Kayak Instructor (PRA 7)

TITLE/GRADE:  Park & Recreational Aide 7 (Kayak Instructor) 
SALARY HIRING RATE: $23.43 an hour
WORK LOCATION: Shirley Chisholm State Park 1750 Pennsylvania Ave, Brooklyn NY 11239
REGION: New York City 
NEGOTIATING UNIT: NU-03 CSEA 
JURISDICTIONAL CLASS: Labor Class
TYPE OF APPOINTMENT:   Seasonal (May 2024 to Oct 2024) 8-16 hours a week, afternoons, and weekends.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Under the supervision of the Environmental Educator 1 and the Deputy Park Director, the kayak instructor will:

• Lead kayak programs from the Penn Water Access Area, including Learn-to Kayak, Sunset Paddles, and Kayak Tours of Jamaica Bay.
  • Teach visitors the essentials of paddling and water safety.
  • Check-in, outfit, launch and land paddlers.
  • Deliver a fun experience while adapting to tidal currents, weather, and marine traffic.
• Set up and care for boats and gear, help maintain inventory of equipment.
• Assist in supervising and teaching summer seasonal educators and Student Conservation Association members paddling safety, and technical skills.
• Provide occasional support at other recreational programs, including the Shirley Chisholm State Park Bike Library or public Learn-to-Fish programs.
• Perform in field work to support stewardship and park operations as needed; provide excellent customer service to patrons by answering questions and disseminating information.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• At least one year of on-water guiding experience.
• CPR and First Aid certs or willing to obtain them.
• Level 2 ACA or BCU kayaking certs.
• Must be able to perform medium to heavy physical labor; must be able to lift at least 30+ pounds to move boats.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Excellent communication skills
• Experience working with variety of age groups and skill levels.

OPERATIONAL NEEDS:

• Applicants must be willing to work outdoors and, in all weather, conditions.
• Applicants must be available to work a varied schedule, including weekends, holidays, and nights. The schedule will be varied and set at the beginning of the paddling season with applicants’ availability in mind.
• Applicants must have excellent communication skills and be willing and able to speak publicly to diverse audiences.
• Applicants must possess strong organizational skills and the ability to work independently.
• Applicants must enjoy working with people of all ages and backgrounds.
• Applicants must have experience in or demonstrate willingness to learn about, ecology in Jamaica Bay and Shirley Chisholm State Parks history.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license that allows the candidate to legally operate a motor vehicle in New York State.

TO APPLY:
If you feel you meet the minimum qualifications and the agency’s operating needs, and are interested in being considered for this vacancy, you can obtain an Employment Application from your local park office, your region’s administrative headquarters or you can download an application from the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation by visiting the website below: https://parks.ny.gov/documents/employment/FillableUpdatedParksEmployeeApplicationS1000Part1NYC.pdf.
You can email your application, cover letter and resume to nycvacancies@parks.ny.gov.
All qualified persons are invited and encouraged to apply.
It is the responsibility of each applicant to accurately describe their experience and demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualifications and agency operating needs.

POSTING DATE: 04/08/2024 APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED UNTIL: 05/14/2024.