Recreation Ranger

State of Montana • Missoula, MT

1d

About The Position

THE OUTSIDE IS IN US ALL. Please remember to attach the required documents Cover Letter, Resume and References listed in this announcement. Applications missing the requested documents will be considered incomplete and may not progress further in the process. Documents not requested will not be considered in the recruitment process. The State Application is not a substitute for a Resume. This position closes at 11:59 PM Mountain Time on March 8, 2026.
Special Information:
Identity of applicants who become finalists may be released to the public if the Department deems it necessary. Employees who exceed 1,040 hours in a calendar year are also provided health, dental and life insurance. Other benefits include retirement, paid vacation, sick and holidays. This position may be covered by a VEBA (Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association).
A successful applicant will be subject to a background investigation.
Women and minorities are under-represented in this job category and are encouraged to apply.
Incumbent must be able to work outdoors under adverse weather conditions and irregular hours. This work may be accomplished without immediate supervision. The incumbent must be in good overall physical condition to withstand the rigors and demands of outdoor work. The incumbent must be willing to work in various locations, conditions and hours. Weekend, holiday and evening work is common and expected. Incumbent may travel out of the region on occasion.
The Lower Clark Fork District comprises Three state parks (Council Grove, Frenchtown Pond and Fish Creek), the Alberton Gorge Restricted Use River Permit System, 21 fishing access sites, including the sites along the Alberton Gorge Recreation Corridor, and the 35,000-acre Fish Creek Wildlife Management Area. The district spans the Clark Fork River from Missoula to St. Regis. This position is based out of the FWP Region 2 office in Missoula, Montana, the state’s second largest urban area and home to the University of Montana. Missoula has a lively cultural scene and great recreational access to nearby public lands and rivers.
The Ranger is supervised by the Recreation Manager. In the absence of the Recreation Manager, the incumbent may be assigned acting Recreation Manager responsibilities. A Ranger may be assigned to multiple geographic units or be called upon to assist with, collaborate on, or share operational functions of another geographic unit as circumstances require. Duties for this position are performed in office and field settings in all seasons. Duties require considerable public contact, sometimes under stressful conditions.
The Recreation Ranger is a lead staffer within a geographic unit of State Parks, Fishing Access Sites, and river corridors who assists the unit’s Recreation Manager with non-maintenance operations at the sites for the purpose of providing administrative, operational, recreation, visitor use, natural, cultural, and historical resource management. The Ranger provides resource stewardship in a proactive manner, providing recommendations to the Recreation Manager based on observations of visitors, staff, volunteers, and the resource conditions. This position provides essential services and addresses tasks as they arise, such as visitor contacts, rule compliance, fee collection and remittance, interpretation and education, and other duties as assigned. These may include assisting with special and commercial use permitting and compliance; assisting with or leading public meetings and presentations; assisting with identifying and applying for grant and other financial opportunities, oversight of personal service contracts, and other agreements. The Ranger acts as a lead worker when supervising or directing seasonal employees and volunteers. This includes assisting with recruitment, training, and evaluation of assigned staff.

Requirements

• Incumbent must be able to work outdoors under adverse weather conditions and irregular hours.
• This work may be accomplished without immediate supervision.
• The incumbent must be in good overall physical condition to withstand the rigors and demands of outdoor work.
• The incumbent must be willing to work in various locations, conditions and hours.
• Weekend, holiday and evening work is common and expected.
• Incumbent may travel out of the region on occasion.
• The knowledge, skills, and abilities of this position are normally attained through a combination of education and experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in park and or recreation management, archeology, geology, or related fields.
• Other combinations of education and experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Responsibilities

• assists the unit’s Recreation Manager with non-maintenance operations at the sites for the purpose of providing administrative, operational, recreation, visitor use, natural, cultural, and historical resource management
• provides resource stewardship in a proactive manner, providing recommendations to the Recreation Manager based on observations of visitors, staff, volunteers, and the resource conditions
• visitor contacts
• rule compliance
• fee collection and remittance
• interpretation and education
• assisting with special and commercial use permitting and compliance
• assisting with or leading public meetings and presentations
• assisting with identifying and applying for grant and other financial opportunities, oversight of personal service contracts, and other agreements
• supervising or directing seasonal employees and volunteers
• assisting with recruitment, training, and evaluation of assigned staff

Benefits

• health insurance
• dental insurance
• life insurance
• retirement
• paid vacation
• sick
• holidays

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level