Entry Level Park Ranger Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $68,089.68 Annually
Location : Sacramento, CA
Job Type: Permanent Full-Time
Job Number: 29576-A
Department: Regional Parks
Opening Date: 12/05/2023
Closing Date: Continuous
The Position
This is a continuous filing exam. Next filing cut-offs are at 5:00 pm on:
6/22/26, 7/20/26, 8/17/26, 9/21/26, 10/19/26, 11/16/26, 12/14/26
Under close supervision, the Park Ranger Recruit participates in a basic law enforcement training program including a State of California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) approved Basic Academy.
Examples of Knowledge and Abilities
Ability to

• Read and understand departmental policies, rules, instructions, laws and ordinances and general literature pertaining to the County park system and law enforcement activities
• Analyze and interpret legal codes and ordinances
• Adopt quick, effective and reasonable courses of action, giving due regard to surrounding hazards and circumstances of each situation
• Develop keen powers of observation
• Obtain information through interview and interrogation
• Understand and follow written and oral direction
• Keep accurate records and prepare clear, concise and understandable reports
• Make arithmetical computations rapidly and accurately
• Learn the use and care of small firearms
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments
• Read, write, and speak English at a level necessary for satisfactory job performance

Employment Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
Either: Graduation from high school.
Or: Satisfactory completion of an acceptable General Education Development (GED) test.
Important: Under Gov. Code §1031(e), only U.S. accredited high school diplomas, GED tests, equivalency tests approved by the State Department of Education, or U.S. accredited college degrees are accepted. Diplomas or degrees from unaccredited or non-U.S. schools will not be accepted.
Note: Completion of the P.O.S.T. Entry Level Law Enforcement Test Battery (PELLETB) test with a passing score is required prior to appointment to this class
General Qualifications
Compliance with Government Code:Incumbents appointed to this class shall meet the minimum standards set forth in California Government Code, Section 1031.
Criminal History and Background Checks: The County shall access criminal history information on candidates who have accepted a conditional offer of appointment for this class consistent with the provisions of Board of Supervisors Resolution No. 82-602, Personnel Policies, and applicable federal and state laws. The County shall not consider for employment any candidate who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor that relates to or impacts the candidate's ability to perform the job duties of this class unless it is determined that mitigating circumstances exist. For purposes of accessing criminal history information, the candidate will be fingerprinted. A subsequent arrest notification shall be obtained.
The County may also conduct a background check on the candidate prior to appointment to a position within this class. The background check may include personal and professional reference checks, credit history checks where authorized by Labor Code section 1024.5, Social Security Number verification, professional license/registration verification, military service information and driving history. Information obtained in the course of this background check will be considered by the appointing authority in the selection process. In obtaining such information, the County will comply with applicable consent and disclosure practices in the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the California Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act.
The background check may include a Computerized Voice Stress Analyzer (CVSA) examination, and shall include psychological and physical examinations conducted according to P.O.S.T. specifications. Pursuant to CA Government Code, Section 1029, the conviction of a felony is grounds for disqualification from an appointment except if the individual has been granted a full and unconditional pardon for the felony.
License Requirement: A valid California Driver License, Class C or higher, is required prior to appointment to this class. Failure to obtain or maintain the appropriate California Driver License may constitute cause for personnel action in accordance with Civil Service Rules or applicable bargaining agreement. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Certification Requirement: Successful completion of the P.O.S.T. Basic Academy is required within 12 months of appointment.
Physical Requirements: Positions in this class require the incumbents to:

• Be able to meet medical standards as prescribed by P.O.S.T. and detailed in the P.O.S.T. Medical Screening Manual
• Possess sufficient physical ability to perform the full scope and functions of the job, including the ability to climb barriers, jump obstacles, and perform strenuous physical activities and control resisting subjects with a minimum of force necessary to effect an arrest

Individuals who do not meet these requirements due to disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Working Conditions: Positions in this class require the incumbents to:

• Work various shifts to provide 24-7 coverage, including nights, weekends and holidays
• Work outside in all types of climatic conditions including inclement or very hot weather
• Work around dust, dirt, noise, and odors
• Work alone for extended periods of time
• Work in areas of low illumination
• Wear and maintain a designated Park Ranger uniform; including department issued safety equipment such as a duty/gun belt, ballistic vest, respirator, etc.

Probationary Period
The probationary period for this classification is twelve (12) months.
Application and Testing Information
APPLICATION
Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. All applicants must complete and submit an online County of Sacramento employment application by 5:00 PM on the posted cut-off date. Click here to apply.
County of Sacramento
Department of Personnel Services
Employment Services Division
700 H Street, Room 4667
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone (916) 874-5593; 7-1-1 California Relay Service
Email EmployOffice@Saccounty.net
Inter-Office Mail Code: 09-4667
www.SacCountyJobs.net

• Employment applications and all documentation requested in this announcement must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.
• Employment Services is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by an applicant's computer or web browser. Applicants will be automatically logged out if they have not submitted their applications and all documentation prior to 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.
• Your application should highlight all relevant education, training, and experience, and clearly indicate how you meet the minimum qualifications for the position as of the cut-off date.
• Application information must be current, concise and related to the requirements in this job announcement. You may only apply for this recruitment once. Duplicate and incomplete applications will be disqualified.
• A resume may be included with your application, however it will not substitute for the information requested on the application.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE
Applicants are required to provide a full and complete response to each supplemental question. The Supplemental Questionnaire is located in the tab marked "Supplemental Questions". Please be descriptive in your response.
Note: Responses of "See Resume" or "See Application", or copy and paste of work experience are not qualifying responses and will not be considered.

• Supplemental Questionnaires must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date. Employment Services is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by an applicant's computer or web browser. Applicants will be automatically logged out if they have not submitted their applications and all documentation prior to 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.
• The supplemental questions are designed to elicit specific information regarding a candidate's experience, education, and training. Responses should be consistent with the information on your application and are subject to verification.
• Please provide place of employment, pertinent dates, and concise, descriptive and detailed information for each question.
• If a job included responsibilities applicable to several questions, separate the different functions of the job to answer all the questions completely.
• Resumes or referral to the application or other questionnaire responses will not be accepted in lieu of completing each question.
• If you have no experience, write "no experience" for the appropriate question.
• For many individuals, it is more efficient to develop responses to the supplemental questions in a word processing document and then paste them into the final document to be submitted. Changes or corrections to your Supplemental Questionnaire cannot be made once your application packet has been submitted.
• If the Supplemental Questionnaire is used in the Formula Rate exam, failure to complete all of the questions or incomplete responses will result in a lower score. While scoring the Supplemental Questionnaire, the candidate's application and/or attachments will not be reviewed, therefore, a candidate's responses to the questions should be accurate, thorough, detailed, and complete.

FORMULA RATE EXAMINATION (Weighted 100%)
All candidates meeting the minimum qualifications by the cut-off date will have their Supplemental Questionnaire scored in the Formula Rate Examination.
This examination will evaluate the relevance, level, recency, progression and quality of candidate's education, training and experience. The candidate's application or other materials will not be included in this examination. Therefore, the candidate's responses to the supplemental questionnaire should be thorough, detailed and complete. The score from the Formula Rate Examination will determine the ranking on the eligible/employment list for this job.
All candidates competing in the testing process will receive written notice of their examination results by email. Notices can also be accessed in their governmentjobs.com inbox. Applicants achieving a passing score will be placed on the eligible list in rank order. The rank is determined by the test score attained from the examination.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Click for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
For information regarding County jobs:
www.saccountyjobs.net
Sacramento County is about enriching communities to thrive. We strive to create inclusive workplaces that reflect the communities we serve. We value and celebrate the unique perspectives, backgrounds, abilities, and diverse dimensions of our employees and residents. Through transparency, courage, innovation, and trust we are committed to advance equity and transformational change.
We are a proud equal opportunity employer. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability for any phase of the hiring process, please contact our Disability Compliance Office at or 916-874-7642, CA Relay 711. For more information, visit:
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
At Sacramento County, we strive to provide benefit programs designed to meet our employees' current and future needs and help them as they balance their careers and personal life. County of Sacramento employees have a variety of benefits available. These benefits include:

• Dental Insurance
• Vision Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Health Insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Life Insurance
• Critical Illness
• Retiree Health Savings Plan (RHSP)
• Deferred Compensation

More information can be found on the
TEMPORARY POSITIONS:
Most benefits do not apply to temporary positions.
VACATION:
Generally, vacation with pay begins at 10 days annually. With increase over a period of years, the maximum annual vacation with pay is 25 days.
HOLIDAYS:
14.5 holidays per year as recognized by the Board of Supervisors.
SICK LEAVE:
Equivalent to 15 days annually, unlimited accumulation.
TUITION REIMBURSEMENT:
Regular County employees may be eligible to receive Tuition Reimbursement. The costs for course tuition/registration fees and required books/supplies may be eligible for reimbursement. Tuition reimbursement amounts may vary depending upon union agreement.
RETIREMENT:
The County's defined-benefit pension plan is provided by the County Employees' Retirement Law of 1937 and is managed by the Sacramento County Employees' Retirement System (SCERS) Board of Retirement. For more information, visit the SCERS website,
DENTAL INSURANCE:
For more information, visit the
LIFE INSURANCE:
The County of Sacramento provides a basic life insurance benefit to all eligible employees at no cost. Additional coverage may be purchased through payroll deduction.
For more information, visit the
DEFERRED COMPENSATION:
A deferred compensation program is available through the County 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan. For more information, visit the
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM:
The County o