Park Ranger

The Position

Come join one of Forbes Magazine's Best Employers!

This  is a limited continuous filing exam. Next filing cut-offs are at 5 : 00 pm on :  6 / 5 / 24, 6 / 20 / 24, 7 / 18 / 24, 8 / 15 / 24, 9 / 12 / 24, 10 / 10 / 24, 11 / 7 / 24, 12 / 5 / 24 (final)

Under general supervision Park Rangers perform duties related to law enforcement, visitor services, interpretive programs, resource and wildlife protection, safety enforcement, pollution control, public relations, and fee collection for the County Regional Parks System.

Examples of Knowledge and Abilities

Knowledge of

• Principles and practices of law enforcement
• Philosophy of park patrol and visitor safety methods
• Laws and regulations applicable to park management and visitor safety such as those pertaining to arrest, search and seizure; environmental protection; fish and game; and motor vehicle usage
• Common procedures and methods associated with providing public security
• Proper operation of communication equipment such as two-way radios, pagers and cell phones
• Safety procedures related to using firearms, handcuffs and batons
• First aid and CPR
• Computer software applications such as word processing and e-mail

Ability to

Employment Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Graduation from high school or satisfactory completion of an acceptable General Education Development (GED) test.

AND

Either : 1. Possession of a State of California Peace Officers Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) Basic Certificate, or satisfactory completion of a P.O.S.T. Basic Academy .

Or : 2. Current enrollment in a State of California P.O.S.T. Basic Academy.

NOTE : Applicants qualifying under pattern (1) must submit either (a) a copy of the P.O.S.T. Basic Certificate with the application; or (b) a copy of a certificate of completion from a P.O.S.T. Basic Academy with the application.

Applicants qualifying under pattern (2) must submit a copy of an official document showing current Academy enrollment. Satisfactory completion of the Academy will be required prior to appointment.

NOTE : 1. Incumbents hired into this class prior to June 1, 2007 are not required to possess a State of California Peace Officers Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) Basic Certificate or have satisfactorily completed a P.O.S.T. Basic Academy, or to successfully complete P.O.S.T. Basic Academy within 12 months of appointment.

2. If a period of three years has elapsed since employment as a full-time or qualifying reserve peace officer in California, successful completion of the California Basic Course Equivalency Examination administered by P.O.S.T will be required before employment. The three year time period referred to above is computed from the last day of the last applicable paid law enforcement employment and the date of appointment in this class.

Note : If the word "experience" is referenced in the minimum qualifications, it means full-time paid experience unless the minimum qualification states that volunteer experience is acceptable. Part-time paid experience may be accumulated and pro-rated to meet the total experience requirements.

Note : If the minimum qualifications include an educational or certificate / license requirement, applicants must submit proof of requirements with the application. Failure to submit proof of requirements may result in disqualification from the examination. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. For guidelines on submitting acceptable proof of educational requirements, please click here (Download PDF reader) or speak to someone in our office before the cut-off date listed in this notice.

General Qualifications

Compliance with Government Code : In accordance with California Government Code, Section 1031, each employee shall meet the following minimum standards :

Certification Requirements : Possession of a valid first aid and CPR Certificate are required within twelve months of appointment to the class.

Failure to obtain or maintain the required certificates may be cause for termination from the class in accordance with Civil Service Commission Rules and applicable bargaining agreements.

Criminal History and Background Check : The County shall access criminal history information on candidates who have accepted a conditional offer of appointment for this class consistent with the provisions of Board of Supervisors Resolution No. 82-602, Personnel Policies and Procedures B-5, and applicable federal and state laws. The County shall not consider for employment any candidate who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor that relates to or impacts the candidate's ability to perform the job duties of this class unless it is determined that mitigating circumstances exist. For purposes of accessing criminal history information, the candidate will be fingerprinted. A subsequent arrest notification may be obtained.

The County may also conduct a background check on the candidate prior to appointment to a position within this class. The background check may include personal and professional reference checks, credit history checks where authorized by Labor Code section 1024.5, Social Security Number verification, professional license / registration verification, military service information and driving history. Information obtained in the course of this background check will be considered by the appointing authority in the selection process. In obtaining such information, the County will comply with applicable consent and disclosure practices in the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the California Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act.

The background check may include a Computerized Voice Stress Analyzer (CVSA) examination, and shall include psychological and physical examinations according to P.O.S.T. specifications. Pursuant to CA Government Code, Section 1029, the conviction of a felony is grounds for disqualification from an appointment except if the individual has been granted a full and unconditional pardon for the felony.

License Requirements : Possession of a valid California driver license, Class C or higher, is required prior to appointment to this class. Failure to maintain a valid license may constitute cause for personnel action. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to a physical disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Employees in this class who, as a part of their regularly assigned duties are required to operate a motor vehicle may be enrolled in the DMV Pull Notice Program.

Physical Requirements : Positions in this class require the incumbents to :

Individuals who do not meet these requirements due to disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Working Conditions : Positions in this class require the incumbents to :

Probationary Period

The probationary period for this classification is twelve (12) months.