park ranger

park manager

law enforcement officer

office manager

management assistant

Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

I worked with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) at Virginia State Parks for a summer internship. My duties varied from day to day, however, I was tasked to write various blog posts and press releases for the First Landing State Park website. The internship was incredibly fulfilling as I've experienced a professional workplace, the inner workings of websites, publishing, photography, and so on. Mostly, I worked alongside my supervisor and saw what is required of PR. The most enjoyable part of my job as an intern was seeing how things work "behind the scenes." The blog posts, newspapers, contests, events, etc. all have extremely detailed scheduling; it was very good insight to a professional career.

What is the best part of working at the company?
I love being outside and interacting with the public. For the most part, when people come to state parks, they’re already in a better mood than when they visit other establishments. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The slow season. It can feel dead in the wintertime when we have a minimal amount of guests. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
There’s a willingness to help other departments to make things work. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Prime season: interacting with guests, answering a variety of questions, making suggestions to improve their visit by pointing out trails or historical aspects of the park or recommending restaurants and attractions to visit while they’re in town.

Don't waste your time trying to make a career in this agency. Only way to make a semi comfortable living is to start in a part time position and fight for one of the few full time positions... and then you realize even the full-timers are miserable and looking for a way out. Disconnect between "leaders" in Richmond  and field employees is unbelievable. Director is a figurehead that doesn't care about you. Chief of law enforcement is a psychopath. If you are looking for a job in the environmental field any option is better than DCR.

To be honest it is almost like the company is doing everything in their power to disenfranchise their wage employees. No benefits, no paid time off, forced to buy out of pocket insurance, no overtime options, no paid time off, no maternal leave, and overworked working conditions. HR is tone deaf and refuses to accept that young employees leave because the company does not offer them real benefits. They don't want bus passes, they want healthcare.

Very hard to move up in department. Pay raises come far and few between. The job is a blast and incredibly rewarding in terms of personal growth. Making connections internally and looks great on a resume is the best benefit, not the pay or lack of benefits. 

The people saying it's getting better are the same ones that through their colleagues under the bus and dont know how to do their jobs but get offered full time positions anyway. That's basically it. It's all about who you know, so if you're friends with the head of HR, then you're set.

Amazing people who love what they do. Training is thorough to help you get on board quickly. Workplace culture was extremely healthy and productive.  

The company has a great community to work with. Everyone I've worked with there has had a passion for protecting nature and making it accessible and enjoyable for all.

Great place to work with great benefits and pay.  Hard to gain full time employment.  Gained a lot of experience and made a lot of good connections.

Interesting agency to learn about nature. Fun outdoor parks they are family oriented.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Park ranger 43 salaries reported	$51,118 per year
Park manager 7 salaries reported	$67,467 per year
Law enforcement officer 5 salaries reported	$62,426 per year
Office manager 5 salaries reported	$59,108 per year
Management assistant 2 salaries reported	$23.50 per hour

Working at Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation: Company Overview and Reviews

Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

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