HAMPTON – In an incredibly shrinking economy, there are still opportunities out there in rural Iowa, and a prime example is as a park ranger at Beeds Lake near Hamtpon, offering an enticing package to qualified individuals.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is looking for motivated natural resource professionals interested in being a Park Manager, the agency says in a job posting. If you would love to work in one of Iowa’s most beautiful outdoor public spaces, have the ability to work independently and appreciate seeing visible results from your efforts, one of these positions might be a great fit for you.
They are recruiting for three unique Park Manager vacancies located at: Beeds Lake State Park, Hampton, Iowa; Nine Eagles State Park, Davis City, Iowa; and Lake Wapello State Park, Drakesville, Iowa. State Park Managers are charged with overseeing the daily operations of the park, ensuring the safety of park users, and promoting Iowa’s natural resources. The successful candidates will be required to live within 30 miles of their assigned state park as outlined in DNR Park Bureau policy.
Beeds Lake State Park, located in northern Iowa near the town of Hampton, features a 99-acre lake popular for fishing and boating, a 2-mile shoreline hiking trail, picnicking areas, several Civilian Conservation Corps structures, a historic lake dam and over 130 camping sites.
Nine Eagles State Park is an 1100-acre park located in southern Iowa near the town of Davis City. This park features a 64-acre lake for fishing and boating, swimming beach, several miles of hiking trails (including equestrian and hiking trails), picnicking areas, a reservable cabin and over 50 camping sites.
Lake Wapello State Park, located in southeast Iowa near the town of Drakesville, features a 289-acre lake for fishing and boating, swimming beach with concessions, multi-use trails, picnicking areas, a reservable lodge, 13 reservable cabins and over 70 camping sites.
Your role as a State Park Manager, if they hire you, will be to:
Assist the district supervisor with day-to-day administration of the park, including managing the work of other park employees, hiring & training of seasonal/temporary staff, managing contracts and the procurement of goods, services, and rentals, overseeing park budgets, completing monthly reporting of expenses and receipts, and maintaining inventory of all property, supplies, tools, and equipment.
Work to achieve the long-range goals of the park resource management plan by planning for and performing park maintenance, preventative maintenance, and general construction work to maintain the integrity of facilities and equipment. This will include regular inspections of multi-use trails, natural areas, concession operations (if applicable), playgrounds, boat ramps and docks to ensure public safety, accessibility compliance and resource integrity.
Represent the Department at public appearances and media requests to promote the state park system, recreational safety, and natural resource management. Assist with creating and implementing interpretive and volunteer programs as required, including interactions with local agencies and stakeholder groups to promote park activities and maintain connections to surrounding communities.
Ensure the safety of park visitors, security of state property and facilities, and orderliness within public use areas by answering questions and through the enforcement of Iowa DNR Administrative Rules related to parks, boating, and fishing. Attend regular training sessions on enforcement subjects to maintain knowledge of enforcement techniques, equipment proficiency, ensure enforcement related incident reports and citations are properly completed, and law enforcement equipment such as radios and duty belts are properly maintained.
Essential Functions
– Manages parks by applying technical knowledge and experience.
– Maintains power tools and equipment commonly used to maintain buildings and landscapes.
– Knowledge of principles, theories and practices of parks and recreation and resource management.
– Performs work both in office environments and outdoors in a variety of extreme weather conditions.
– Trains other professional staff, technical workers, and volunteers to perform duties; develops and fosters teamwork.
– Communicates verbally and in writing with DNR staff, management personnel, other state and federal agencies, groups
with diverse audiences, other employees, and volunteers. Facilitate public meetings and presentations to diverse groups of stakeholders.
– Performs work independently with minimal supervision and achieves consistent results. Ensures projects are organized, tracked and completed timely.
– Carries heavy loads (40 lbs.+) across great distances and operates a wide variety of motor vehicles.
– Uses PC-based software to complete work. Fiscal skills to administer budgets and track expenditures. Spreadsheet skills to create, modify and manipulate data.
– Adjusts to changes, work pressures, or difficult situations. Demonstrates initiative, customer service and team orientation, and displays high standards of ethical conduct. Maintains regular attendance.
Critical Job Competencies
Accountability, Integrity, High Productivity, Communication Skills, Project Management, Team Player, Interpersonal Skills, Computer Skills, Self-Management, Customer Focus, Project Management and Technical Skills (Park Management, Mechanical)
What You Get From Us:
A competitive pay plan and rewarding work.
Insurance benefits that start the first of the month following 30 days of employment.
(Premiums can start as low as $64/month for single and $210/month for family coverage).
Separate vacation and sick leave accruals that start on the first day and can roll over annually.
Nine paid holidays/year.
Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) retirement package with employer match.
Optional deferred compensation (457/401A) plan with employer match.
Professional training opportunities.
Family friendly and professional work environment.
Employee Discount Programs (vision, cellular, fitness, recreation, season passes, travel, counseling)
Flexible work schedules (as approved by the supervisor).
Comments
Special Requirements:
1. Commercial Driver’s License – CDL (must obtain within first six months of hire for Wapello Park only)
2. Pesticide Applicator’s License (must obtain within first six months of hire)
3. Maintain/Obtain valid Driver’s License. (must obtain upon hire)
4. Water/Wastewater Certification (must obtain within first six months of hire) (Beeds and Wapello Parks only)
5. CPR/First Aide Certification (must obtain within first six months of hire)
6. Chain Saw Safety Certification (must obtain within first year of hire)
7. Defensive Tactics Training (must obtain within first year of hire)
8. Staff must live within the travel requirement as outlined in the DNR Park Bureau Policy.
The starting salary for new state (Executive Branch) employees is expected to be at the base of the pay range. Additional salary increases may occur after the first six months, and then annually (if applicable). The State’s total compensation package features an outstanding set of employee benefits that are worth about 30% of your total compensation.