Playground Specialist en King County, WA

About the Department

In addition to the current opening, this recruitment may be used to establish a pool of qualified candidates to fill future Playground Specialist Career Service vacancies within the Parks Division over the next six months.

The Parks Operations Section is seeking a skilled Playground Specialist to join our team as a playground safety expert. This is an exciting opportunity to help maintain and improve our playgrounds, ensuring they remain welcoming, safe, and well-maintained for all visitors.

About the Role:

As a Playground Specialist, you'll be responsible for conducting playground inspections, ensuring compliance with safety standards, and promoting safe play environments. You'll stay informed about the latest safety regulations, surfacing materials, and construction techniques, expanding your expertise in playground safety.   Additionally, this role will allow you to take on a leadership position, representing our organization, influencing safety practices, collaborating with stakeholders, and making a positive impact in the community.

About the Team:

King County Parks contribute to the health, well-being, and enjoyment of the regional population and rural, unincorporated communities. Through sustainable operations, strategic investments, and citizen participation, the division preserves, protects, maintains, and enhances public lands and recreation facilities. As a Playground Specialist, you’ll directly contribute to creating safe play environments for children. Your inspections and recommendations will enhance community spaces and promote well-being.

Commitment to Equity, Racial and Social Justice:

King County, named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a diverse and vibrant community that represents cultures from around the world. Our True North is to create a welcoming community where everyone can thrive.  We prioritize equity, racial and social justice, making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees. As a Playground Specialist, you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity.

Apply now for a rewarding career at the Parks Division of King County Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP). Join our talented workforce in protecting and restoring the natural environment and promoting more resilient, sustainable, and equitable communities. Enjoy training, comprehensive benefits, and growth opportunities.

Position Duties

What You Will Be Doing: 

• Conduct playground inspections to identify safety hazards; develop regular inspection schedules to maintain safety standards. 
• Ensure that all playgrounds comply with local, state, and federal safety regulations and guidelines, adhering to standards set by organizations such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
• Oversee and perform preventative maintenance and repairs of play structures and related areas, ensuring compliance with safety guidelines. Identify necessary repairs, prioritize and schedule tasks, estimate costs for labor and materials, coordinate with vendors for replacement parts, and install components according to specifications, while documenting all repairs and warranties.
• Establish Preventative Maintenance plans for playground equipment based on safety guidelines and manufacturer recommendations; maintain accurate records of inspections, repairs, and safety assessments.
• Use Microsoft Teams and Lucity Asset Management systems for record keeping and work management and inventory of new playground equipment when playgrounds are installed.
• Participate in design reviews for new playgrounds or modifications of existing playgrounds; evaluate plans, equipment specifications, and surfacing requirements to ensure safety. Install new play areas and additions.
• Provide training on playground maintenance.
• Investigate and respond to citizen complaints or injury claims.

Minimum Qualifications

Qualifications You Bring: 

• Knowledge of safety regulations and playground equipment.
• Basic skill in woodworking and metal fabrication.
• Experience using power tools and equipment.
• Basic computer skills, for creating reports, documenting time, materials, and asset management.
• Proven ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with all co-workers, supervisors, and diverse customer base, fostering a collaborative work environment and effectively managing challenging situations.
• Skilled in communicating clearly and respectfully in both verbal and written forms.

Physical Requirements: 

• Use power tools and operate equipment on a continuous basis.
• Perform heavy physical labor with weights up to 50 pounds.
• Work on uneven slopes, surfaces, grades and terrain in inclement weather and other adverse conditions.
• Ability to perform physically demanding tasks including bending, kneeling, squatting, reaching, climbing squatting, and twisting on a regular basis.
• Ability to drive to various park sites to conduct work tasks.

NOTE: An offer of employment will be contingent upon successfully passing a pre-employment physical. 

Workplace Exposures: This position requires the ability to work inside/outside in heat/cold, wet/humid, inclement weather while at various heights and/or within confined spaces, at all Parks facilities and other adverse conditions such as high-volume noise, dust and heavy traffic.

Competencies You Bring:  

• Decision Quality by making good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward.
• Tech Savvy by anticipating and adopting innovations in business – building digital and technology applications.
• Optimizes Work Processes by knowing the most effective and efficient processes to get things done, with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Communicates Effectively by developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
• Courage and stepping up to address difficult issues, saying what needs to be said.

Required Licenses/Certifications: 

• Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) or ability to obtain one within 90 days.

It Would Be Great if You Also Bring:

• Experience with Asset Management programs.
• Experience managing and forecasting a budget.
• Experience with best management practices within construction.
• Ability to maintain and repair equipment.

Other Qualifications

Working Conditions:

• Work Location: Central Maintenance Facility, 3005 NE 4th Street, Renton, WA 98056.  This position will travel to various playground locations throughout King County.
• Schedule: This full-time position works a 40-hour work week with a schedule of Monday -Thursday, with 10-hour days. Standard shifts are 6 AM – 4:30 PM. This position is covered under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is overtime eligible.
• Union Representation: This position is represented by Service Employees International Union, Local 925.

Application and Selection Process:

We welcome applications from all qualified applicants.  We value diversity, diverse perspectives and life experience and encourage people of all background to apply.

Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness and alignment with the experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skills essential for this role to determine which candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews.  

To apply, submit a:

• Complete Application
• Resume 

Note: Additional documents won't be considered during minimum qualification screening.

Who to Contact: For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact Jessica Fuqua at [email protected]

Discover More About the Parks Division: Visit our website and check us out at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Flickr.

Discover More About DNRP: Visit our webs­ite, explore an interactive map of our recent accomplishments and check us out at Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Keeping King County Green News.

Sign up for Job Alerts to be notified of additional career opportunities with King County. Select the Natural Resourcescategory for DNRP opportunities and explore other categories of interest.

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

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