Senior Park Aide (Kopachuck State Park) Permanent

Washington Department of Natural Resources
Washington Department of Natural Resources

Pierce County, WA, USA · Gig Harbor, WA, USA

Posted on Jul 18, 2026

Description

Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission

Job Title: Senior Park Aide
Location:
Gig Harbor, WA
Closes:
July 26
, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PST.

Position Status: This is a permanent position.

This opportunity is internal only and limited to current Washington State Parks employees only.

___________________________

About the 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 Senior Park Aide will assist and contribute toward all aspects of park operations 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 plays a vital role in the success of Kopachuck State Park by providing ultimate leadership to staff and care for all aspects of the park. In this position you will lead seasonal staff on daily assignments as well as special projects. You will be a leader in all aspects of park maintenance, customer service, and seasonal staff training.

This position will be filled with someone who enjoys working in the outdoors, is enthusiastic about working both in a team and individual environment, and is confident in their skills and abilities to be detail oriented with an overall goal of improving Kopachuck State Park, providing an experience to visitors that connects all Washingtonians to their diverse natural and cultural heritage, and providing memorable recreational and educational experiences that enhance their lives. Kopachuck State Park now has a popular event space that is a desired location for weddings, work retreats and community functions. As the park’s Senior Park Aide, one should expect minor building cleaning and maintenance, groundskeeping, and park improvement projects as part of their regular routine. This position holds room for growth in learning Washington State Parks processes with Special Activity Permits, Commercial Use Permits and general park administration. Become a member of the Kopachuck State Park Team as the Senior Park Aide!

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to:

  • Leads Park Aides.
  • Assists Construction and Maintenance staff with completion of projects.
  • Answers phones and provides information to the public.
  • Cleans and performs maintenance on picnic sites and park buildings including restrooms, trails, roads, removing and disposing of ashes from stoves and BBQ's, clean tables, pick-up and dispose of litter, remove debris from grounds with hand tools and larger equipment, maintain 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, including park grounds, structures, utility systems, vehicles, equipment, tools, trails, fences, restrooms, turf, and irrigation systems.
  • Performs noxious weed control, parking lot maintenance, restroom cleaning, and trash collection.
  • Independently operates Park vehicles to perform maintenance duties.
  • Provides information including educating the public regarding park rules and regulations, local events, activities, walks and talks, and historic information.
  • Assists with interpretive programs and develops displays and events; prepares attendance and interpretive reports.
  • Collects, sorts, and counts park revenues.
  • Completes and assists with administrative duties as needed; to include monthly equipment and safety logs, reconciliation of funds collected, timesheets, and fuel and oil logs.

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.


DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Ability to work independently or lead others while using good judgement and problem-solving skills in decision making.
  • Awareness and willingness to follow safety policies and protocols.
  • Promotes cooperation and 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.

JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES:
  • Ability to make minor repairs to park buildings and facilities, such as minor electrical, plumbing, and roofing.
  • Ability to learn and interpret park rules, area information, and local history and educate park visitors.
  • Ability to lead and instruct others and follow direction.
  • Ability to manage multiple projects and maintain organization, communication, and a reasonable completion time and quality.
  • Ability to operate a variety of hand tools, power tools, and small and large equipment.
  • Ability to perform janitorial services, including the use of chemicals.
  • Ability to perform physical labor for extended periods of time.
  • Ability to work in all weather conditions.
  • Ability to work Saturdays, Sundays, evenings and holidays.
  • Ability to learn about equipment servicing, diagnosing, and maintenance for all types of equipment, large and small.
  • Ability to learn and grow, adapt to change and apply new approaches, learn to navigate systems, processes, tools, and technology, and increase and develop knowledge, skills, and abilities.
  • Ability to take action to meet the needs of others, collaborate with others to overcome challenges and find solutions, increase access, opportunities, and positive outcomes for others, and help and support people and communities from all backgrounds.

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 Senior Park Aide and promotes respect as a Washington State Parks' employee. This position will receive 4 shirts within the first year (2 shirts per calendar year after year 1), 1 jacket (per 5 calendar years), 1 baseball cap, a clothing stipend of $150.00 per calendar year. Stipends are intended to offset the cost of clothing worn in the workplace such as pants, boots, raingear, etc.

Supplemental Information

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.

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.

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to build a workplace culture that is welcoming and inclusive in which all employees feel respected and empowered to bring their unique ideas to the agency. At State Parks, we believe that embracing diverse backgrounds and experiences is essential to growing a strong workforce. We encourage applicants underrepresented in natural resources and outdoor recreation fields to apply, including but not limited to women, Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC), individuals with disabilities, neurodivergent individuals, disabled and Vietnam era veterans, persons over 40 years of age, and individuals who identify as a part of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

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.

If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or support@neogov.com.

For information about this recruitment or Parks hiring process, please contact Jenee Kramer at Jenee.Kramer@parks.wa.gov or (360) 902-8569.

For information about this position, please contact Ian Clazie at Ian.Clazie@parks.wa.gov or (253) 884-2514.


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

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