Park Ranger - Park and Recreation (Non - Civil Service)

City of Dallas; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 34,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Dallas is seeking a Park Ranger to act as an ambassador for city parks, ensuring safe, pleasant environments for patrons. The role involves enforcing park rules, coordinating with departments, and engaging with the public.

Essential duties include site visits, handling reservations, citations, community outreach, and reporting observations. Candidates should have a high school diploma or GED and a valid driver’s license; bilingual English/Spanish preferred.

Qualifications

• 1 year of experience in park and recreation programming, customer service, or as a park ranger with patrolling duties.
• Driver’s License and First Aid CPR certifications are required or preferred.

Responsibilities

• Conduct site visits to observe and resolve park rule infractions and maintenance issues.
• Research and monitor field reservations to ensure proper use of city facilities.
• Issue and deliver citations for park rules and City ordinances.
• Educate and engage with homeless citizens in coordination with city programs.
• Provide excellent customer service and serve as information source for the public.
• Attend city events to promote the park ranger program and support events.
• Coordinate outreach and educational activities to encourage community involvement.
• Create daily reports documenting observations after visits; escalate to 911 or Dallas Marshals when needed.
• Collaborate with intradepartmental staff to maintain park safety and maintenance.
• Perform other tasks as assigned.

Skills

Customer service

Conflict resolution

City code

Safety standards

Environmental stewardship

Communication

Public outreach

Independent work

Computer skills

MS Office

Bilingual EN/ES

Vehicle operation

Education

High school diploma or GED

Driver’s License

First Aid CPR

Job description

Dallas is Growing. Grow With Us.

Looking for more than just a job? The City of Dallas offers careers with purpose. With competitive benefits, growth opportunities, and a vibrant work culture, we’re committed to helping you thrive while you help our city flourish. Be part of a team that’s committed to service, innovation, and community.

Job Summary

Acts as an ambassador for City parks and facilities by ensuring a safe and pleasant environment for park patrons. Investigates service requests by gathering and analyzing information to determine the scope of the request, schedules necessary action and informs parties involved regarding disposition to ensure that service requests from the public, City Manager’s Office, and other parties are handled expeditiously and appropriately.

Job Description

Overview

The Park Ranger performs a wide range of tasks to ensure appropriate use of parks, facilities, and trails; educates community regarding programs and services; enforces safety protocols and procedures; and responds to and interacts with park patrons and other community stakeholders regularly.

Essential Functions

• 1 Conducts site visits to park facilities to observe, report, and resolve (through voluntary compliance) park rule infractions, criminal activity, and maintenance issues in accordance with park ranger program protocols, procedures, and policies.
• 2 Researches, checks, and monitors reservations for athletic fields on all City parks to determine if teams have reserved fields through RecTrac software; resolves disputes and issues to ensure the appropriate use of the city fields; and de-escalates citizens disputes concerning reservations of pavilion and reserved fields.
• 3 Issues and delivers citations for park rules and City ordinance violations via handwritten ticket book.
• 4 Educates and engages with homeless citizens and coordinates with Office of Homeless Solutions to relocate homeless citizens from City parks in compliance with City policies and procedures.
• 5 Provides excellent customer service and acts as a primary source for information and assistance to the public regarding park information, safety, rules, and regulations.
• 6 Attends various City-sponsored events to promote the park ranger program and to provide support for successful execution of these events.
• 7 Manages and administers targeted community outreach and educational activities focused on promotion of the park ranger program and encouraging community involvement to support safe parks.
• 8 Creates daily reports via email and other available software documenting observations and findings after each park, trail, or facility site visit. Contacts 911 or Dallas Marshals for escalated events requiring first responder action.
• 9 Coordinates with various intradepartmental staff and other City departments in support of maintaining park safety and maintenance.
• 10 Performs any and all other tasks as needed or assigned.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• 1 Knowledge of the City’s Parks, facilities, and public spaces.
• 2 Skill in providing excellent customer service and skill in conflict resolution and de-escalation techniques to successfully resolve various sensitive and high-pressure situations.
• 3 Ability to read and interpret City code, ordinances, and rules and to tactfully communicate rules to customers to gain voluntary compliance when violations are observed.
• 4 Knowledge of safety standards and protocols.
• 5 Knowledge of environmental standards and principles as they pertain to stewardship of City parks.
• 6 Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing, using proper business language.
• 7 Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships.
• 8 Ability to identify compliance violations and basic park maintenance issues.
• 9 Ability to operate a City vehicle.
• 10 Ability to adapt to variable work assignments and changing priorities.
• 11 Ability to work various work schedules to include evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• 12 Ability to conduct various forms of public outreach to diverse community groups in formal and informal settings.
• 13 Ability to work independently using good judgment and decision-making, with general guidance provided by supervisor.
• 14 Skill in the use of computers.
• 15 Skill in the use of Microsoft software products, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• 16 Bilingual language proficiency (English and Spanish), with ability to read, write, and speak both languages, is preferred.
• 17 Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in varied environmental conditions, to include extreme heat or cold and precipitation.
• 18 Ability to operate a utility vehicle and/or bicycle for patrol duty, as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience

1 year of experience in park and recreation programming; customer service or outreach, preferably in a park and recreation environment; or as a park ranger with responsibility for patrolling and enforcing park rules and regulations for a park system.

Licenses & Certifications

Driver’s License, First Aid CPR

Education

High school diploma or GED

Salary Range

$24.39 - $27.71

The salary listed on this job posting is the starting salary range; amount offered will depend upon qualifications.

City of Dallas is an Equal Opportunity Employer.