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Recreation Assistant (Senior Lifeguard)

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Recreation Assistant (Senior Lifeguard)

Salary

$21.85 - $26.57 Hourly

Location

Carlsbad, CA

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

04162026

Department

Parks & Recreation

Opening Date

04/16/2026

Closing Date

12/31/2026 5:00 PM Pacific

• Description

• Benefits

• Questions

The Position

Carlsbad – The Community

The City of Carlsbad is ideally situated in north San Diego County where a great climate, beautiful beaches and lagoons, and abundant natural open space combine with world-class resorts, family attractions, well planned neighborhoods, excellent schools, and a charming village atmosphere to create the ideal California experience. Covering nearly 40 square miles, the City of Carlsbad is currently home to about 115,000 residents. The city sets the standard for high-quality local government services and is home to corporate headquarters in technology, life sciences and action sports, supported by a thriving tourism market and nearly 40 percent preserved open space. Thanks to an award-winning growth management plan, the city's infrastructure and services keep pace with development and promote an excellent quality of life.

You belong in Carlsbad: The City of Carlsbad embraces and recognizes the vital relationship of an inclusive, engaged work environment and innovative excellence. An equitable and inclusive work climate comprises personal experiences, values, and views shaped from differences of culture and circumstance. Our organization appreciates belonging, creativity, recognition and retention of its employees and is committed to hiring and developing motivated, productive and talented employees who provide services and enhance our quality of life. We work to embrace open and equitable access to opportunities for learning and development as our responsibility and goal.

The Department: The Parks & Recreation Department of the Community Services Branch provides leadership, planning, and administrative services to help develop and sustain quality parks and recreation programs. The department offers a wide range of programs and services for youth and adult sports, instructional classes, camps, aquatics, preschool, teens, seniors and special events. The department operates and maintains four community centers, a senior center, two aquatic centers, two historic sites, 13 community parks/school fields, two dog parks, two skate parks, 28 special use areas/neighborhood parks, 12 facility landscapes, 10 beach accesses, 43 miles of trails, 715 acres of habitat preserves and natural open space, all city-wide street trees, 71 acres of future parkland, all city street trees, 68 acres of street median planters and 9 acres of street parkways. The department is a leading provider of world-class projects, programs, events that strengthen and build community connectivity and has a robust Capital Improvement Program, which includes projects for parks' retrofits, infills, and new developments.

The Position: Under general supervision, the Recreation Assistant (Senior Lifeguard) will provide full-time senior instructor and lifeguard services to the city aquatic facilities, overseeing swimming pool programs, activities, and guests. This includes providing aquatic instruction, enforcing pool rules, regulations, policies, and ensuring guest compliance. The role also involves training and providing direction to part-time lifeguards, as well as performing other related duties as assigned.

Only qualified applicants will advance to an "in-water skills test" and upon successful completion, continue with an oral interview.

The in-water skills test includes:

• 100-meter swim (1:40 minutes or less)

• Swim 25 yards, retrieve a 10lb brick, swim 25 yards, and exit the pool

• 5-minute water tread while holding a 10lb brick

• Passive submerged victim rescue (14ft depth) with removal

• Adult CPR

Key Responsibilities

Assist in planning, coordinating and monitoring of aquatic facility operations and programs, ensuring the safety of all swimmers

Provide lifeguard services and actively monitor swimming pool activities to maintain a safe, healthy and controlled environment for guests

Administer artificial respiration or first aid as needed, perform CPR or first aid in emergency situations, rescue individuals in distress, and monitor pool activities in line with established guidelines, policies, and procedures

Inspect swimming pools to ensure safe and proper operating condition; conduct chemical tests on pool water and apply chemicals as appropriate to maintain proper pH and chemistry levels. Mix chemicals according to established specifications and safety requirements under the guidance of the Aquatic Maintenance Supervisor, following established protocols, specifications, and safety requirements

Maintain facility cleanliness and ensure the proper use and storage of pool equipment as designated by the Aquatic Maintenance Supervisor

Enforce and ensure guest compliance with pool rules, regulations, and policies; report incidents and behavioral issues to the appropriate authority

Train and provide work direction and guidance to assigned personnel; assist with interviewing, selecting and scheduling employees; provide input concerning transfers, reassignments, terminations and disciplinary action

Assist in preparing swimming pools and surrounding areas for aquatic activities

Assist in planning, organizing and implementing programs and activities including classes and events as assigned

Attend and participate in staff meetings related to operations and assigned program activities

Provide assistance in customer service to resolve disputes between guests and address guest concerns related to program activities

Perform other related duties as assigned

Qualifications

To perform a job in this classification, an individual must be able to perform the essential duties as generally described in the specification. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties in a specific job. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.

Knowledge of:

• Philosophy, principles and practices of aquatic recreation programs.

• First aid, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and water rescue and lifeguarding methods, practices and techniques.

• Health and safety codes, standards and policy related to pool operations.

• Procedures of pool use and basic pool equipment operation and maintenance.

• City of Carlsbad policies, rules related to recreational programs, lifeguarding and general administrative practices and procedures.

• Basic instruction and coaching techniques.

• Basic supervisory practices.

Ability to:

• Swim with proficiency and endurance and perform necessary water rescue activities.

• Perform first aid and CPR as necessary.

• Analyze situations and adapt quick to provide effective courses of action.

• Organize, supervise, coordinate, implement, and evaluate aquatic recreational programs.

• Provide necessary administrative support in record keeping and reporting as assignment requires.

• Communicate clearly and concisely, orally and in writing.

• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Experience & Education

Any combination equivalent to the experience and education that could likely provide the required knowledge and abilities would qualify. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

• High school diploma or G.E.D

• 3+ years experience, with increasing responsibility in the aquatic field

• Experience in instructing all levels of the American Red Cross Learn to Swim and water safety program or equivalent

• Experience in supervising a staff of five or more lifeguards or aquatic staff, desirable

• Lifeguard Instructor (LGI) certified, with experience teaching Lifeguard courses, desirable

• Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO) or Certified Pool Operator (CPO) certificate, desirable

Required/License or Certificate:

Failure to attach proof of valid certifications will disqualify application

• Possession of a valid Class C California Driver's License and verification of insurability.

• American Red Cross, YMCA of USA, USLA or equivalent Lifeguard/First Aid

• CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer

• First Aid for Public Safety Personnel (Title 22), or equivalent

• Oxygen Administration

• Ability to obtain American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor (WSI) and Lifeguard Instructor (LGI) certifications within six (6) months of hire

Highly Desired Certificate:

• American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor (WSI), or equivalent

• American Red Cross Lifeguard Instructor (LGI)

• Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

• Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO) or Certified Pool Operator (CPO)

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

The pool is an outdoor facility exposed to all types of weather conditions. The hours of pool operation vary with the seasons, but typically the shifts at the aquatic facilities start as early as 5:00 am and ending as late as 10:00 pm on weekdays, and starting as early as 6:00 am and ending as late as 10:00 pm on weekends on a year-round basis.

Incumbents frequently are required to physically exert themselves during the course of rescue, instruction or other required activities, and are involved in lifting and moving moderately heavy pool equipment, or materials during the course of duties assigned. Incumbents must attend off-site meetings from time to time and be available to travel to other aquatic facilities in the course of work.

We encourage you to fill out a Job Interest Card (https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/carlsbad/jobInterestCards/categories) to be notified of new positions in your area of interest as soon as they post.

*Qualified applicants will be notified only if they are selected for the interview process.

• Medical Insurance

• Dental Insurance

• Vision Insurance

• Flexible Spending Account

• Life Insurance

• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance

• Retirement under the CalPERS program, 2% @ 62 formula, Classic Members (those who are enrolled in CalPERS at another local agency) have the 2% @ 60 formula

• Bilingual Pay

• Holidays - 11 scheduled

• Floating Holiday- 2

• Paid vacation

• Computer purchase loan

• Tuition reimbursement

A detailed list of our benefits can be found here: Carlsbad Benefits (https://www.carlsbadca.gov/departments/human-resources/compensation/full-time-benefits)

Additional CalPERS information can be found here: CalPERS (https://www.calpers.ca.gov/page/about/laws-legislation-regulations/public-employees-pension-reform-act)

01

Initial in the box below that you acknowledge "see application" and "see resume" are not valid responses to the questions below.

02

Are you willing and able to meet the special conditions and skill requirements of the position? If yes, type your initials in the space below. If no, type N/A in the space below. I understand that the skills test for this position may require severe physical exertion. In consideration of my being permitted to take the physical skills test for this Aquatic position, I hereby waive and release all actions, damages, and demands of any nature whatsoever for any injury to my person or property which I might have against the City of Carlsbad or any employee or agent thereof occasioned as the result of said examination.

03

Which of the following certifications do you possess?

• Lifeguard Training

• CPR/AED

• Title 22 First Aid

• Water Safety Instructor

• Lifeguard Training Instructor (LGI)

• Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO) or Certified Pool Operator (CPO)

• None of the above

04

Any certificate(s) you claim to have from the previous question MUST be attached to your application. Failure to attach the required documentation will result in an incomplete application and may disqualify you from the recruitment process. Type your initials in the space below indicating your acknowledgement:

05

How many years of experience do you have as a lifeguard?

• None

• Less than 1 year

• 1 year but less than 2

• 2 years but less than 3

• 3 years or more

06

Are you able to work evenings, weekends and holidays?

• Yes

• No

07

Please let us know about your work availability. Select all that apply:

• Monday - Friday 5:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

• Monday - Friday 1:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

• Saturday 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

• Sunday 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

08

Are you currently a City of Carlsbad employee?

• Yes

• No

09

I have attached (at a minimum) the following current certificates to my application: -CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer (CPR-FPR) -Lifeguard Training -Water Safety Instructor

• Yes, I have attached my certificates

• No

Required Question

Employer

Carlsbad, City of (CA)

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