Lead Park Ranger Aide - Naturalist Aide
Opening date: August 6, 2026
Closing date: When filled
Salary: $18.00 per hour
Location: Snow Canyon State Park, Ivins UT (In-person)
Time frame: September 2026 through May 2027
Part Time: 32 hours per week (Tuesday - Saturday)
Positions available: 1
Housing: Not provided
Benefits: This is a seasonal position and does not qualify for state benefits such as health insurance, retirement, etc.
Qualifications
- Valid drivers license
- Background in outdoor recreation, education, interpretation, biology, geology, and/or public speaking (Bachelor's degree preferred).
- Experience working with money, counting cash, and/or handling transactions.
Park and Job Details
Snow Canyon State Park is situated on the western edge of the Greater Zion area in Ivins, Utah. This desert park has a high level of biodiversity, extraordinary geological formations, and phenomenal dark skies.
With its proximity to St. George and the surrounding communities, the park is a fantastic outdoor classroom for local youth. In 2025, over 2,500 elementary school children visited Snow Canyon on a ranger-guided field trip.
The Lead Park Ranger Aide will be working directly with the Park Naturalist in Snow Canyon’s education program. They will spend most of their time presenting lessons for local K-6 school groups. As a secondary responsibility, the person hired for this position will develop and guide interpretive hikes for the general public and assist at the visitor center desk. A specialty project of your choosing will also be planned and executed throughout your season.
Duties
Education
- Teach lessons based on Utah SEEd Standards, core-curriculum, and/or age-specific outdoor education lessons during seated and guided hikes.
- Educate students on basic outdoor recreation concepts such as Leave No Trace principles.
- Research and update curriculum based programs.
Interpretation
- Develop and deliver formal programs and guided hikes.
- Assist with writing and creating social media posts for the park’s Instagram account.
- Rove trails to clean up trash/vandalism, survey and maintain interpretive signs, and interact with visitors.
- Assist the Park Naturalist during other public events, including outreach.
Visitor Center
- Provide information at the visitor center desk for a diverse audience.
- Process retail sales on bookstore items, day-use and annual passes, and phone-in payments.
- Register incoming campers and provide campground specific information.
Specialty Project
- Design, research, and develop a specialty project during your season. This project is used to help grow your skills and knowledge, as well as improve the park/visitor experience.
Other projects as assigned
Skills
- Interpersonal Skills
- Ability to interact and communicate with park visitors with diverse backgrounds including children
- Comfortable with public speaking and managing large groups of people;
- Collaborate and communicate with other staff members and volunteers.
- Computer Skills
- Familiarity with data entry including Google Drive, Sheets, Docs, and other data processing programs
- Strong writing, typing, research, and organizational skills
Requirements:
- Applicant must be 18-years or older
- Applicant must pass a background check.
- Applicant must have a valid drivers license; able to operate vehicles, off-highway vehicles, or golf carts.
- Applicant must work 4 - 5 days per week, Tuesday through Saturday. Some evenings or holidays may be required.
- Applicant must be willing to work in conditions that require hiking up to 3-miles roundtrip; long periods of standing; recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, lifting, or similar activities. Conditions also include working in a remote, outdoor desert setting with exposure to variable weather conditions including heat, cold, sun, wind, and rain.
- Applicant must complete required state and agency training within the first weeks of employment: Defensive driving, security awareness, PCI security awareness, workplace harassment, and abusive conduct prevention training, etc.
- Applicant must provide their own computer to use for research and writing.
Other
Cell phone service and internet connectivity are very limited within the park.
How to Apply
Interested applicants must submit their resume and seasonal application (https://naturalresources.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/Seasonal-Job-Application.pdf) to the following: [email protected] (subject: Job application). Questions can be directed to the individual above by e-mail.
Job Types: Part-time, Seasonal
Pay: $18.00 per hour
Benefits:
Education:
License/Certification:
- Driver's License (Required)
- CPR Certification/First Aid (Preferred)
Ability to Commute:
- Ivins, UT 84738 (Required)
Ability to Relocate:
- Ivins, UT 84738: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person
