Park Operations Trainee – State Park Operations

Job Description

Park Ranger I (Park Operations Trainee) | Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

The Tone:
This is a full-time trainee position at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, located in Cedar Hill, TX. This organization is dedicated to managing and conserving the natural and cultural resources of Texas while providing hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation opportunities for present and future generations. This role is crucial for individuals seeking to gain comprehensive, hands-on experience in park operations, preparing them for future competitive positions within park management.

The TL;DR
• Role: Trainee
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person, Cedar Hill, TX

• Team: Reports to the Cedar Hill State Park Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent
• Mission: To provide an avenue for individuals to gain relevant experience in park operations and management
• Tech Stack: Adobe, PowerBI, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, Forms, Copilot, State Parks software, reservation systems

What You’ll Actually Do
• Resource Operations: Acquire knowledge of policies and apply fundamentals of natural and cultural resource management, observing and supporting various maintenance tasks and emergency plan implementation.
• Administrative Operations: Learn park administration principles, including financial systems, customer service best practices, and the use of State Parks software, while supporting marketing efforts.
• Personnel Management: Obtain knowledge of human resource management, assisting with onboarding, performance plans, and volunteer coordination.
• General Operations: Perform a complete range of tasks to learn all aspects of park administration, facility maintenance, interpretation, and customer service.
• Project Support: Engage in special projects, attend training programs, and assist other State Parks with operations and natural resource management.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Entry-Level. Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree.
• Experience: No experience required.
• Skills: Skill in effective verbal and written communication, providing quality customer service, and exercising leadership qualities.
• Bonus: Bachelor’s degree in Park Administration, Recreation and Parks, Wildlife/Fisheries Science, Natural and/or Cultural Resources Management, Forestry, Biology, History, Environmental Planning, or a closely related field; Paid or unpaid Texas State Parks experience; Certified Interpretive Guide; Current National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Firefighter Type II Certification.