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San Mateo County Parks is currently seeking a part time (20 hours/week) extra help Interpretive Specialist Intern for the Department’s Interpretive Division.

The Interpretive Division has an environmental education and community engagement focus. It hosts a variety of events and activities throughout the year, including the Take A Hike Challenge, library and community partnerships, camping trips, seasonal large scale festivals, and more! The Interpretive Division staff also assist in creating content for the Department’s social media pages.

Examples Of Duties:

The Interpretive Specialist Intern position is responsible for assisting Interpretive Division staff with the following:

• Organizing and co-leading programs/events for the general public
• Creating interpretive materials and content for the Department
• Other duties as assigned

NOTE: This is an extra-help, at-will assignment, paid on an hourly basis. Some extra help positions are eligible for benefits under the Affordable Care Act. Extra help employees are not guaranteed permanent status at the end of the assignment.

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate for this position should have the following competencies:

• Interest and enthusiasm for the environment.
• Experience in planning and coordinating projects and events
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, especially in a formal public setting
• Flexible, deadline-driven and customer service oriented
• Culturally competent in working with diverse communities
• Knowledge of, or interest in, furthering equity, diversity, and inclusion goals
• Excellent organizational skills in handling multiple and competing priorities
• Collaborative and able to maintain strong relationships with community-based organizations and other partners
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and instruction; as well as, collaboratively as part of a team
• Skills in computer systems and applications, such as the Microsoft Office suite (Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), Zoom, social media platforms, Canva, etc.
• Experience working with environmental education or outreach programs is preferred
• Bachelor’s degree is preferred. Current students are encouraged to apply.
• Previous experience working with children is preferred.

Position requirements:

• Some of the position will be “work from home”, so the candidate must have a situation in which they have the ability to perform their job duties from a remote location (reliable internet connection, computer access, etc.)
• The position requires work at various San Mateo County Parks, so the candidate must be able to report to those locations by their own means.
• The schedule will be varied and flexible, but availability on Saturdays is a requirement.

Application/Examination:

How to apply:

Please submit an online application with a copy of your resume and cover letter attached to the application.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply Online" button above or below. If you are not on the County's website, please go to http://jobs.smcgov.org/ to apply.

Apply immediately. This recruitment is open on a continuous basis and selections may be made at any time within the process.

Contact

For questions about this internship, please contact Katherine Wright at kewright@smcgov.org. For questions/comments/issues relating to the application process and material submissions, please contact Chaten Berry at cberry@smcgov.org.

At the County of San Mateo, we take pride in the way our employees bring together their diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to serve our community's needs. The County is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

Summer 2026 Internship Program

Position Type: Part-Time, Seasonal
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Hourly Rate: $20.00
Hours: Up to 25 hours per week
Duration: Approximately June 15 – August 14, 2026

About the City of Pacifica

The City of Pacifica operates under the Council–Manager form of government and provides a full range of municipal services to its residents. With an operating budget of approximately $47.3 million and a workforce of over 180 full-time employees, Pacifica is committed to responsive governance and community engagement.

Are you interested in gaining meaningful, hands-on experience in local government?

The City of Pacifica is excited to host approximately seven (7) Summer Interns across multiple departments. This program is designed to provide students with substantive project experience, professional mentorship, and exposure to the inner workings of municipal government. Unlike a general internship pool, each department will recruit for a specific opportunity aligned with its operational needs and professional focus. 

About the Program

The Summer Internship Program was developed in collaboration with the Next Generation Committee, sponsored by the City/County Managers Associations of San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. The program supports the development of emerging professionals and promotes careers in local government.

The Summer Internship Program is tentatively scheduled to run from June 15, 2026 through August 14, 2026 (8 weeks). End date may be adjusted based on the intern's schedule and availability.

Selected applicants will be invited to interview during a tentative window of March 23 – April 3, 2026, with flexibility as needed.

The City anticipates finalizing offers by April 24, 2026 to allow adequate time for summer scheduling and coordination. Internships are part-time (up to 25 hours per week), seasonal, at-will, and non-benefited positions.

Why Apply?

• Meaningful Work: Interns contribute to real projects that impact the Pacifica community.
• Professional Development: Strengthen your research, writing, presentation, and analytical skills in a public sector setting.
• Mentorship & Networking: Work closely with City leadership and staff while building connections across departments.
• Career Exploration: Gain exposure to the breadth of career paths within local government.

About the PB&R Summer Intern Opportunity

The Parks, Beaches, and Recreation Department is where community fun meets local government operations! From summer camps and special events to aquatics, child care, senior services, and recreation programs, our team helps create the experiences that make Pacifica an amazing place to live, work, and play. This internship is a great opportunity for someone who wants real-world experience in a local government setting while getting exposure to a wide variety of projects. Interns will gain hands-on experience supporting day-to-day recreation operations, learning how programs are planned and delivered, and assisting with behind-the-scenes work that keeps everything running smoothly. If you’re someone who enjoys staying organized, working with a supportive team, and wants to learn what it’s really like to work in public service (while still being part of the fun side of government), this is a great opportunity to build skills and experience in a welcoming and energetic environment. No prior recreation experience is required, just a willingness to learn and jump in!

Responsibilities May Include (but Are Not Limited To):

• Supporting summer programs such as camps, classes, child care enrollment, and recreation registration
• Assisting with special event preparation and logistics (community events, seasonal programs, etc.)
• Helping with marketing and outreach efforts, including social media and promotional materials
• Fielding inquiries from community members in person, by phone, and via email
• Assisting staff with organizing, sorting, and maintaining electronic and physical records
• Scanning and digitizing files to support department modernization efforts
• Attending staff meetings and Parks, Beaches, and Recreation Commission meetings to gain insight into local government operations and public process
• Supporting a variety of additional projects as assigned (no two days are exactly the same!)

Intern duties will vary depending on department needs and seasonal priorities, giving interns the chance to gain experience across a wide range of responsibilities.

Education & Experience:

• Current undergraduate student majoring in Recreation Administration, Public Administration, Business, Communications, Education, Kinesiology, or a related field preferred
• Interest in parks and recreation operations, community programming, or public service
• No prior recreation experience required; training will be provided
• Basic computer skills and familiarity with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook)

Preferred Skills & Knowledge:

• Enthusiastic about recreation, community programs, and public service
• Willing to accept direction, learn quickly, and take initiative once trained
• Friendly, professional, and comfortable interacting with the public
• Organized, detail-oriented, and able to juggle multiple tasks
• Flexible and willing to help where needed (especially during busy summer program season!)
• Familiar with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook), or willing to learn

How to Apply: Candidates interested in applying for the position may submit their online application, cover letter and resume by March 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM PST. Candidates must submit a completed online application and upload a current resume through CalOpps. Applications that are incomplete or missing required materials will not be considered.

Equal Opportunity Employer: The City of Pacifica is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Pay rate: starting at $18.79 hourly 

Locations: Thousand Oaks, CA; Hiring Part-time, flexible hours for:

• Sports and Reservation unit - primarily Monday - Friday (may include evening and/or weekend hours)
• Thousand Oaks Community Center - variable hours (may include evening and/or weekend hours)
• Thousand Oaks Teen Center - variable hours (may include evening and/or weekend hours)

Summary:
Under general supervision, plan, conduct, and participate in recreational program activities according to established programs, schedules, and standards, in accordance with District policies and procedures.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Develop, conduct, and participate in various athletic, craft, social, cultural, and instructional activities
• Prepare facilities for programming, special events, or rental group usage
• Greet visitors, direct participants to the appropriate location, and respond to general inquiries
• Ensure safety of environment and equipment for staff, volunteers, participants, and visitors
• May open or close and secure facilities in compliance with District policies and procedures
• Issue and collect recreation equipment and supplies used by instructors, participants, or visitors
• Supervise special events, field trips, and other group activities

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• Coordinate and participate in promotional activities and community events
• Modify and adapt activities specific to specialized programs or populations, as appropriate
• May assist with transportation in specialized programs
• Perform other related duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty* satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or ability required:

Education and Experience:
Minimum age of 18 years old with a High School Diploma (or GED). At least 500 hours of experience in recreation with 15 units completed in recreation or a related field preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. 

Certificates and Licenses:

• First Aid & CPR/AED within 90 days of employment with ability to maintain certifications thereafter as a condition of employment.
• Valid California driver’s license with a good driving record and current automobile insurance.
• Department of Justice fingerprint clearance.
• Proof of a negative TB skin test.

Additional Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Ability to communicate effectively in English in both written and oral form. Ability to write routine correspondence using correct spelling and grammar. Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in whole numbers, fractions, and decimals. Ability to apply common sense and exercise good judgement in solving problems. Ability to establish effective relationships with fellow employees, volunteers, and participants and/or parents/guardians.

Fingerprint-Based Background Check:
All recreation employees are required to obtain fingerprint-based background clearance prior to their first day of employment.

Supervisory Responsibilities:
The employee may provide guidance or direction to other part-time employees and to volunteers.

Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee works in a community center or office environment subject to frequent public contact and interruption and to intermittent exposure to individuals acting in a disagreeable fashion. The noise level is usually moderate. The employee frequently works in the field in outdoor weather conditions, subject to extreme heat or cold and where the noise level may be loud. Exposure to hazardous conditions in the environment will vary depending on unit assigned.

 

Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that should be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand or walk; use hands or fingers to touch, handle or feel; use hands and arms to reach; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; and taste or smell. Vision requirements include close, distance, color and peripheral vision; depth perception; the ability to adjust focus; and the ability to see well in poor lighting or at night. The employee is regularly required to lift up to 25 pounds and occasionally up to 50 pounds. Physical demands may vary according to unit assignment.

 

* Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

 

The Ranger is a sworn peace officer who provides visitor services and resource protection on MRCA owned and/or managed parkland.

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This position performs a wide variety of duties including park maintenance, law enforcement, first aid, wildland firefighting, and public safety patrol. The Ranger assists the public in natural resource interpretation and performs other duties as needed.  

This is a professional position that requires a highly motivated, responsible, and organized individual. Candidate must be a self-starter who can handle an array of tasks, has good judgement, and can work independently or as part of a team.

Type

This is a full-time, non-exempt, at-will position.

Supervision

This position reports to a Supervising Ranger. Assorted tasks may be supervised directly by Division Chief or other Executive Staff. The position may provide technical and/or functional direction to volunteers and other groups.

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.

• Provide a wide range of law enforcement and public safety services including, but not limited to wildland firefighting, search and rescue, and first aid.
• Respond to emergency situations on parkland to protect life and property.
• Make physical arrests, issue citations, and write reports.
• Conduct criminal and administrative investigations.
• Perform traffic control.
• Use, wear, and maintain protective equipment which includes various types of firearms, batons, chemical agents, body armor, and handcuffs.
• Perform routine maintenance and repairs on agency vehicles and various equipment.
• Perform a variety of maintenance, restoration, and repair duties.
• Remove graffiti as necessary, empty trash cans, clean restrooms, clean up litter, and remove illegal dumping.
• Conduct interpretive programs, such as leading hikes, kayak trips or campfire programs.   
• Operate with substantial independence and coordinate work with others in completing assignments.
• Coordinate with organized public groups utilizing park facilities.
• Coordinate with vendors and other government entities.
• Maintain good habits of answering and responding to incoming telephone calls and correspondence, as well as when communicating and providing customer service to citizens who seek assistance.
• Maintain positive relationships with coworkers, representatives of other government agencies, non-profit organizations, homeowner’s associations, 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 hike, run, bend, lift, stoop, kneel, reach, and climb, lift and carry items weighing up to 60 pounds for a distance up to 50 feet both indoors and outdoors, constantly work in outdoor weather conditions, and frequently move about work sites.

Incumbents should have physical strength, endurance, and agility; be mentally alert and physically sound; and have hearing and vision sufficient to perform the essential functions of the job.

Required Hours and Location

40 hours per week or in an alternative schedule (9/80 or 4/10 program), must be available to work nights, weekends, holidays and overtime. Must be available to work at various locations.

Public Contact

As public parklands, the majority of MRCA properties are open to the general public during operating hours. This position is likely to have physical contact with members of the public in public areas such as parking lots and shared public/office restrooms and during in-person public meetings. The MRCA is committed to protecting its staff by ensuring appropriate physical distancing and proper infection control while supporting equitable access to services. Our requirements are based on current County of Los Angeles guidance and are subject to change as the County updates its policies.  

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.

Applicants must meet the following training or experience via one of the two pathways to Ranger (A or B).

 

PATHWAY A:

1. Possession of High School Diploma conferred by a US Department of Education recognized High School OR General Education Certificate.

AND

2. Possession of a certificate showing graduation from a California Peace Officer Standards & Training (POST) Regular Basic Academy.

PATHWAY A CANDIDATES WILL BEGIN THE RANGER TRAINING & ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (RTAP) UPON HIRE.

 

PATHWAY B:

1. Possession of High School Diploma conferred by a US Department of Education recognized High School OR General Education Certificate.

AND

2. Current or previous employment by the Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority as a Seasonal Ranger Assistant or Public Officer pursuant to California Public Resources Code § 5786.17.

PATHWAY B CANDIDATES WILL BE APPOINTED AS A TEMPORARY RANGER ASSISTANT UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THEY CAN BE ENROLLED IN A POST BASIC ACADEMY.

 

Knowledge of: 

• Common Windows-based programs including word processing, spreadsheets, and databases. 
• Proficiency in basic mathematics; basic grammar and spelling as required in preparing reports and records. 

Ability to:

• Prioritize varying tasks and projects, manage time, and make regular, consistent progress on multiple projects at once.
• Work independently to handle multiple tasks under deadlines.
• Revise work approach and/or tactics to address changing conditions.
• Complete projects and follow oral and written directions.
• Quickly change tasks and focus.
• Exercise discretion and sensitivity to confidential information.
• Maintain the ability to possess, carry, and qualify with agency issued firearms.

Competencies:

• Excellent oral and written English language skills. Not required to be a native English speaker, but fluency in English is required.
• Bilingual skills in English, and other locally common language, such as Spanish, Korean, Farsi, Chinese, Armenian, Yiddish, or Tagalog is desired.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Establish and maintain cooperative relations with those contacted in the course of work including the general public.
• Emotional maturity; tact and diplomacy; poise and self-confidence.

All appointment offers are contingent upon the following:

• A thorough background check including submission of fingerprints to the Department of Justice and FBI, including a firearm background check, and a record clean of violent crimes or felonies. 
• Psychological examination. 
• Successful completion of a physical examination including a drug test. 
• Meet requirements of the Government Sections 1031 for employment as a California Peace Officer.
• Written Test.

Wages

The starting hourly rate for Ranger Trainee is $22.58 – $27.45 per hour.  At the completion of all training requirements and upon appointment as a Ranger by the Executive Officer, the wage increases to a range of $33.47 - $40.69 per hour.

Existing MRCA employees may be compensated at a higher rate if they can demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the Chief Deputy Executive Officer, that appropriate additional duties will be performed in addition to the position’s essential duties. This provision does not apply to applicants who are not currently employed by MRCA and may be exercised only at MRCA’s discretion and as budget allows.

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.