Experience the natural beauty of Washington State Parks and get paid to do it! The Park Aide performs a variety of tasks at a State park, beach, or historical area. A typical work day may include anything from registering campers and collecting camp fees, to cleaning facilities, area beautification, or explaining park rules. The specific duties will have some variation by park location.

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This recruitment will be used to fill multiple non-permanent Park Aide positions located throughout the Blue Mountain Area; Camp Wooten, Columbia Plateau Trail, Fields Spring, Lewis & Clark Trail, Lyons Ferry, Palouse Falls and Sacajawea State Parks. Most positions are 3-5 months in duration, beginning in April-May. The number of vacancies and housing availability will vary from park to park.

Positions may be scheduled to work 40 hours a week during the busiest months but may be scheduled for less than full-time at the beginning and end of the season.

To read about other current and former park aides’ experiences, click Here!

This recruitment will remain open continuously; the hiring authority reserves the right and may exercise the option to make hiring decisions at any time and close the recruitment.

Camp Wooten State Park- (located in Columbia County) Nestled in the valley along the Tucannon River in the Blue Mountains, sits State Park’s largest retreat center, Camp Wooten. Built in the 1930’s by Civilian Conservation Corps crews this camp now hosts many large groups looking for a beautiful place to get away from it all.  Camp Wooten offers a dining hall with large commercial kitchen, a recreation hall, sleeping cabins, restrooms with showers, and even an indoor swimming pool.  There are sleeping accommodations for up to 200 people and with park manager approval, tents and RVs may be allowed.

Columbia Plateau State Park Trail- (located in Adams County) is a 4,109-acre, 130-mile-long rail-bed trail that traces the 1908 original path of the Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railroad. The route is most accessible at Cheney, with other less accessible points along the way. The route is steeped in history, with scenic vistas along the trail. Currently 23 miles of the trail between Lincoln County and Cheney are developed and open for public use.

Fields Spring State Park- (located in Asotin County)  is a 792-acre, forested park open year round. Located in the Blue Mountains of Southeastern Washington, Fields Spring has several miles of hiking, biking, and running trails, as well as campsites, lodges, teepees, and a cabin for overnight guests. Winter activities include cross-country ski trails, a tubing hill and snowshoeing. Fields Spring has a diversity of wildflowers, native trees and plants, wildlife, and birds, and is located near popular hunting and fishing areas in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

Lewis & Clark Trail State Park- (located in Columbia County) is a 37-acre camping park with 1,333-feet of freshwater shoreline on the Touchet River. The park is a rare treasure of old-growth forest and river in the midst of the surrounding arid grassland. Like an oasis in the middle of the desert, this lovely wooded park on the Touchet River refreshes visitors with its unusual vegetation and geology. The park is rich in history.

Lyons Ferry State Park- (located in Columbia County) is a 1,000-acre park situated at the confluence of the Palouse and Snake rivers. It once was home to early groups of the Palouse Indians. The park has more than 52,000 feet of shoreline and offers a variety of activities, including boating, fishing, hiking and swimming. Lyons Ferry was named for the ferry crossing that operated across the Snake River from the mid-1860s until the late-1960s, when it was replaced by the Lyons Ferry Bridge, also known as the Snake River Bridge.

Palouse Falls State Park- (located in Franklin/Whitman Counties ) is a 94-acre park known as an ideal picnic and birding spot.  The park offers three distinct views of the state waterfall. The lower viewpoint provides a direct view; it is reached by a set of steps from the main day-use area adjacent to the parking lot. The second, at the end of a paved interpretive path, tells the story of the secluded canyon. Both the interpretive path and gravel secondary parking area lead to the third and highest viewpoint, the Fryxell Overlook, offering panoramic views of the falls and Palouse River Canyon.

Sacajawea State Park- (located in Franklin County) is a 284-acre inland waters, day-use park at the confluence of the Snake and Columbia rivers. It features 9,100 feet of freshwater shoreline. The area is spread out with a big sky and excellent views of the two rivers as they flow together. The park features the Sacajawea Interpretive Center, where visitors can learn about the story of the Lewis and Clark expedition through the experiences of Sacagawea, the young Shoshone Indian woman who accompanied the expedition.

Duties

Under the supervision of the Park Ranger or the lead of a Senior Park Aide, Park Aides perform a variety of tasks at a State Park, beach, or historical area. A typical work day may include anything from registering campers and collecting camp fees, to cleaning facilities, mowing lawns, or explaining park rules. The specific duties will have some variation by park location.

Primary duties include, but are not limited to:

• All positions– Maintain park facilities through light routine maintenance and janitorial services.
• Perform grounds maintenance work, such as cutting grass, weeding flower beds, pruning shrubs, raking leaves, and picking up litter.
• Maintain park lawns using a mower, weed eater, trimmer, and various maintenance tools.
• Provide park information to visitors and answer phones.
• Register campers, collect, sort and count revenue; prepare bank transmittals and deposits.
• Perform daily garbage collection and litter control.
• Clean restrooms and stock cleaning supplies.
• Clean rental properties and perform general housekeeping duties including washing windows, scrubbing floors, mopping, and sweeping.
• Drive light truck or other state vehicle to transport supplies and equipment within the park area; haul refuse and garbage.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must be a minimum of 17 years old.
• Possess a valid (unrestricted) driver’s license. – If your DL is out of state (other than WA State), you will be required to show proof of a valid and current unrestricted driver’s license at the time of the interview.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Possess bilingual skills (Spanish language preferred).

JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES:

Supplemental Information

To ensure consideration, please complete the online job application and profile at www.careers.wa.gov. Use reference number 08596 when searching for the job announcement.

NOTE:  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, but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the position.

Your position is included in the non-supervisory bargaining unit represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).  For more information: http://www.hr.wa.gov/recruitment/JobSeekerServices/Pages/UnionInformation.aspx

Diversity Policy Statement

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is committed to creating an equitable, hospitable, appreciative, safe, and inclusive park environment – one that embraces the full spectrum of all community members’ contributions. The Commission makes this commitment because:

• Diversity strengthens the workforce in competence and ability;
• Celebrating diversity appreciates and values individual differences;
• Diversity serves an increasingly heterogeneous society;
• Diversity helps ensure the relevance of a state park system, its mission, properties, and programs to the people of this state today and in the future; and
• Diversity is crucial to our ability to serve all citizens.

The Commission encourages and supports staff efforts to reach out to people of all races, national origins, abilities, religions, sexual orientations, veteran status, ages, and genders who use the parks and who live in communities nearby parks. This outreach is to focus on engaging in partnerships that expand programs and services in a way that is meaningful and of value to all people. The Commission is dedicated to offering quality experiences to all visitors through a workforce and volunteer corps that reflects the diversity of Washington State.

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam veterans and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this job announcement  in an alternative format may contact the human resources office at (360) 902-8565. 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 more information about these positions, please contact the Park directly. You can search for the specific Park contact information here.