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Do you enjoy working outdoors? Do you have a passion for preserving outdoor recreation and open space? Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District is recruiting for a Maintenance, Construction, and Resource Supervisor to plan, schedule, assign, and review the work of staff involved in the construction, modification, maintenance, restoration, and repair of District lands and facilities throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains.

About Midpen: Midpen helps plants, animals and people thrive throughout the greater Santa Cruz Mountains region by preserving a greenbelt of more than 70,000 acres of public open space with 250 miles of trails in 27 extraordinary preserves, permanently protected for natural resource conservation and ecologically sensitive public enjoyment and education. Midpen is a public agency with a focused mission that guides our work, and where every employee makes an impact.  If you are looking for an outstanding opportunity to contribute to the legacy of open space protection, natural resource restoration and outdoor recreation, working with an incredible team of like-minded colleagues, we invite you to apply for this position!  At Midpen, we believe open space is for all. Our public lands are shared spaces provided for the community by the community. All people, regardless of background, deserve respect, dignity, safety, and a sense of belonging. Midpen welcomes all people to enjoy the public open space preserves we hold in trust, supporting the mental, physical, and social well-being of our region.

About the Position: The Maintenance, Construction, and Resource Supervisor supervises the staff responsible for carrying out capital improvement projects, managing natural resources, and performing general preserve maintenance. The ideal candidate will plan, prioritize, and oversee construction and maintenance work; communicate effectively and collaborate with other departments to complete project requirements; coordinate with consultant teams; work with local and regulatory jurisdictional agencies to meet permitting requirements; evaluate employee performance; and ensure all safety procedures are followed. The position works under the general direction of the Capital Projects Manager or Area Manager and provides direct and general supervision to technical and maintenance staff. For additional information about the Maintenance, Construction, and Resource Supervisor duties, see the Job Description on the District website.

Assigned Location: Midpen has one vacancy for the position of Maintenance Supervisor. This is the Capital Projects Maintenance Supervisor and reports to the Capital Projects Field Manager. The start date for this position is early March 2026.  The reporting location is the Foothills Field Office - Cupertino (Address: 501 Rancho San Antonio Drive, Cupertino, CA 95014).  Current work schedule is on site Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., recurring 9/80 Monday day off.

In addition to filling this position, we intend to create a pool of highly qualified candidates to fill future opportunities at Midpen for the position of Maintenance Supervisor, and other assigned work locations may be at any of these other offices:

• South Area Office (SAO) – Campbell (Address: 240 Cristich Lane, Campbell, CA 95008)
• Skyline Field Office (SFO) – La Honda (Address: 21150 Skyline Blvd., La Honda, CA 94020) MAP
• Coastal Area Outpost (CAO) – La Honda (Address: 5710 La Honda Road, San Gregorio, CA  94074)

A Few Reasons Why You May Love This Job

• Collaborative work that directly supports Midpen’s mission to protect and restore the natural environment and contributes to providing nature’s benefits to everyone
• You’ll be part of a talented and dynamic team of bright, energetic, and motivated professionals with a passion for the outdoors, trails, and preserving open space
• Excellent employee benefits, including medical, dental, vision, tuition reimbursement, and a retirement pension through California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS)

Working Conditions: Work is a combination of office work and outdoor setting within the District’s open space lands with exposure to inclement weather conditions. May be required to work evenings, weekends, and holidays. Must wear prescribed District uniform and adhere to strict safety procedures and work habits. Employees must possess the ability to lift and carry materials and objects weighing up to 60 pounds and must possess the ability to push and pull objects weighing up to 100 pounds, with the use of proper equipment.

Midpen reserves the right to limit or deny off-duty employment or business ownership which creates a conflict of interest or an incompatibility with District employment. Additional information can be found in the Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual Section 4.13 Off-Duty Employment and Business .  

Education and Experience:  We realize your time is valuable, so please apply only if you have at least the required minimum qualifications outlined here: any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Equivalent to an Associate’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in park maintenance, resource management, or a related field and five (5) years of experience in construction and maintenance of and/or management of natural resources in a park, open space, and/or related facilities.

Licenses and Certifications:

• Possession of a valid California Class C Driver License
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid Professional Rescuer Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid First Responder or equivalent certification.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, the level of certification in the Incident Command System courses as specified under the National Incident Management System (NIMS).
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, a District approved Fire Suppression Training certification.
• Depending on assignment, possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate Qualified Applicator’s certificate.
• Depending on assignment, possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid Grade I Water Treatment Operator Certificate and Grade I Water Distribution Operator Certificate issued by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).
• Possession of a valid California Class A or Class B Driver License desirable but not required.

Additional Information:   Employment offers are conditional upon the results of a fingerprint background check and a pre-employment physical.  Additionally, candidates with a commercial license will be required to pass a pre-employment/pre-duty drug test.  Midpen employees with an active commercial driver’s license who perform safety sensitive duties are subject to quarterly random DOT drug and alcohol testing. 

Ready to apply?  Great!  We welcome your application online at CalOpps.org. 

(To avoid missing important email communication about this recruitment, we suggest adding mpropenspace@calopps.org to your contacts or list of safe senders.)

Application deadline is Sunday, January 11, 2026.  Applicants with the most relevant experience and qualifications suitable for the position will be contacted for an interview.

The following application items are required to be considered*:

1. Fully completed CalOpps employment application 

2. Cover letter 

3. Resume 

4. Supplemental question responses

*Incomplete CalOpps employment applications, or applications without the required application items listed here, will not be considered for the position.

Recruitment Timeline: we are unable to accommodate individual schedules:

First Interview (virtual): Tuesday, February 3, 2026 and Wednesday, February 4, 2026 (Candidates will be scheduled on one of the two days)

Second Interview/Written Exercise (in-person): Wednesday, February 11, 2026

A note to applicants who currently live outside of the San Francisco Bay Area: before committing to the application process, and if you haven’t done so already, we suggest evaluating the feasibility of relocation. We recommend researching the cost of living in the San Francisco Bay Area, the cost to relocate, and typical commute times to Los Altos from outlying areas.

Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Applicants with disabilities may request reasonable accommodation by contacting the Human Resources department at(650) 691-1200 or via email at hr@openspace.org.

Put your passion for Open Space to work!

 

 

The Park Assistant III (Class: 180) will perform a variety of skilled park maintenance work. Specific tasks vary with location and include regular maintenance of picnic grounds, restrooms, and developed areas, trash removal, trail maintenance, plant care including mowing and brush removal, irrigation repair, fence repairs, assembly and installation of site furnishings and signs, and delivery of materials and equipment to job sites.

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This is skills-based physical labor work, in all weather conditions, for a person at an entry level or intermediate level. The work performed will support MRCA’s operation of nature parks within greater Los Angeles and other MRCA efforts related to public access, open space conservation, habitat restoration, and urban park development.

Park Assistant III positions exist in the Routes, Construction and Developed Resources Divisions and specific duties may include but are not limited to:

Duties for the Developed Resources division also include repairs to utility infrastructure, building repairs, and skilled gardening, and assistance during special events.

Duties for the Construction division also include building renovation (carpentry, electrical, plumbing), utility infrastructure repairs, and new construction of park amenities and irrigation systems.

Supervision

Depending on the division, the position may report to an Operations Manager, Deputy Division Chief or Division Chief. The position does not supervise other staff but may occasionally direct the work of volunteers, court crews, seasonal workers, volunteers, and youth crews. The employee may work independently or as part of a crew.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

• Maintain picnic grounds and parking areas, including regular trash removal and pickup and graffiti removal. Regular inspection of park sites to determine maintenance needs.
• Clean and restock restrooms. 
• Inspect irrigation systems and perform repairs and adjustments as needed.
• Maintain landscape and natural areas to reduce fire hazards and perform weed control activities.
• Follow verbal and written directions.
• Apply pesticides and herbicides in accordance with applicable laws and regulations under the supervision of the pesticide manager.
• Make repair to hiking trails, stream crossings, and equestrian trails.
• Operate light equipment such as mowers, edgers, brush cutters and power tools, and perform minor mechanical repairs.
• Install various park amenities including benches, signs, fencing, landscaping, irrigation, and trails.
• Inspect drinking fountains and perform repairs as needed.
• Participate in agency emergency response.
• Assist in preparing and cleaning up for events as needed.
• Maintain good habits of answering and responding to incoming telephone calls and emails, and when communicating and providing customer service to citizens who seek assistance.
• Maintain positive relationships with coworkers and the public at large.
• Perform related duties as required.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to lift and carry items weighing up to 60 pounds for a distance up to 50 feet both indoors and outdoors;  frequently operate heavy equipment, hand tools, light equipment and power tools; constantly work in outdoor weather conditions; frequently move about work sites; communicate and exchange information; observe and document site conditions; transport equipment and tools between vehicles and work sites on a daily basis; and occasionally ascend/descend a ladder to access areas of work.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the essential functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Education and Experience

• High School Diploma or G.E.D.
• Two (2) years of experience in grounds maintenance, plant care, facility/building maintenance or related field.

Training and Certification

• Must have a valid California driver’s license in good standing with a satisfactory driving record at the time of hire.
• Pesticide Handler certification (or ability to complete within 6 months).
• Basic First Aid and CPR certification (or ability to complete within 6 months).
• Forklift Operator / heavy equipment certification (or ability to complete within 6 months).

Knowledge of:

• Safe working practices, Cal-OSHA requirements.
• Automatic Irrigation systems.
• Pesticide and herbicide application.
• Proper tool care and storage.
• Basic proficiency in email and Office 365, or ability to learn.
• Regulatory requirements, or ability to learn.
• Bilingual skills in English and another locally common language, such as Spanish, Korean, Farsi, Chinese, Armenian, Yiddish, or Tagalog is highly desired.

Ability to:

• Maintain a safe and clean working environment.
• Consistently follow procedures.
• Prioritize varying tasks and projects.
• Work in all weather conditions. Perform demanding labor on multiple consecutive days outdoors in hot weather.
• Revise work approach to address changed conditions.
• Complete projects and follow oral and written directions.
• Learn technical material.
• Work independently and with others.
• Complete the MRCA Wildland Fire Academy, if desired by the employee.
• Read maps and navigate through greater Los Angeles in both urban developed and undeveloped open space areas.

Competencies:

• Effective oral English language skills. Not required to be a native English speaker, but fluency in English will be required.
• Follow safety procedures and utilize/wear protective equipment as needed.
• Establish and maintain cooperative relations with those contacted in the course of work including the general public.

This job announcement is not intended to, and does not, create an employment contract of any kind and does not create any express or implied contractual obligations. Employment at MRCA is at-will without exception. The employee and MRCA may terminate employment at any time with or without advance notice and with or without cause.

Any provision contained in this job announcement may be modified or revoked at any time without notice.