Seasonal Park Ranger

The Position

Job Appointment: Full-Time Seasonal/Casual. Seasonal Park Rangers can work up to 1600 hours per calendar year. Seasonal staff in good standing may be provided an opportunity for re-hire.
Work Schedule:

• Up to 40 hours per week; Seasonal Park Rangers will be assigned to work graveyard, weekend, evening, and holidays, as needed.
• This position is eligible for a shift differential on all shifts starting after 12:00 pm as follows: Swing shift - $1.77 Graveyard shift - $2.36. Please note, shift assignments are based on business needs and assignment.
• This position works in all weather and terrain conditions, outdoors, alone, or with a team, including night and weekend work.

Application Material: Please click APPLY to submit your application via the City of Portland’s online portal. You will need respond to the supplemental questions and attach a resume

About this position: Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) is filling up to 4 vacancies for seasonal Park Rangers. Seasonal Park Rangers provide a positive park safety presence in parks, community centers, and natural areas across the PP&R system – nearly 12,000 acres of property and over 150 developed parks. Park Rangers are non-sworn, non-law enforcement positions that are responsible for educating and enforcing city code Title 20, the code responsible for ensuring all parks are safe, comfortable, and accessible to all visitors.

About the work of seasonal Park Rangers: The PP&R Park Ranger program ensures a positive park safety presence in parks, community centers and natural areas. Seasonal Park Rangers engage visitors to ensure a positive experience in parks, deter nuisance activity that affects our park resources and visitor experience, resolve city code violations, and proactively support park safety at our programming and events. Seasonal Rangers are supported by Full-Time Park Rangers, Ranger Supervisors, and Parks Safety Response Team Leadership to assist in problem solving and decision making.

What You'll Get to Do:

• Patrol and proactively engage park users at developed parks, natural areas and community centers to create a welcoming environment.
• Provide safety services in parks, forested natural areas, urban plazas, docks, multiuse trails, and community centers to help reduce city code violations.
• Support Portland Parks and Recreation summer programming events.
• Utilize effective communication, tact, and customer service skills to engage with the public, deter nuisance activities, and address city code violations.
• Secure restrooms and park gates systemwide if working certain evenings and nights shifts.
• Follow established procedures and guidelines to determine how to properly resolve or refer issues in parks that are either civil, behavioral, societal, or criminal.

About the Bureau:

Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) is committed to the overall Citywide vision that race will have no detrimental effect on people of color, refugee and immigrant communities in accessing our parks and natural areas, or from the benefit of our services. We recognize, understand, and encourage celebration of the differences that surround us. Diversity and equity are vital to PP&R’s ideals and values. The City of Portland, Oregon is a growing and diverse city of 650,000 residents, nearly 20% of whom speak languages other than English at home. PP&R values a diverse workforce and seeks ways to promote equity and inclusion within the organization and with the public. PP&R encourages applications from candidates with knowledge, ability and experience working with a broad range of individuals and communities with diverse racial, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds. Although not required, PP&R encourages candidates that can fluently speak another language to include that information in their application materials. Multilingual candidates are encouraged to apply.

Have a question?
Contact Information:
Loan Tran Polanco, Senior Recruiter
Loan.Tran@portlandorego.gov

To Qualify

The following minimum qualifications are required for this position:

• Ability to provide excellent customer service in sometimes stressful situations, tactfully and with respect for individual rights.
• Ability to remain calm, professional, and positive, when explaining policies, rules, and procedures, while also being able to assess possible violations, develop solutions and apply practical judgment.
• Ability to apply conflict resolution and communication techniques, to communicate effectively with diverse communities, and the ability to adjust communication style to audiences, as appropriate.
• Ability to read and understand laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, protocols, directives and standard operating procedures related to public safety and/or park use.
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing and utilize mobile technology and general office software.

Applicants must also possess:

• A valid State Driver's License and acceptable driving record at the time of appointment.
• Ability to successfully pass a pre-hire physical exam relevant to the position.
• Ability to successfully complete a post-hire basic training program.
• Ability to pass a background investigation, which may include fingerprinting.

Although not required, you may have one or more of these desirable skills/degrees/experience:

• Degree in natural resource management, environmental studies, community studies, criminal justice, social work, public policy, or similar field.
• Experience in providing all aspects of visitor services in high volume facilities (e.g. providing information, rule enforcement, events, activities).
• Experience with outdoor programs, such as summer camps or activities.
• Bilingual skills.

The Recruitment Process

STEP 1: Apply online between July 21 - July 28, 2025

Required Application Materials:

• Resume
• Answer to the Supplemental Questions (click on the Questions tab to preview the questions)

Optional Application Materials:

• If you would like to request Veteran's Preference, please submit your Veteran documents (ex, DD214-Member 4, VA Benefit Letter, etc.) by the closing date of the recruitment.
• We have recently updated our veteran preference process. Starting March 3rd, 2025, if you made the eligible list and met the eligibility to receive veteran preference, you will no longer need to submit veteran documents for future recruitments.
• If you need to update or remove your veteran preference for a specific recruitment or from your master profile, please contact the recruiter listed in the job announcement.

Application Tips:

• Your responses to the supplemental questions should include details describing your education, training and/or experience, and where obtained, which clearly reflects your qualifications for each of the numbered items in the "To Qualify" section of this announcement.
• Your résumé should support the details described in your responses to the supplemental questions.
• How We Determine Pay: The City of Portland is covered by the Oregon Equal Pay Act. Your salary is determined based on the experience listed in your resume that is directly related and equivalent to the position for which you are applying. It is strongly encouraged to include any transferable experience (paid or unpaid regardless of how recent) to ensure your offer is reflective of all your relevant experience.
• Do not attach any additional documents.
• Please note all completed applications for this position must be submitted no later than on the closing date and time of this recruitment.
• You can use AI tools to assist with your job application, but please make sure to personalize your responses to supplemental questions. Avoid copying and pasting. We encourage using AI to generate ideas and then tailor them to reflect your own experiences and skills.
• All applications must be submitted via the City's online application process.
• E-mailed and/or faxed applications will not be accepted.

Step 2: Minimum Qualification Evaluation: Week of July 28, 2025

• An evaluation of each applicant's training and paid and unpaid experience, as demonstrated in their resume and supplemental questions, weighted 100%.
• Your résumé and responses to the supplemental questions will be the basis for our evaluation of your qualifications for this position. Incomplete or inappropriate information may result in disqualification.
• You have 14 days from the notice of the minimum qualification evaluation results to let us know if you would like to review and discuss your evaluation result. Please read the City of Portland Administrative Rule 3.01for complete information.
• Additional evaluation may be required prior to establishment of the eligible list and/or final selection.

Step 3: Establishment of Eligible List: Week of August 4, 2025

• Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on the equally ranked eligible list.

Step 4: Selection (Interview): Late August

• Hiring bureau will review and select candidates for an interview.

Step 5: Offer of Employment: September 2025

Step 6: Start Date: September/October 2025

• A start date will be determined after all conditions of employment have been met.

• Timeline is approximate and subject to change.

Additional Information

Click here for additional information regarding the following:

• City of Portland Core Values
• Recruitment Process - Work Status
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Veteran Preference
• ADA, Pregnancy, and Religious Accommodations

An Equal Opportunity /Affirmative Action Employer