Senior Park Aide (Tahoma Gateway Area-West) Permanent

Full Job Description

Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission

Job Title: Senior Park Aide
Location: Federal Way, WA
Closes: March 5th, 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!

Requirements

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.

ADDITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Experience using a Point of Sale (POS) system.
• Knowledge of state government rules and regulations.
• Knowledge of State Parks rules and regulations.
• Skilled in the use of Microsoft Office products, such as Outlook, Excel, and Word.
• 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.

CORE COMPETENCIES:
Workload Management:

• Effectively handle and organize multiple assignments and competing priorities and making sound decisions to produce accurate and timely work products. Ability to remain focused on tasks in spite of distractions and interruptions, making the best use of available time and resources.

Mastery of Computer Skills:

• Use of personal computers, including all associated hardware and software, to produce timely and accurate work products that fully satisfy the demands of the assignment. Ability to adapt through continual learning to new/updated computer software and hardware.

Interpersonal Influence:

Demonstrates the ability to build and maintain strong, courteous relations with peers, managers, and customers.

Responds to difficult, stressful, or sensitive interpersonal situations in ways that reduce or minimize potential conflicts and maintains good working relationships with others.

Displays a positive attitude and optimism about the work to be done, co-workers, management, and employer policies.

Reliable & Regular Attendance:

• Accepts personal responsibility to being work on time and make the best use of available work time. Be readily available to internal and external customers during designated office hours.

Workforce Leadership & Mentorship:

• Ability to lead park aides and train staff on equipment and campground registration. This requires oversight and the ability to delegate.

Facilities & Grounds Maintenance:

• Having technical "hard skills" from trail work and plumbing/restroom upkeep to operating heavy equipment like mowers and trimmers.

Administrative & Financial Accountability:

Requires "office" precision for reconciling collected funds, managing fuel/oil logs, and ensuring accurate timesheets.

Demonstrates attention to detail when entering or calculating fiscal data, noticing errors, minor differences in values that may be easy to overlook.

Recognizes when results of calculations look wrong and understand how to correct errors. Consistently follows applicable fiscal guidelines, regulations, and principles.

Equipment & Fleet Management:

• Independent operation of park vehicles, fueling, recording use, and basic troubleshooting/reporting of mechanical problems.

The Ability to take Action to Learn and Grow:

• Increasing and developing knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Identifying and communicating their needs and challenges openly.
• Adapting to change and applying new approaches.

The Ability to take Action to Meet the Needs of Others:

• Increasing access, opportunities, and positive outcomes for others.
• Collaborating with others to overcome challenges and find solutions.
• Adapting communication and approaches to different communities and individuals.

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.

How to apply:Only candidates who reflect the minimum qualifications on their NEOGOV profile will be considered. Failure to follow the application instructions below may lead to disqualification.

To apply for this position, you will need to complete your profile which includes three professional references. It is highly encouraged to attach:

• A cover letter that specifically addresses how you meet the qualifications for this position
• Current resume

To take advantage of veteran preference, please do the following:

• Attach a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 long-form copy), NGB 22, or USDVA signed verification of service letter.
• Please black out any PII (personally identifiable information) data such as social security numbers. Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.
• For more information on Veteran's Preference and instructions on how to check your eligibility, click here.

Additional 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.

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 information about the recruitment process and qualifications, please contact Jenee Kramer at Jenee.Kramer@parks.wa.gov or (360) 902-8569.\

For information about this position, please contact Mitchell Rudd at Mitchell.Rudd@parks.wa.gov or (360) 899-8385.

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

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