Returning Lifeguard I / II / III

East Bay Regional Park District; Oakland (CA); On-site; USD 32,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

East Bay Regional Park District is seeking returning lifeguards for the 2027 summer season across multiple park facilities in the Bay Area. The role focuses on protecting swimmers, delivering first aid, and teaching water safety while supporting district objectives.

Ideal candidates will demonstrate honesty, integrity, respect, safety, and service, with readiness to work full-time during the season and handle varying aquatic environments.

Qualifications

• Must be 16+ years old and have current First Aid certification.
• Current Lifeguarding/First Aid/CPR/AED certificate from ARC or equivalent.
• Current Waterfront Skills certificate (valid with Lifeguarding/First Aid/CPR/AED).
• Lifeguard II/III require additional ARC EMT/EMS or similar certs and prior experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide lifeguarding to promote public safety at aquatic facilities.
• Monitor activities to prevent accidents and enforce regulations.
• Perform rescues and administer first aid as needed.
• Maintain facility cleanliness and equipment in proper working order.
• Record reports and assist in training sessions.

Skills

Swim 550 yards

First Aid

CPR/AED

Waterfront skills

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

The Position

You have the opportunity, as a returning East Bay Regional Park District Lifeguard, to do something unique: You get to save lives! You do this through educating the public on water safety, rescuing distressed swimmers, and providing first aid in a variety of situations. If you want to return to the Park District for another safe and successful season and make a real difference in the lives of people who visit our swim facilities, then fill out your application today for the 2027 summer season!

Please note this bulletin is for Returning EBRPD lifeguards only. New Lifeguards should apply under a different post that is expected to go live later this year.

Vacancy Situation: The District expects to hire 30 Lifeguard III's and Lifeguard II's for the 2027 summer season. All remaining returnees will be placed in Lifeguard I assignments. The District will attempt to schedule lifeguards according to their availability, however, preference will be given to applicants available to work full-time throughout the season.

Ideal Candidate: Upholds the core values of the EBRPD Lifeguard Service

• Honesty: Be truthful and honest in all communication.
• Integrity: Practice good judgement in all decisions; do the right thing even when no one is looking.
• Respect: Treat all individuals the way you would like to be treated.
• Safety: Protect all swimmers with an unwavering dedication to patrol surveillance.
• Service: Provide the highest levels of courtesy, respect, customer service, and emergency assistance to all park visitors.

Example of Duties

Lifeguard I: The essential functions of this position include, but are not limited to:

• Performs the tasks necessary to promote public safety at an aquatic facility by lifeguarding;
• Monitors activities in aquatic areas to prevent accidents;
• Enforces regulations, cautions swimmers regarding unsafe swimming activities, rescues swimmers in danger of drowning, administers first aid;
• Maintains order in aquatic areas;
• Inspects facility for cleanliness, keeping aquatic area clean and free from hazards;
• Inspects and maintains equipment and materials in proper working order;
• Participates in training sessions;
• Takes reports from the public;
• Fills out medical incident reports, training logs, and other forms and paperwork as required.

Lifeguard II (Assistant Head Lifeguard): The essential functions of this position include, but are not limited to:

• Performs the essential functions of a Lifeguard I above;
• Performs the tasks necessary to assist in the supervision of lifeguard personnel, and to promote public safety at an aquatic facility by lifeguarding;
• Assists in determining work schedules;
• Assists in the planning and conducting of lifeguard training sessions;
• Assists in expediting orders of material and equipment for the facility;
• Assists in coordinating emergency response activities;
• Advises on employee performance evaluations;
• Takes reports from the public;
• Fills out and reviews medical incident reports, training logs and other forms and paperwork as required.

Other Functions And Duties

Other tasks related to this position will include: Instructs aquatic and safety programs, as required; assists in water treatment; and performs data entry.

Lifeguard III (Head Lifeguard): The essential functions of this position include, but are not limited to:

• Performs the essential functions of a Lifeguard II above;
• Performs the tasks necessary to supervise lifeguard personnel, and to promote public safety at an aquatic facility by lifeguarding;
• Determines work schedules;
• Advises on employee performance evaluations
• Plans and conducts lifeguard training sessions;
• Expedites orders of material and equipment for their facility;
• Takes reports from the public;
• Fills out and reviews medical incident reports, training logs, and other forms and paperwork as required.

Other Functions And Duties

Other tasks related to this position will include: Coordinates and instructs aquatic and safety programs as required; assists in water treatment; and performs data entry.

Minimum Qualifications

Lifeguard I:

• Sixteen years of age or older, and
• A current First Aid certificate that meets the State of California Health & Safety Code (Title 22) requirements, and
• A current "Lifeguarding/First Aid/CPR/AED" certificate from the American Red Cross or its equivalent, and
• A current "Waterfront Skills" certificate (valid only with "Lifeguarding/First Aid/CPR/AED" certificate from the American Red Cross).

Lifeguard II (Assistant Head Lifeguard):

• Same minimum qualifications as Lifeguard I above; and
• A current "Emergency Medical Response" certificate from the American Red Cross, or "Emergency Medical Technician" (EMT) certificate or its equivalent, and
• One season's experience as a paid, full-time Lifeguard in a facility equivalent to an East Bay Regional Park District facility.

Lifeguard III (Head Lifeguard):

• Same minimum qualifications as Lifeguard II above; and
• Education: Equivalent to completion of the twelfth grade.

Desirable Qualifications (for All Lifeguards):

• A current "Water Safety Instructor (WSI)" certificate from the American Red Cross or its equivalent;
• A current "CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer Instructor" certificate from the American Red Cross, or its equivalent;
• A current "Lifeguard Training Instructor" certificate from the American Red Cross, or its equivalent; and
• SCUBA certification by a nationally recognized certifying agency.

Additional Information

Knowledge Of:

• Lifeguarding;
• Correct English usage, including spelling, grammar, and punctuation, sufficient to write accurate reports and forms.

Ability To:

• Use a computer terminal;
• Swim 550 yards (500 meters) over a measured course in ten minutes or less;
• Operate and maintain lifesaving equipment;
• Effectively teach aquatic and safety programs to varying age levels;
• Walk, run, jump, climb, swim, dive, sit, lift and carry equipment weighing up to 60 pounds, lift overhead and balance equipment weighing up to 40 pounds;
• Work outdoors in the sun for prolonged periods of time;
• Breath-hold dive to 15 feet and recover 150-pound person while wearing mask and fins in an open water environment;
• Understand and apply District and department policies, procedures, protocols, and pertinent local and state regulations relating to lifeguard operations and emergency procedures;
• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with those contacted in the course of work at all levels, including a culturally diverse public, with a focus on quality service to internal and external customers;
• Lifeguards II and III only: Proficiently direct emergency lifeguard response as prescribed by Lifeguard Service Management.

Conditions Of Employment:

• Lifeguards are required to wear uniforms and may be required to work unusual hours, weekends and holidays
• Lifeguards may be required to work at aquatic facilities other than their assigned facility.
• Lifeguards must be able to pass a 550-yard swim in 10 minutes or less and American Red Cross Waterfront Lifeguarding pre-course skills prior to employment, and a District medical examination and continuous skill audits.
• Lifeguards must participate in a minimum of 16 hours of formal rescue skills training per season and work a minimum of 100 hours lifeguarding during the regular scheduled lifeguard season.

Union Affiliation: East Bay Regional Parks Employees, Local 2428, American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO, represents this classification. Wages, hours, and other terms of conditions of employment are covered in an Agreement between the Park District and Local 2428.

Pay Step Increases: A lifeguard will be considered to have completed one year of service in a classification after working for a minimum of 350 hours. If the lifeguard works 350 hours by the end of the season, the lifeguard will advance to the next pay step at the start of the following season. If the lifeguard works less than 350 hours, the lifeguard will remain at the same pay step at the start of the following season.

Hourly Salary (as of the opening date of this job announcement, 10/7/26):

Lifeguard I

Step A: $23.38

Step B: $23.97

Step C: $24.60

Step D: $25.17

Step E: $25.82

Step F: $26.44

Lifeguard II

Step A: $27.12

Step B: $27.81

Step C: $28.51

Step D: $29.20

Lifeguard III

Step A: $33.07

Step B: $33.89

Step C: $34.73

Step D: $35.59

Swim Facility Locations: All Park District and partnership swim facilities operate depending on weather, water level, water quality, staffing availability and visitation. All facilities are open water areas with the exception of Ambrose Aquatic Center, Antioch High School, Castle Rock, and Roberts Pool. Specific lifeguard service dates for each facility will be available soon at the Swim Facilities page on EBRPD’s website. Planned aquatic worksites for 2027 are listed below:

• Ambrose Aquatic Center, Pittsburg, CA
• Antioch High School, Antioch, CA
• Castle Rock, Diablo Foothills Park, Walnut Creek
• Crown Beach, Alameda
• Cull Canyon, Castro Valley
• Del Valle, East Beach, Livermore
• Del Valle, West Beach, Livermore
• Don Castro, Hayward
• Lake Anza, Tilden Park, Berkeley
• Lake Temescal, Oakland
• Quarry Lakes, Fremont
• Roberts Pool, Oakland
• Shadow Cliffs, Pleasanton

Application materials for this position consist of two (2) required parts

• A current East Bay Regional Park District job application submitted online; and
• Completed Supplemental Questionnaire (included in job application).

Notification: All applicants will be notified of the disposition of their application via email, generally within two to three weeks after the closing date. You may also sign into your governmentjobs.com account to view your current application status and notifications. If you have questions about the status of your application, please contact HR Analyst, Christina Souza at [e-mail].

Selection Process: Pursuant to the Federal Immigration and Reform Act of 1986, all applicants who are hired will be required to provide proof of identity and appropriate work authorization documents prior to commencement of employment. The individual(s) chosen for hire must be able to pass a background check, 550-yard swim in 10 minutes or less and American Red Cross Waterfront Lifeguarding pre-course skills prior to employment, and District medical examination and continuous skill audits.

Equal Opportunity Employer: The East Bay Regional Park District, as an equal employment opportunity employer, encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

There are no benefits associated with this position.