Join the King County Aquatics Center team as a fulltime Senior Lifeguard and make a difference in the lives of King County residents and swimming enthusiasts! 

About the Role: As a Senior Lifeguard, you will take on a key leadership role, guiding and mentoring our part-time Lifeguard team. You will be responsible for ensuring the safety and well-being of pool patrons and spectators, fostering a safe and enjoyable recreational environment through education, proactive safety measures, and the enforcement of safety protocols. In addition, you will respond swiftly and effectively to emergency situations.

Senior Lifeguards also instruct swimming lessons, lifeguard certification courses, and other trainings as assigned. Success in this role requires the ability to work both independently and collaboratively, maintaining a high standard of safety while delivering exceptional customer service in various situations. Senior Lifeguards may be required to work at special events, evenings, weekends, and occasionally split shifts to meet the needs of the community.

We are also hiring a term-limited temporary (TLT) Senior Lifeguard, if you would like to be considered for a TLT opportunity, apply here: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/kingcounty/jobs/4811836/senior-lifeguard-tlt

About the Team: The Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center (WKCAC) is one of the premier natatorium arenas in the country.   This 2,500-seat indoor facility hosts more than 50 events annually including top national and international championships. WKCAC is also a regional training center for competition teams in swimming, diving, synchronized swimming, and water polo.   The facility also serves the community by providing a full array of recreational programs.

In this position, you will have the opportunity to influence and contribute to WKCAC team accomplishments, mentor staff under your leadership, positively impact the health and wellbeing of pool patrons, and contribute to the mission and goals of King County Parks!

Commitment to Equity, Racial and Social Justice: King County, named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a diverse and vibrant community that represents cultures from around the world. Our True North is to create a welcoming community where everyone can thrive.  We prioritize equity, racial and social justice, making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees. As a Lifeguard you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity.

Apply now for a rewarding career at the Parks Division of King County Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP). Join our talented workforce in protecting and restoring the natural environment and promoting more resilient, sustainable, and equitable communities.  Enjoy training, comprehensive benefits, and growth opportunities.

What You Will Be Doing: 

• Lead, mentor, and motivate the part-time Lifeguard team, providing clear guidance, support, and ongoing training to ensure high performance and a cohesive, effective team environment.
• Lifeguard during public and competitive programs.
• Teach swimming lessons and assist in training new swimming lesson instructors.
• Teach first-aid, CPR/AED, and other safety courses.
• Educate about and enforce the rules and policies of the King County Aquatic Center to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all patrons. 
• Respond to all emergency situations; report all unsafe situations, damages, or injuries to the appropriate parties, ensuring reports are completed accurately and in a timely manner.
• Adhere to bloodborne pathogen training and safety standards. 
• Promote good relationships with the public and user groups and provide exceptional customer service to all patrons and staff. 

Qualifications You Bring:    

• Must possess current American Red Cross certification in Lifeguarding with CPR for the Professional Rescuer and First Aid.
• At least 6 months of lifeguarding experience with increasing responsibility and leadership.  
• Experience in public relations, coupled with a strong commitment to delivering exceptional customer service, ensuring positive interactions and fostering positive relationships with diverse audiences.
• Expertise in conflict resolution and problem-solving, with the ability to effectively address and resolve challenges in a constructive and collaborative manner.

Required Certifications:

• American Red Cross Lifeguarding with CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and First Aid (preferably r.24)
• American Red Cross Lifeguarding Instructor certification (or within six months of hire)
• Northwest Lifeguard Preparation Course (or within one month of hire)
• American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor certification (or completed within six months of hire)

Physical Requirements:  

• Ability to respond to emergency situations.
• Maintain a minimum of 20/40 vision. Use of corrective lenses is acceptable. 
• Ability to perform duties involving physical labor such as bending, kneeling, standing, reaching, climbing, stooping, squatting, pushing, and twisting. 
• Ability to perform strenuous activity.
• Ability to lift 50lbs. 
• Passage of a pre-employment water rescue skills test is required. 

Competencies You Bring:  

• Communicates Effectively: develops and delivers communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
• Manages Conflict: handles conflict situations effectively, with a minimum of noise.
• Customer Focus: builds strong customer relationships and delivers customer-centric solutions.
• Decision Quality: makes good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward.
• Being Resilient: rebounds from setbacks and adversity when facing difficult situations.
• Instills Trust: gains the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.

It Would Be Great if You Also Bring:

• American Red Cross Lifeguarding Instructor Trainer
• American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor Trainer

Working Conditions:

• Work Location:King County Aquatics Center located at 650 SW Campus Dr, Federal Way WA 98023
• Work Schedule: This full-time position works a 40-hour work week, and includes working special events, evenings, weekends and may include some split shifts.This position is covered under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is overtime eligible.
• Union Representation: This position is not represented by a union.

NOTE: This recruitment will only be used to Career Service Parks Senior Lifeguards. If you wish to also be considered for the open TLT opportunities, you must submit a separate application for consideration: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/kingcounty/jobs/4811836/senior-lifeguard-tlt

Application and Selection Process:

Who May Apply: This position is open to all qualified applicants. Must be 18 years old.

We welcome applications from all qualified applicants. We value diversity, diverse perspectives and life experience and encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.

Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness and alignment with the experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skills essential for this role to determine which candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews.   

To apply, submit a:

• Complete Application
• Cover Letter
• Optional Resume (will be reviewed if submitted)
• Note:  Additional documents won't be considered during minimum qualification screening.

We are planning to hold in-person interviews on February 18, 2025.

Who to Contact: For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact Patty Jurgens at   patty.jurgens@kingcounty.gov.

Discover More About the Parks and Recreation Division: Visit our website and check us out atFacebook, Instagram and Flickr.

Discover More About DNRP: Visit our website, explore aninteractive mapof our recent accomplishments and check us out atFacebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, YouTubeand Keeping King County Green News.

Sign up for Job Alerts to be notified of additional career opportunities with King County. Select the Natural Resources category for DNRP opportunities and explore other categories of interest.

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.