Park Ranger II

Full Job Description

Salary: $71,059.04 - $84,959.68 Annually

Are you passionate about the outdoors and ready to make a meaningful impact in your community?

The Community Services Department is accepting applications to fill one full-time Park Ranger II vacancy in Santa Barbara.

We are also establishing an employment list that will be used to fill current and future full-time, part-time, extra-help, and 1414 vacancies in Santa Barabara, Santa maria, and Lompoc.

Under general supervision, constructs, maintains, and repairs park structures, facilities, and systems, and provides visitor services, enforces rules and regulations; may lead a groundskeeping crew in maintaining County facilities; and performs related duties as required.

If you’re ready to combine your love for nature with a career in public service, we encourage you to apply today!

BENEFITS: Click HERE for information about the County’s generous benefits, which includes a pension plan. In addition, applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for:

• Retirement reciprocity
• Time and service credit towards an advanced vacation accrual rate

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE will possess:

• Park Ranger experience
• Basic grounds and landscape maintenance knowledge and experience
• Boating knowledge and experience
• Maintains composure while enforcing County codes, policies, and regulations
• Excellent customer services skills
• Cash handling experience
• Excellent communication skills (writing skills and experience in writing incident reports)
• Team-oriented; great work ethics, be dependable and honest
• Ability to tactfully handle difficult situations and/or individuals
• Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook)
• Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification or ability to obtain the certification prior to appointment is desired, but not a requirement
• Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Certification is desirable, but not a requirement
• Bilingual in English and Spanish is desirable, but not a requirement

Requirements

• Checks visitors into parks, collects fees, issues permits; provides park information to visitors; patrols park lands and waterways to maintain safety and security; interprets and enforces rules, regulations, and ordinances by issuing warnings or citations; requests assistance from public safety and ambulance services; may provide first aid; completes incident reports, work orders, cash handling records, and other forms.
• Repairs faucets, replaces sprinkler heads, and unclogs drains; paints structures and facilities; repairs picnic benches; pours concrete and welds; operates and performs routine servicing of hand tools, power tools, and light equipment, such as chain and table saws, drills, chippers, roto tillers, riding and push mowers; collects and removes debris, trash, and litter; cleans walkways, cabins, yurts, restrooms, lift stations and other park facilities.
• Mows, weeds, waters, edges, and fertilizes lawns; prunes trees and bushes; identifies and reports plant problems; monitors and adjusts irrigation and water purification systems.
• Leads a crew to perform park maintenance work and related duties.
• Uses basic computer software like Microsoft Office and park reservation software.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• One year of experience in park operations, groundskeeping, or semi-skilled maintenance work that included considerable contact with the public and a focus on customer service; OR,
• Six months of experience performing duties equivalent to the class of Park Ranger I with Santa Barbara County and possession of a basic law enforcement (PC 832) course certificate or approved equivalent; OR,
• Any combination of training, education, and experience that is equivalent to one of the employment standards listed above and that provides the required knowledge and abilities.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: Within six months of appointment, incumbents must successfully complete a basic law enforcement (PC 832) course certified by the California Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission, or equivalent training as approved by the Director of Community Services.

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS: Possession of a valid California Class C Driver’s License.

Some positions may require the ability to obtain a Class A or Class B Driver’s License, a Certified Pool Operator certificate, or a California Boaters Card.

Incumbents in park ranger classifications assigned to Lake Cachuma or Jalama Beach who possess current Emergency Medical Technician (E.M.T.) certification, shall receive a special duty allowance in accordance with the MOU.

Once an incumbent has obtained the Class A or B license, he/she will be subject to mandatory testing for drugs prior to being assigned work requiring such a license; once assigned, incumbents will be subject to mandatory testing for drugs and/or alcohol on a random, reasonable suspicion, post-accident, return-to-duty, and follow-up basis.

Knowledge of: the use and routine servicing of basic hand tools, power tools, and light equipment used in groundskeeping, cleaning, and park maintenance; materials and methods used in groundskeeping, cleaning, and park maintenance; safe work practices; basic playground safety, common plant types and problem symptoms; basic arithmetic; cash handling practices, including security; basic computer skills; and basic first aid practices.

Ability to: learn, understand, and convey park rules and regulations; communicate effectively with the public; work effectively with and provide service to a variety people from different backgrounds; learn and apply diversity, equity, and inclusion principles; represent the department with tact; exercise independent judgment; keep records and compose short narrative reports; understand and follow oral and written instructions; learn and apply basic law enforcement practices used to issue citations; perform basic first aid; use a computer and applicable software programs; and lead and delegate work.

Additional Information

Incumbents are required to work: flexible shift schedules, rotating work locations, holidays, and weekends; and may be exposed to unpleasant field conditions including rainy, cold, windy, or hot weather.

APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS

• Review applications and supplemental questionnaire to determine those applicants who meet the employment standards.

• Supplemental Questionnaire Ranking: Responses to the required supplemental questionnaire will be evaluated and scored. Candidates' final score and rank on the employment list will be determined by their responses to the supplemental questionnaire.

Candidates must receive a percentage score of at least 70 on the Supplemental Questionnaire Ranking to be placed on an employment list.

An adjustment may be made to raw scores based on factors listed in Civil Service Rule VI.

Those candidates who are successful in the selection process will have their names placed on the employment list for a minimum of three months.

At the time the employment list is established, all candidates will receive an email notice of their score on the exam(s), rank on the employment list, and duration of the employment list.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS:The County of Santa Barbara is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants.

Qualified individuals with disabilities who need reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter listed on the job posting.

We require verification of needed accommodation from a professional source, such a Medical Provider or a learning institution.

Recruiters will communicate with applicants by e-mail during each step in the recruitment process. Applicants are reminded to check spam filters continuously during the Recruitment & Selection Process steps listed above to ensure they do not miss the required deadlines.

Conditional Job Offer: Once a conditional offer of employment has been made, candidate will be required to successfully complete a background check, which includes a conviction history check, and satisfactory reference checks.

The appointee will be subject to a post-offer medical evaluation or examination. The appointee must satisfactorily complete a one-year probationary period.

Disaster Service Worker: Pursuant to Governmental code section 3100, all employees with the County of Santa Barbara are declared to be disaster service workers subject to such disaster service. Activities as may be assigned to them by their superiors or by law.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) StatementThe County of Santa Barbara provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any type with regard to any characteristic or status protected by any federal law, state law, or Santa Barbara County ordinance.

The County continues to be committed to a merit-based selection process and to eliminating barriers to attracting and retaining top qualified candidates.

The County has a long-standing practice of providing a work environment that respects the dignity of individual employees and values their contributions to our organization.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday, February 13, 2026 at 4:59 p.m. PST, postmarks not accepted. You can view job postings and apply online 24 hours a day at www.sbcountyjobs.com.

Collin Graham, Talent Acquisition Analyst II, cgraham@countyofsb.org