STATE PARK PEACE OFFICER (RANGER/LIFEGUARD) Sacramento and Merced
- Department of Parks & Recreation
- Sacramento and Merced
- Jul 19, 2026
Job Description
Job Description and Duties
STATE PARK PEACE OFFICER (RANGER/LIFEGUARD) – STATEWIDE RECRUITMENT ($6,215.00 Starting base pay per month)
This is a Peace Officer Position. To be eligible, you must be an external candidate and meet the minimum qualifications established by the Department of Human Resources AND either be currently eligible or eligible for reinstatement as a PC 830.2, California State Peace Officer.
Positions are available in the following counties: Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Humboldt, Imperial, Kern, Lake, Los Angeles, Marin, Merced, Mono, Monterey, Nevada, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barabara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, and Ventura.
Incumbents are trained and designated as sworn California State Park Peace Officers. Their authority extends statewide (on or off duty). They patrol park grounds by vehicle, boat, and foot or horse patrol; enforce park regulations and issue citations; write reports; make physical arrests for misdemeanors, felonies, and warrants; conduct criminal and administrative investigations; take command in emergencies; perform search and rescue activities; assist in wildland and structural fire suppression; provide emergency medical assistance and aid; and may also perform traffic control and radio dispatching. Incumbents may perform specialized assignments in cliff rescue; ski patrol; scuba diving; ocean, surf, river, and lake rescue; horse patrol; off-road vehicle and motorcycle patrol; or as a canine team handler.
Incumbents are required to use protective equipment. The equipment includes various types of firearms, batons, chemical agents, and handcuffs. Incumbents are regularly trained and tested in physical defensive tactics and firearms use.
Minimum Requirements
You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.Additional Documents
Position Details
Department Information
The mission of California State Parks is to provide for the health, inspiration, and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state's extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation.
All employees are responsible for contributing to an inclusive, safe, and secure work environment that values diverse cultures, perspectives, and experiences, and is free from discrimination.
Special requirements:
The position(s), require(s) – Background investigation to be conducted prior to being hired
The position(s), require(s) – Voice Stress Analysis to be conducted prior to being hired
The position(s), require(s) – Medical clearance to be conducted prior to being hired
The position(s), require(s) – Psychological evaluation to be conducted prior to being hired
The position(s), require(s) – a Drug screening be passed prior to being hired
Felonies – No felony conviction
Additional requirements for the State Park Peace Officer (Lifeguard) classification:
- Six months of experience performing the duties of a lifeguard in other than swimming pools
- Swimming ability sufficient to perform lifesaving activities
Application Instructions
Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.
Final Filing Date: Until FilledWho May Apply
Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).
How To Apply
Address for Mailing Application Packages
You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:
Address for Drop-Off Application Packages
You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:
Required Application Package Documents
The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:
- Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
- Resume is optional. It may be included, but is not required.
- Other - You must attach a copy of your POST Certificate to your job application.
- Other - You must attach a copy of your POST training record.
- Other - Click here to view the hiring process for lateral applicants. - Peace Officer- Lateral Hiring Process
Desirable Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
- Current POST Basic Course Completion Certification and/or Current POST Basic Certification or greater (POST Intermediate, Advanced, Supervisory, Management)
- Minimum Age – 21
- Employment Eligibility - Legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law
- Driver’s License - Possession of a valid California driver’s license by time of appointment
- Education – Successful completion of two years (60 semester units) of study from a State accredited college or university including a minimum of 21 semester units satisfying the General Education Curriculum (GEC) standards as identified for colleges and universities accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges and/or the WAS Senior College and University Commission. In meeting the 21 semester unis GEC standards requirement, applicants must have successfully completed at least one course in each of the following areas:
- Natural/Social sciences
- Language
- Humanities
- Mathematics
- Hearing - Sufficient to perform the essential job functions
- Vision
- Corrected visual acuity of 20/20 in each eye and uncorrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better in each eye
- Peripheral visual field of at least 120 degrees horizontally and 100 degrees vertically in each eye
- Normal color vision, as determined by Ishihara or other color plate tests
Note: The Department of Human Resources requires a 6-month stabilization period for LASIK candidates and a 12-month stabilization period for PRK and RK candidates.
California State Personnel Board Specification:
Starting Pay
The starting pay for California State Park Peace Officers typically ranges from $6,215.00 - $8,629.00 month. However, effective October 1, 2024, the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) introduced a new ruling, 1707 - Hiring Above Minimum (HAM), which doesn’t allow California State Parks to offer salaries above the established minimum for the State Park Peace Officer classifications to address recruitment challenges. Starting pay for all incoming laterals will start at $6,215.00 per month.
It's important to note that there is no negotiation of starting pay regardless of prior law enforcement experience.
In addition to the base salary, officers can receive Geographic Recruitment and Retention ranging from $200 to $350 per month depending on their county of headquarters and residence. Officers also benefit from Longevity Pay of 2% to 9% after 17 years of service, and Education Pay for holding certain qualifications, such as an Intermediate POST Certificate or equivalent, which adds 2.5% of base pay or a minimum of $120, and an Advanced POST Certificate or equivalent, which adds 5% of base pay or a minimum of $240.
These benefits help offset the starting pay and provide additional incentives for recruitment and retention.
Equal Opportunity Employer
The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.
It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.
Martin Rivera
Qualifications
State
Immediate Fill
Our Mission
To provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state's extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation.
California Department of Parks and Recreation
The California Department of Parks and Recreation, popularly known as State Parks, is honored to provide access to parks and open spaces and contribute to a healthier and richer quality of life for Californians and for people all over the world who visit the golden state’s natural wonders.
Equitable access to the outdoors ensures more Californians from all walks of life can reap the benefits for their hearts, minds and bodies for generations to come. California’s state parks and the recreational programs supported by the California Department of Parks and Recreation and its divisions of Boating and Waterways, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation, and Office of Historic Preservation are gateways to these benefits and to opportunities to connect with families, friends and communities.
With 280 state park units, over 340 miles of coastline, 970 miles of lake and river frontage, 15,000 campsites, 5,200 miles of trails, 3,195 historic buildings and more than 11,000 known prehistoric and historic archaeological sites, the department contains the largest and most diverse recreational, natural and cultural heritage holdings of any state agency in the nation.
More than 68 million people annually visit California’s State Park System. The system includes:
- Beaches
- Coastal beaches
- Conference centers
- Ghost towns
- Historic homes
- Historic monuments
- Historic parks
- Lakes and reservoirs
- Lighthouses
- Marine parks
- Museums
- Natural and cultural preserves
- Natural reserves
- Off-Highway vehicle recreation areas
- Parks
- Recreation areas
- Seashores
- Spanish-era adobe buildings
- Visitor centers
State Park System lands protect and preserve an unparalleled collection of culturally and environmentally sensitive structures and habitats, threatened plant and animal species, ancient Native American sites, historic structures and artifacts ... the best of California's natural and cultural history.
Additionally, the Office of Grants and Local Services (OGALS) develops grant programs to provide funding for local, state and nonprofit organization projects. Since 1964, more than 7,700 community parks throughout California have been created or improved from OGALS' grant funding. Since 2000, the program has administered approximately $4.7 billion in grant funding throughout California.