Parks Specialist II chez King County, WA

About the Department

King County Parks is excited to announce we are seeking dedicated and skilled individuals to join our expanding Operations Team as Park Specialist IIs. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of the Parks’ mission to steward and enhance parks for the residents and visitors of King County.

About the Role:

As a Park Specialist II, you will play a vital role in maintaining the quality and safety of our parks by performing a wide range of maintenance tasks. Your work will support the upkeep of grounds, facilities, athletic fields, trails, and natural resource areas—helping ensure that our parks remain clean, safe, and welcoming for all.

This is an outdoor position that requires working in all weather conditions. We currently have multiple vacancies across various locations in King County.

In addition to the current openings, this recruitment may be used to establish a pool of qualified candidates to fill future Term Limited Temporary (TLT) and Career Service Parks Specialist II vacancies within the Parks Division over the next six months.

About the Team:

King County Parks' mission is to steward, enhance and acquire parks to inspire healthy communities, and with 200 parks, 28,000 acres of open space, 215 miles of backcountry trail, and 175 miles of regional trails, King County Parks offers close-to-home recreational experiences for everyone.  

The Operations Team is made up of approximately 180 full-time staff and over 100 temporary employees, all supporting a wide range of services that provide meaningful experiences at every level of the organization.

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  Parks Specialist II you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at 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.

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

Position Duties

What You Will Be Doing: 

• Park and Facility Maintenance: Perform a variety of tasks to maintain parks, trails, athletic fields, play areas, restrooms, and picnic shelters, including landscaping, mowing, pruning, and minor repairs to park infrastructure and furnishings.
• Natural Resource Stewardship: Support ecological health by removing invasive species, planting native vegetation, restoring habitats, and maintaining backcountry and hiking trails.
• NOTE: When spraying pesticides, PSIIs must maintain a WA State Public Pesticide Applicator’s License.
• Project and Team Coordination: Lead and coordinate work efforts for seasonal staff, volunteers, and community groups to support park operations and improvement projects.
• Equipment Operation and Maintenance: Safely operate and maintain a variety of vehicles and tools, such as mowers, tractors, chainsaws, and other power equipment used in park maintenance and construction.
• Public Engagement and Safety: Provide excellent customer service to park users, ensure visitor safety, share park rules and information, and maintain appropriate certifications for tasks such as pesticide application.

Minimum Qualifications

Qualifications You Bring: 

24 months of full-time park maintenance experience or similar with demonstrated skills, ability and/or knowledge in the following areas:

• Park maintenance operations and procedures, including trail maintenance and construction, landscaping, groundskeeping, and facility management.
• Knowledge of building, crafts, and mechanical trades, along with the skills to perform minor repairs.
• 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, with a strong ability to understand and follow instructions while effectively prioritizing work tasks.

Physical Requirements: 

Candidates must be able to:

• 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.
• Work at ground level, at roof-top heights, and at all levels in-between.

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:  

• Customer Focus: Builds strong customer relationships and delivers customer-centric solutions. 
• Collaborates: Builds partnerships and works collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
• Values Differences: Recognizes the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to an organization. 
• Action Oriented: Make decisions on the fly in the field and take on new tasks and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
• Instills Trust: Gains the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.
  
  

Required Licenses:

• Possession of a valid Washington State Driver's license at the time of appointment.
• Some positions may require obtaining a Class A CDL and/or a spray license within 90 days of hire (some on-site training may be available).

It Would Be Great if You Also Bring:
Basic computer skills, for creating reports, documenting time, materials, and asset management (additional training will be provided).

Other Qualifications

Working Conditions:

• Work Location: This position reports to various locations throughout King County.
• Work Schedule: This full-time position works a 40-hour work week. This position is covered under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is overtime eligible. 
• Union Representation: 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 backgrounds 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 (PDF attachment)
• Additional documents won't be considered during minimum qualification screening.

We are planning to hold skills testing and in-person interviews during the week of October 20^th.

Successful candidates will be required to complete a professional reference check, criminal background check, driving record review, and pass a pre-employment physical.

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact Crystal Yost at [email protected].

Visit our webs­ite, explore an interactive mapof our recent accomplishments and check us out at Facebook, X(formerlyTwitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, YouTubeand Keeping King County Green News.

Sign up for Job Alerts to be notified of additional career opportunities with King County. Select the Natural Resources category 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.