Senior Park Aide (Tahoma Gateway Area-West) Permanent

Washington Department of Natural Resources; Washington; On-site; USD 38,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Uniform stipend

Job summary

Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is seeking a Senior Park Aide in the Federal Way, WA area. This permanent, on-site role supports park operations, visitor services, and interpretive programs at Tahoma Gateway Area West, including Dash Point and Saltwater State Parks.

The position requires leading Park Aides, performing maintenance tasks, and robust public education about park rules and history. Core hours are 8 a.m.–5 p.m., with weekend work and frequent field activities.

Qualifications

• Valid unrestricted driver's license (other than corrective lenses) and 18+ years old.
• Six (6) months cumulative experience as a Park Aide (or equivalent) and a valid unrestricted driver's license (other than corrective lenses) and at least 18 years old.
• Twelve (12) months' experience in a Washington Conservation Corps or park agency program with related duties and a valid unrestricted driver's license (other than corrective lenses) and at least 18 years old.

Responsibilities

• Leads Park Aides.
• Performs maintenance on campsites, park buildings, restrooms, trails, and roads; removes ashes and litter.
• Operates park vehicles to perform maintenance.
• Assists with daily camping registration; trains other staff.
• Provides information to visitors about park rules, events, and history.

Skills

Driver's license

Grounds maintenance

Supervisory ability

Job description

Description

Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission

Job Title: Senior Park Aide
Location: Federal Way, WA
Closes: October 19th, 2026, at 5 p.m. PST

Position status: This is a permanent position. There is no housing available for this position.

Under the supervision of a Park Ranger, this position is essential to Washington State Park's mission of operating, enhancing, interpreting and protecting our park's recreational, cultural, historical and natural sites. This position assists and contributes towards all aspects of park operations, supporting day-to-day operations for the Tahoma Gateway Area West, and will lead work responsibilities.

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

The Senior Park Aide position assigned to Dash Point and Saltwater State Parks offers a unique opportunity to work in the cultural nexus of the Puget Sound. These parks expose you to a greater variety of job assignments than many other parks provide. If you are looking for a position that offers you an opportunity to lead a group of diverse individuals as they promote marine and watershed stewardship, forest health, safe equipment operation, visitor services, interpretation opportunities, campground and vehicle maintenance, and some administrative tasks, this could be the right place for you!

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Leads Park Aides.
• Cleans and performs maintenance on campsites, picnic sites, park buildings including restrooms, trails and roads including removing and disposing of ashes in BBQ's, cleaning tables, picking up and disposing of litter, removing debris from grounds with hand tools and larger equipment, maintaining light fixtures and painted surfaces.
• Maintains Park lawns using a mower, weed eaters, trimmers and various other tools. This includes cleaning the equipment, fueling and maintaining, recording use and reporting any problems.
• Assists rangers in maintaining all facilities in a condition that is operationally functional, clean in appearance, and safe for the public and staff. This includes park grounds, structures, utility systems, vehicles, equipment, tools, trails, fences, restrooms, turf and irrigation systems.
• Performs noxious weed control, parking lot maintenance, restroom cleaning, trash collection and litter pick up.
• Independently operates Park vehicles to perform maintenance duties.
• Completes and assists with administrative duties as needed; to include daily reconciliation of funds collected, monthly equipment and safety reports, and other tasks, as assigned.
• Assists construction and maintenance staff with completion of projects.
• Assists with daily camping registration program; trains other staff.
• Provide information including educating the public regarding park rules and regulations, local events, activities, walks and talks, and historic information.
• Assist with interpretive programs and develop displays and camp events.
• Participates in agency training requirements and follows uniform standards.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Option 1:

• Twelve (12) months of experience in building maintenance or grounds keeping, or performing semi-skilled/general carpentry, electrical and/or plumbing repair work and a valid unrestricted driver's license (other than corrective lenses) and at least 18 years old.

Option 2:

• Six (6) months cumulative experience as a Park Aide (or equivalent) and a valid unrestricted driver's license (other than corrective lenses) and at least 18 years old.

Option 3:

• Twelve (12) months' experience in a special employment program (Washington Conservation Corps) with a park's agency. A combination of experience (WCC and Park Aide) may be used provided candidate has at least three months experience as a Park Aide (or equivalent) and a valid unrestricted driver's license (other than corrective lenses) and at least 18 years old.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES:

• The Ability to take Action to Learn and Grow.
• The Ability to take Action to Meet the Needs of Others.
• Workforce Leadership: Ability to direct the work of others, provide clear instructions, and ensure tasks (like site cleaning or maintenance) are completed to standard.
• Public Stewardship & Customer Service:Providing high-quality information, educating visitors on rules/regulations, and representing the agency’s mission.
• Resourcefulness & Problem Solving: Independently identifying maintenance issues or equipment failures and reporting or resolving them efficiently.

ADDITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Ability to work independently while using good judgement and problem-solving skills in decision making.
• Awareness and willingness to follow safety policies and protocols.
• Promotes cooperation and an eagerness and capacity to learn new skills.
• Self-starter who can see a project through to completion.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

Requirements:

Uniform Information: All permanent Senior Park Aides are required to wear a uniform. A complete and properly worn uniform helps establish the professional identity of a Park Aide and promotes respect as a Washington State Parks employee. All permanent Senior Park Aides will receive 2 shirts and 1 baseball cap every calendar year, 1 jacket, 1 beanie/knit cap and a brim hat every two calendar years, an outerwear jacket every five years, and a boot and clothing stipend of $150 per calendar year. Clothing stipends are intended to offset the cost of clothing worn in the workplace such as pants, boots, raingear, etc.

Working Conditions: Position works five (5) days a week; Core work hours are typically 8 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Work schedule varies and often requires weekend work. Incumbents may be expected to adjust the work scheduled to meet business needs. A flexible work schedule may be considered at incumbent's request and is subject to supervisory approval. Incumbent is expected to maintain regular and reliable attendance to accommodate facility, grounds, equipment, and customer needs. Travel and overnight travel may be required periodically between parks and/or statewide for meetings, training, and other field work. Travel will be necessary in all types of weather conditions and climates.

Supplemental Information

About Parks: Want to join a great organization? The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission manages one of the largest, most diverse and most beautiful parks systems in the country. With more than 120,000 acres, the system includes 124 developed parks, including 19 marine parks, 11 historical parks, 35 heritage sites, 13 interpretive centers and approximately 500 miles of long-distance recreation trails. Parks is staffed with nearly 1,000 employees (summers), who are some of the most passionate employees you'll find anywhere. For more information on Washington State Parks, click here.

Note: This position is covered by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE). Once the listed position(s) is(are) filled, this recruitment announcement may also be used to fill additional position(s) for up to sixty (60) days.

Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment.

Diversity Policy Statement: 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.

For information about the recruitment process and qualifications, please contact Jenee Kramer at [e-mail] or [phone].

For information about this position, please contact Mitchell Rudd at [e-mail] or [phone].

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