State Parks hiring park aides, senior park aides

Hundreds of positions available across Washington

OLYMPIA – Feb. 14, 2022 – Washington State Parks announces its annual statewide recruitment for park aide and senior park aide positions.

The available park aide and senior park aide positions are non-permanent.

Each summer, State Parks employs around 350 park aides and up to 40 senior park aides to work in Washington state parks from April through September. Park aides register campers, maintain trails, clean campgrounds and comfort stations and perform a variety of custodial maintenance chores. They also may work in park offices, interact with visitors and help with interpretive and educational programs.

Senior park aides are designated as lead workers and lead other park aides.

Park aides are essential to summer operations in Washington state parks. Many park aides go on to careers in recreation, land management, conservation, maintenance and construction, interpretive services or the outdoor industry. Others have had robust careers and choose to work seasonally in their golden years. Mid-career park aides say they enjoy the flexibility of seasonal work in the outdoors. Former park aides report having learned about the natural and cultural resources in State Parks' care.

Park aides gain people skills by interacting with the public and working on a team. They also may learn trail-building techniques and the use and operation of small power tools and equipment.

Non-permanent
Most of the currently available park aide positions are non-permanent, meaning the position is allotted for a certain amount of time, typically five to six months and less than one year.

Application process
Applications are open now through August. Park aides earn $16.09 to $18.48 an hour, and senior park aides earn $17.24 to $20.32 an hour, depending on qualifications and experience. More information and online applications can be accessed here- Parks Aide Jobs. Enter “park aide” or the name of a specific state park in the website's search function.

Work for Washington State Parks
More information about the job of a Washington State Parks park aide, as told by current and former staff, is available in this video.

Equal Opportunity Employer
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-era veterans and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may contact the Human Resources Office at (360) 902-8565, Human Resources office or the Washington Telecommunication Relay Service at (800) 833-6388.

News media contacts:
Amy Zurfluh, Human Resources, 360-902-8569
Meryl Lassen, Communications Office, (503) 490-8796
media@parks.wa.gov