Careers


Careers at Virginia State Parks are more than jobs; they're a way of life. This is particularly true for field employees who work and live in the parks - park managers, assistant park managers and chief rangers.

Park ranger lifeguard and ranger

Park positions are more than you might expect. Running a park is like running a small city. The staff performs various duties, including natural resource management, visitor services, law enforcement, water and waste water treatment, facility management and repairs, occupational safety, human resources, financial management and more. This variety of duties makes the work interesting, challenging and rewarding.

Park Ranger Career Development Program

This program offers participants a great way to get started in a state parks career. It's typically a two to three-year program, held in the summer, which introduces participants to park operations and ensures that applicants are prepared for entry level positions. Completion of the program makes individuals highly qualified to fill park ranger, chief ranger and other entry positions.

Those accepted into the program work about 12 weeks each summer at a state park. Participants are paid $15 per hour and on-site housing may be provided. Participants are trained in all aspects of state park field positions. Participants are evaluated each session and those who perform up to standards are invited to take part again the next summer. Upon successful performance in the program, participants are encouraged to apply for permanent park ranger, chief ranger and other positions in the state park system. Candidates must apply when positions are open and advertised.

Although people who complete the program are highly competitive for full-time employment, DCR is not obligated to hire them, and participants must apply for employment during the recruitment process. Candidates will also find it helpful to develop good writing and interviewing skills for use in the application and interview process.

Recruitment for the 2024 Park Ranger Career Development Program is now closed.

For more details about program recruitment, or other employment opportunities, please email parkstraining@dcr.virginia.gov.

DCR also manages the Youth Conservation Corps and AmeriCorps programs, which are other opportunities to serve and learn firsthand about state parks and conservation.


Park Positions

Click the + to expand to read a position description.

Residential field positions:

Provides daily leadership for all operations of a state park. This includes ensuring proper personnel management and effective enterprise operations; appropriating expenditures for all park operations within budget; ensuring all areas within the park meet health and safety standards; ensuring all program areas meet expectations and are mission compliant; being engaged with local leaders, media, civic organizations and other stakeholders. This position may be a commissioned law enforcement officer depending on the need at a particular park.
Assists the park manager in overseeing all operations of a state park. This includes supervising daily operations; being directly involved in all aspects of personnel management; coordinating and delivering training; assisting with the park’s enterprise operation; assisting in the development and monitoring of the park budget; planning and management of all program areas including educational programming and resource management; public relations; public health and safety; and law enforcement.
Serves as a frontline supervisor for state park operations. This includes maintenance operations; personnel management; program level budget development; support for educational programs; support for resource management programs; management of volunteers; public relations; public health and safety; and law enforcement.

Full-time park jobs include:

Oversees the maintenance operations within a state park. This includes personnel management of maintenance staff; performing maintenance on park buildings, grounds, equipment, vehicles and facilities; management of inventory that includes tools, equipment and supplies; supporting other program areas within the park; public relations; and public health and safety. This position may be a commissioned law enforcement officer depending on the need at a particular park.
Serves as a frontline supervisor for visitor services within state park operations. This includes coordination in the delivery of educational programs; visitor center operations; personnel management of visitor services staff; coordination of park special events; outreach efforts; public relations; public health and safety; and management of volunteers that perform duties in visitor services.
Assists the park manager in overseeing the administrative operations of a state park. This includes supervising daily operations as they relate to the park’s administrative, visitor services and enterprise functions; being directly involved in all aspects of personnel management; coordinating and delivering training; assisting in the development and monitoring of the park budget; being directly involved in the planning and management of the park’s educational programming and other visitor services; outreach efforts; public relations; and public health and safety.
Oversees the administrative operations within a state park. This includes personnel management of administrative staff; customer service; cash management; budget reconciliation; procurement; human resources duties such as completing hiring or separation paperwork and payroll; completing other reports as requested; and park office operations including merchandise sales.
Oversees the housekeeping operations within a state park. This includes day-use, overnight, meeting and administrative facilities. Duties include personnel management of housekeeping staff; cleaning of park buildings and grounds; completing basic repairs and preventative maintenance of park buildings; management of inventory that includes cleaning supplies, supplies for overnight facilities, and supplies for repairs and preventative maintenance of facilities; public relations; and public health and safety.
Furthers the resource management goals of the department, division and parks within a region by utilizing a variety of resource management methods. This includes developing resource management plans; coordinating and executing management prescriptions like prescribed fire or pesticide application; monitoring water quality; constructing and maintaining sustainable trails; utilizing GIS software for a variety of mapping needs; and serving as a liaison between park staff and other natural resource agencies.
Various positions in the Virginia State Parks headquarters office.

Part-time positions

If you are interested in a career in our parks, part-time jobs are a great way to start. There are many positions, from maintenance to customer service to park interpreter, each gives you a taste of working in a state park. Each park handles the hiring of its seasonal workers so find and contact a nearby park to learn more about these jobs.

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