; Washington; On-site; USD 53,000 - 71,000; Full time

Job summary

Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is seeking a Park Ranger 1 for Twenty-Five Mile Creek State Park in Chelan County. This 7-month seasonal appointment runs March 16 through October 15, with park housing available at a subsidized cost.

The role emphasizes outdoor work, customer service, and public safety in a scenic state park environment. Position requires US citizenship or work eligibility, a valid driver’s license, and being at least 21 years old.

Qualifications

• US citizen or legally eligible to work in the United States.
• Valid, unrestricted driver’s license.
• Must be 21 years old.
• Two years of college, military experience, commissioned law enforcement experience, natural resource, or recreation field experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day customer service at the park.
• Assist area staff and supervise lower-level staff and volunteers.
• Assist with registration and cash handling, and maintain park facilities and grounds.
• Enforce park rules and promote safety for visitors.

Skills

US citizenship eligibility

Driver's license

Age 21+

Education

High school diploma or GED

Two years college

Job description

Job Title: Park Ranger 1

Location: Chelan, WA

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

Closes: October 6, 2026, at 11:59pm PST

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

About this role

Come join Washington State Parks 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) career seasonal (return every year) Park Ranger 1 position at Twenty-Five Mile Creek State Park.

The expected duration of this 7-month, seasonal appointment is March 16 through October 15 annually, starting in the 2027 season. Park housing is available for this position during season at a subsidized cost.

Twenty-Five Mile Creek State Park (Chelan County) is a 235-acre camping park nestled in the midst of spectacular scenery on the forested south shore of Lake Chelan, featuring rugged, old-style tent campsites that lie along the shaded rocky shores of Twenty-five Mile Creek and RV sites upland from the creek. A modern marina offers excellent boating access to the upper reaches of Lake Chelan.

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 Washington State Parks may be the place for you. We believe that 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 Park Ranger 3 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.

• 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 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.

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, etc.
• 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

The Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission (WSPRC) drug standards for Park Rangers are:

• (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 of 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/

About Parks

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission provides policy direction for one of the largest, most diverse, and beautiful state parks systems in the country. The state park system is comprised of 124 state parks and properties covering over 138,000 acres throughout the state. The park system includes marine parks, heritage sites, historic parks, interpretive centers, retreat centers, ocean beaches and hundreds of miles of trails. The agency is also responsible for the state’s winter recreation program, boating safety and vessel pump out program and numerous contracted concession operations. The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission cares for Washington's most treasured lands, waters, and historic places. Want to join a great organization? State parks connect all Washingtonians to their diverse natural and cultural heritage and provide memorable recreational and educational experiences that enhance their lives, this is a mission like no other state agency. For more information on Washington State Parks, click here.

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to build a workplace culture that is welcoming and inclusive in which all employees feel respected and empowered to bring their unique ideas to the agency. At State Parks, we believe that embracing diverse backgrounds and experiences is essential to growing a strong workforce. We encourage applicants underrepresented in natural resources and outdoor recreation fields to apply, including but not limited to women, Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC), individuals with disabilities, neurodivergent individuals, disabled and Vietnam era veterans, persons over 40 years of age, and individuals who identify as a part of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the human resources office at [phone]. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.

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