Park Ranger Job at City of Portland, OR
The Position
About this position:
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. Full-time Park Rangers at Portland Parks & Recreation provide a positive 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.
Being a Portland Park Ranger requires a combination of effective communication and customer service skills and the ability to work with a diverse public. Rangers have a demonstrated ability at problem solving to reduce park user conflicts and gaining compliance for rule issues. This position works closely with partners to solve complex problems in our parks, and in creating a rapport with neighborhood and community groups, park maintenance crews, and park volunteers. This program also works with the Joint Office of Homeless Services, Office of Violence Prevention, Portland Street Response, JOIN, Multnomah County Animal Control, Multnomah County River Patrol, Portland Police Bureau, Office of Civic Life, and others in fostering safe and enjoyable parks.
These position work in all weather and terrain conditions, outdoors, alone or with a team, including night, overnight and weekend work.
As a Park Ranger you will:
- Help protect the resources of our parks. Rangers have a role to play in protecting both the physical assets of our parks, as well as the visitor experience.
- Ensure everyone feels welcome in parks. Rangers engage community members through outreach events, park programming, and more. These everyday actions help keep our parks safe by encouraging positive use.
- Resolve park rule violations using various tools. This means having the skills and tact to know how best to resolve a problem and what tool to use, and when to involve other partners, such as Portland Police.
- Bring value to the park experience. Rangers provide educational and outreach opportunities on the natural and cultural environment that help enhance the experience.
Although not required, you may have: one or more of these desirable skills/degrees/
experience.
- Commitment to parks, nature, working with and service diverse people and communities.
- Commitment to being a culturally competent professional.
- Ability to effectively communicate in Spanish and English or other languages.
- Experience in parks and in public safety or related fields.
As a person, you are:
-
Collaborative: An outgoing professional who values partnership and develops and supports relationships to get things done.
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Solutions Oriented: Uses strong communication skills to work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders to create, implement, document solutions and problem solve.
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Value Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): Embrace anti-racism through intentional partnership, self-awareness, and action, showing cultural humility, advocacy, and mindfulness. Use DEI concepts to guide and inform your work.
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Emotionally Intelligent: Motivated, passionate, team-oriented, and empathetic.
Park Ranger is represented by the Portland City Laborers(PCL). To view this, labor agreement, please go to https://www.portland.gov/bhr/employee-relations/labor-relations/labor-agreements and click on the appropriate link.
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.
City of Portland Core Values:
Anti-racism | Communication | Collaboration | Equity | Transparency | Fiscal Responsibility
These values guide our actions as we serve the community and engage our workforce. To learn more about the City's core values, please click here.
These values guide our actions as we serve the community and engage our workforce. To learn more about the City's core values, please click here.
Why work at the City of Portland?
The City of Portland workforce serves a population of over 650,000. We are culture- and solutions-driven, viewing every challenge as an opportunity to learn, improve, and share our expertise. We are committed to removing systemic barriers to resources, access, and opportunity. The City is a believer in all people and continues to actively recruit and retain diverse top talent every day. We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to medical, dental, vision, basic life, short- and long-term disability coverage to eligible employees and their families. If you are open-minded, motivated, community-focused, and self-aware, please apply yourself at the City of Portland today.
The City of Portland also participates in the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS). For more information on the City of Portland's benefits please click here.
COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement
As of October 18, 2021, all City employees must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. This is required for all positions at the City of Portland. Proof of being fully vaccinated is required by date of hire. You may request an exception, for health or religious reasons, from getting the COVID-19 vaccine at the time a position is offered.
The City is offering an optional informational session for this recruitment. Please see the Optional Information Session section below for details and location.
To Qualify
Applicants must
specifically address and demonstrate
in their supplemental question responses and resume how their education, training and/or experience, meets each of the following minimum qualifications:
- Experience and ability to provide excellent customer service in sometimes stressful situations, remaining calm, professional, and positive, when explaining policies, rules and procedures. Additionally, being able to assess possible violations, develop solutions and apply practical judgment.
- Experience applying conflict resolution, communication techniques and adjust communication styles, effectively with diverse community audiences.
- Experience applying federal, state, and local laws and rules applicable to public safety and/or park use.
- Experience operating Microsoft Office software, writing objective, factual reports and following written and verbal procedures.
- Ability and experience applying practical judgment in public situations, including when to call 911 when situations require police or medical assistance/intervention.
Applicants must also possess:
- Must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 per City/State mandate or have an approved exception by date of hire.
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A valid state driver's license and an acceptable driving record at the time of appointment.
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A State of Oregon license for unarmed security guards within 6-months of appointment.
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A bicycle certification, defensive tactics, and first aid/CPR courses within 9-months of appointment.
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Ability to pass a background investigation (to include fingerprinting).
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Ability to successfully complete a Park Ranger Academy within 6-months of hire.
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Willing and able to work in all weather and terrain conditions, outdoors, alone or with a team, including night, overnight and weekend work.
The Recruitment Process
An evaluation of each applicant's training and experience, as demonstrated in their résumé and answers to the supplemental questions, weighted 100%.
Do not attach materials not requested. Only candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on the equally ranked eligible list. You have 14 days from the notice of the examination results to let us know if you disagree with your results. Please read the City of Portland Administrative Rule 3.01 for complete information.
Additional evaluation may be required prior to establishment of the eligible list and/or final selection.
Some positions may require those placed on the eligible list to complete and sign a criminal background statement before being considered for employment.
** PLEASE NOTE: The eligible list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies**
Recruitment Activity Schedule:
- Job Posting closes: 12/12/2022
- Applications Reviewed: 12/7/2022- 12/16/2022
- Eligible List / Notices Generated: week of 12/28/2022
- 1st Round of Interviews: Early January 2023
- 2nd Round of Interviews (if needed): Mid-January 2023
- Job Offer: Late January to Early February 2023
- Timeline is approximate and subject to change.
Applicant Instructions
Applicants
must
submit a professional resume and responses to the supplemental questions online, specifically focused on your qualifications for this position as identified in the "To Qualify" section of this announcement in accordance with the following Application Instructions:
- 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.
- 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 resume should support the details described in your responses to the supplemental questions.
- Salary Range/Equity Pay Analysis: Please note per the Oregon State Pay Equity Law your salary is determined based on the experience and education listed in your resume/application. It is strongly encouraged to include any transferable experience (paid or unpaid regardless of how recent) to ensure your offer is reflective of all directly related and equivalent experience.
- If you are requesting Veteran's Preference, as identified below, please describe in your responses to the supplemental questions and resume any transferrable skills obtained during your military service and how they relate to each of the required minimum qualifications under the "To Qualify" section above.
Please note, all completed applications for this position must be submitted no later than on the closing date and time of this recruitment. All applications must be submitted via the City's online application process. Do not attach materials not requested. E-mailed and/or faxed applications will not be accepted.
Additional Information
Work Status: Non-citizen applicants must be authorized to work in the United States at the time of application.
Veterans' Preference: If you are requesting Veterans' Preference, attach a copy of your DD214/DD215 and/or Veterans Administration letter stating your disability to your profile, as well as checking the box identifying yourself as a Veteran. You must request Veterans' Preference AND include a copy of your documentation for each recruitment to which you apply. Veterans' Preference documentation must be submitted no later than the closing date and time of this recruitment.
ADA, Pregnancy, and Religious Accommodations:
If you identify as a person with a disability, are pregnant or nursing, or observe a religious practice(s), and would like to request a reasonable accommodation when applying for this job, please contact the Recruiter below for assistance.
Equal Employment Opportunity: It is the policy of the City of Portland that no person shall be discriminated against based on race, religion, color, sex, marital status, family status, national origin, age, mental or physical disability, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or source of income. The City values diversity and encourages everyone who is interested in employment with the City to apply.
Language Pay Differential: City of Portland employees who speak one or more languages in addition to English, may be eligible to receive a “language pay differential.” This is compensation for qualifying multilingual City employees who use their language skills to assist the community. More about the language pay differential can be found here.
Did you know? The City of Portland offers How to Apply Classes that are free and review best practices for applying to the City. Follow the link for the most recent list of scheduled dates: https://www.portland.gov/bhr/events
Contact Information
Tamara Larison, Senior Recruiter
Bureau of Human Resources
Tamara.larison@portlandoregon.gov
(503) 823-3523
An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer
OPTIONAL INFORMATION SESSION
To assist you in understanding this position and the recruitment process, we will offer an Optional Information Session that will provide you with details about the position and about the application process. You are not required to attend to apply for this job. You are welcome to join us for the optional session below:
Tuesday, December 7, 2022
12:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
To view the information session recording, click here.
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