Senior Lifeguard/Instructor (Temporary - Summer Employment)

Full Job Description

Open continuously and is subject to close at any time. A first review of applications is scheduled for the week of February 9th.

When the school years ends and the temperatures begin to rise, the City of Pasadena aquatics season begins!

The Aquatics program offers swim lessons for all swim levels, as well as recreational swimming. Spend you summer poolside while making a difference.

Work outdoors, build relationships, leadership skills, and gain experience that lasts a lifetime - all while ensuring a safe and fun aquatics environment. Start your summer off by joining our team.

APPLY TODAY!

Under supervision, the Senior Lifeguard position participates in and/or supervises aquatic activities and conducts swimming lessons at a community swimming pool.

The ideal candidate will be dependable and able to facilitate swimming lessons.

This person must hold current Red Cross certifications in Lifeguarding & Water Safety Instruction and be an adept swimmer.

To be successful in this position, individuals must be able to work in a team setting, focus on safety, and be attentive to the needs of the customer.

CERTIFICATIONS:

Red Cross certifications MUST be attached to the online application at the time of submission to participate in this examination process.

RETURNERS:

If your Red Cross certification has expired , the City will be conducting lifeguard training beginning the month of March. Please contact the Honorable John J. Kennedy Pool at (626) 744-7590 for further details and class eligibility.

WORK SCHEDULE:

Aquatics staff must work Monday, June 8, 2026 through Saturday, August 8, 2026. Dates subject to change depending on program. Work hours vary (up to 32 hours/week) depending on assignment, including evenings, weekends and holidays.

MANDATORY TRAINING:

Week of June 8 2026. Employees are required to attend.

SWIM TEST: Saturday, March 21, 2026 between 10:00am – 12:00pm and Saturday, March 28, 2026 between 10:00am – 12:00pm.

LOCATION: Honorable John J. Kennedy Pool 1081 N. Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103 Applicants must be able to attend. No rescheduling.

Requirements

The major responsibilities of this position are listed below. For more detailed information, please review the Senior Lifeguard job description.

• Conducts swimming lessons for patrons.
• Acts as lifeguard and supervises other pool lifeguards.
• Assists the Pool Manager in the operation of a swimming pool facility.
• Acts as the manager in his/her absence.
• Organizes and coaches water sports.
• Ensures adherence to water safety rules and practices.
• Responds to participants in danger by performing water rescues and administering first aid.
• Physical strength and agility to lift up to 75 lbs, bend in all directions, squeeze with arms and hands, pull and lower up to 75 lbs.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

The following list represents the core competencies needed for success in this position.

• Decision Making chooses optimal courses of action in a timely manner.
• Environmental Exposure Tolerance performs under physically demanding conditions.
• Handling Stress maintains emotional stability and self-control under pressure, challenge, or adversity.
• Managing Performance ensures superior individual and group performance.
• Organization Design & Structure establishes organizational structure and clarifying roles and responsibilities.
• Presentation Skill formally delivers information to groups.
• Relationship Building establishes rapport and maintaining mutually productive relationships.
• Safety Focus shows vigilance and care in identifying and addressing health risks and safety hazards.

Qualifications

• Required American Red Cross Certifications: Lifeguarding and Water Safety Instructor. Must attach to online application.
• Must have the ability to swim 500 yards in 10 minutes, 30 seconds.

SELECTION PROCESS:

The selection process will consist of any combination of training and experience evaluation, Subject Matter Expert (SME) review, timed swim test, and department-level interviews.

VACANCY INFORMATION:
Summer vacancies occurring in the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department may be filled as a result of this examination process. The resulting eligibility list from this recruitment may be used to fill this vacancy and similar vacancies in the future. Candidates may be offered positions with lower stated qualifications than those for which they have applied/qualified based upon operational determinations of the Recreation and Aquatics Supervisors.

PROBATIONARY WORK TEST PERIOD = At-will (Summer Temporary Employment)
FLSA = Non-Exempt
UNIT = HOURLY

Additional Information

Candidates selected for this position will be required to attend mandatory training sessions and other in-service trainings week of June 8, 2026 failure to attend sessions may be cause for termination.

Candidates are required to successfully complete a medical examination including drug screen and a criminal background live scan screen consistent with current state and federal law.

Physical strength and agility to lift up to 75 lbs, bend in all directions, squeeze with arms and hands, pull and lower up to 75 lbs.