Park Ranger II (Open)

County of San Mateo; San Mateo (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

County of San Mateo is seeking an experienced Park Ranger II to protect and enhance its parks. Under supervision, you will maintain trails, picnic areas, and camping facilities, assist the public, and support interpretive and recreational programs.

You may supervise temporary staff, provide guidance and training, and assist with safety, first aid, and required law enforcement related tasks. Outdoor work may include exposure to hazards.

Qualifications

• Two years in park management, forestry, natural resources, law enforcement, construction, emergency response or related field.
• Trail building and maintenance, facility cleaning, customer service, working with volunteers, safety procedures, and basic carpentry.

Responsibilities

• Maintain trails, picnic areas, and camping facilities.
• Assist the public in using facilities and grounds.
• Supervise temporary employees and train staff.
• Interpret and enforce park rules and safety procedures.

Skills

Park management

Forestry

Conservation

Emergency response

Trail building

Customer service

Volunteers

Safety procedures

CPR First Aid

Carpentry basics

Policy enforcement

Job description

The County of San Mateo Parks Department is seeking an experienced Park Ranger II to provide a variety of public services to preserve, protect, and enhance the natural, historical, recreational and educational resources of the County. Under supervision, Park Ranger II are responsible for maintaining trails and picnic areas, camping facilities; performing facility maintenance; assisting the public in taking full advantage of the facilities and grounds; and assisting with interpretive and recreational programs. Incumbents also supervise temporary employees and provide guidance and training to staff.

The ideal candidate will have:

• At least two (2) years of experience in park management, forestry, natural resource conservation, law enforcement, construction, emergency response or a closely related field.
• Practical experience in trail building and maintenance; facility cleaning and maintenance; customer service; working with volunteers; handling complaints; performing First Aid, CPR, and other safety procedures; interpreting and enforcing laws, rules and regulations; and performing basic construction and carpentry work.

This position requires outdoor physical labor and may include exposure to hazards, sun, bees, ticks, poison oak, nettles, pollen, etc.

Check out this video for a glimpse into the life of a Park Ranger! Discover the diverse tasks our rangers manage to maintain the beauty and safety of our parks.

Education and Experience:

Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is two years of experience in park management, forestry, natural resources conservation or a closely related field.

Licensure/Certification:

Possession of a class C California driver license or equivalent at the time of hire. Acquire within the first six months of employment a Red Cross First Aid Certificate and a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Certificate. Acquire within the first year of employment a POST 832 Law Enforcement certificate.

Knowledge of:

Safety procedures, regulations and hazards related to parks; First Aid and CPR practices; appropriate responses to emergency situations; business and construction arithmetic, including percentages and decimals; computer operations for preparing reports and keeping records; principles and practices of quality customer service; basic supervisory principles and practices; park operation practices and procedures; principles and practices related to basic carpentry, plumbing, and electrical repair and construction; use of hand, electric, and pneumatic power tools; practices and procedures of trail building and maintenance; natural resource management practices including erosion control, habitat protection, non-native plant control and incompatible land use; diverse habitats and their primary plants and animals; landscaping and ground maintenance practices including pruning, lawn and plant care; tree conservation practices and procedures including removal; land use map symbols for the purpose of identifying elevation and trails; regulations and practices of protecting endangered species; effective instructional methods for a diverse customer population; practices and procedures of preparing and presenting interpretative programs; principles and practices of resource monitoring and data collection.

Skill/Ability to:

Maintain cleanliness of park and marina facilities; interpret information for the public; perform custodial, light construction, repair and maintenance work on facilities and equipment; use hand, electric, and pneumatic power tools; respond appropriately in emergency situations including administering CPR and First Aid; perform administrative tasks including keeping accurate records, making simple arithmetic calculations, handling cash, and filing; drive, operate, and maintain automobiles, light trucks, safety equipment and other motorized equipment safely; communicate effectively both orally and in writing; tactfully and effectively enforce rules and regulations governing facilities and resources; follow oral and written instructions including safety rules, procedures and practices; work courteously and effectively with the public and with co-workers; establish and maintain effective work relationships with those contacted in the performance of required duties; lead, assign work to, coach and counsel staff in a variety of parks, naturalist and marina activities; stand, walk, and bend for extended periods of time and have sufficient strength to lift items weighing up to 60 pounds.

The examination process will consist of a training and experience application evaluation (weight: pass/fail) and a performance test (weight: 100%). The application evaluation will be based solely on applicants' application materials and responses to the supplemental questions. Because of this process, not all applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are guaranteed advancement through the examination process. Only those applicants whose training and experience most closely match the needs of the department will be invited to the performance test. All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California and applicants must participate at their own expense.

TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE

Application Deadline: Friday, September 11, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PST

Training and Experience Evaluation: Monday, September 14, 2026

Performance Test (tentative): Tuesday, October 20, 2026, and/or Wednesday October 21, 2026

Departmental Interviews (tentative): TBD

San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo is committed to advancing equity in order to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity, equity and inclusion at all levels.

Analyst: Arlene Cahill (08212026) (RangerII - L041)