Park Ranger (1-3) Job - Minimum Qualifications

Minimum qualifications and disqualifiers

Before applying to be a Washington State Park Ranger, ensure you meet the minimum qualifications and that you won’t face automatic disqualification for any of your past behaviors or actions.

If you have questions about the minimum qualifications or disqualifiers, please contact our Recruitment Team at HR.Recruitment@parks.wa.gov. 

Minimum qualifications for Park Ranger 1-3

• High school diploma or GED.
• United States citizen or lawful permanent resident.
• A valid driver's license (unrestricted, other than corrective lenses).
• Must be 21 years of age by date of hire.
• Two (2) years of college, Military experience, Commissioned Law Enforcement experience, Natural Resource, or Recreation field experience.

Additional requirements for Park Ranger 3

In addition, applicants for a Park Ranger 3 position must possess:

• Two (2) years of experience as a fully commissioned Washington State Park Ranger.
  OR
• Two (2) years of professional experience as a Park Ranger, commissioned Law Enforcement Officer, or equivalent experience in a Natural Resource field. AND
• Bachelor's Degree  **Experience in a Natural Resource, Law Enforcement or Recreation field will substitute year for year for education. AND
• Having successfully completed a qualifying law enforcement academy (BLEA, POST, PLEA, or SLETP) and served in a fully commissioned position within the last two years.

Position disqualifiers

Some parts of the hiring process are intended to reveal omissions or oversights in your self-disclosed personal history. In other words, it’s better to be honest up front than risk having your application rejected after you’ve advanced in the employment process. 

Failure to disclose required information on the personal history statement (supplemental questions) may result in automatic disqualification if discovered during the hiring process, or dismissal if activities are discovered after hire.

Driving record disqualifiers

Automatic disqualification

DUI within five years. Also includes reduced charges (e.g. negligent driving).

Potential disqualification

Applicants face potential disqualification if they have a pattern of traffic violations and/or auto accidents in the past five years or while employed in a criminal justice capacity.

Drug use/possession disqualifiers

Automatic disqualification

Applicants will be automatically disqualified if they:

• Used illegal drugs other than legal marijuana use in the last 10 years. 
• More than three lifetime illegal drug uses.
• Have possessed illegal drugs in the last 10 years.
• Used illegal drugs while employed in a criminal justice capacity (including military positions with law enforcement powers).
• Manufactured, sold, transported for sale, or facilitated the sale of illegal drugs.
• Have used marijuana in the last 12 months (Ranger 2 and 3 positions).

If your past substance use is outside of our current drug policy, you may request a waiver to the policy by writing a letter to the screening committee that includes full details of the past substance use and provides justification of why you should be granted an exception to our policy. 

Additional notes

"Illegal drugs" are controlled substances listed in drug schedules 1-5 derived from RCW 69.50.204, RCW 69.50.206, RCW 69.50.208, RCW 69.50.210 and RCW 69.50.212. Possession is defined as having actual physical control of any illegal drug for personal or other use. Use is defined as trying, testing or experimenting, which includes but is not limited to tasting, smoking, injecting, absorbing, sniffing or inhaling.

Criminal activity disqualifiers

Automatic disqualification

Applicants will be automatically disqualified if they have:

• Any felony conviction.
• Any criminal conviction while employed as a criminal justice professional.
• Conviction for any crime under a domestic violence statute.

Potential disqualification

Applicants will be potentially disqualified if they have:

• Adult misdemeanor convictions.
• A pattern of unlawful conduct.

Past employment disqualifiers 

Automatic disqualification

Applicants will be automatically disqualified if they have a:

• Dishonorable discharge from the U.S. armed forces.
• Falsification on an application, personal history questionnaire, or any other forms during the hiring process (for any law enforcement agency). 
• Previous revocation or denial of any CJTC/POST certified status, or suspension of current CJTC/POST certified status.

Potential disqualification

Applicants will be potentially disqualified if they have:

• Substandard performance, evaluations, termination, or resignation in lieu of termination from any position.  

Other disqualifiers

Automatic disqualification

Any conduct or pattern of behavior that would disrupt, diminish or otherwise jeopardize public trust in the law enforcement profession would result in automatic disqualification for applicants

Potential disqualification

Potential disqualifiers include:

• Candidates with any tattoos that are deemed offensive may be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may be disqualified.
• Incomplete personal history statement, or inaccurate/outdated information provided in personal history statement.