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Review Vacancy

Date Posted 06/16/26

Applications Due06/30/26

Vacancy ID218145

NY HELPNo

AgencyParks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, Office of

TitlePark & Recreation Specialist 1 (Regional Trails Specialist)

Occupational CategoryOther Professional Careers

Salary GradeHourly

Bargaining UnitPS&T - Professional, Scientific, and Technical (PEF)

Salary RangeFrom $25.74 to $25.74 Hourly

Employment Type Full-Time

Appointment Type Temporary

Jurisdictional Class Non-competitive Class

Travel Percentage 50%

Workweek Other (see below)

"Other" Explanation Variable schedule: 8am to 4:30pm or 7:00am to 3:30pm. Schedule will be discussed at interview.

Hours Per Week 40

Workday

From 8 AM

To 4:30 PM

Flextime allowed? No

Mandatory overtime? No

Compressed workweek allowed? No

Telecommuting allowed? No

County Saratoga

Street Address Saratoga Spa State Park

Regional Administration Building

City Saratoga Springs

StateNY

Zip Code12866

Duties Description The Regional Trails Specialist is a full-time year-round, long-term seasonal position that will assist the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) in the maintenance of its extensive network of trails. This position will work throughout the Saratoga Capital Region of New York State Parks, which includes parks and historic sites across Albany, Saratoga, Schenectady, Fulton, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Washington, Schoharie, Greene, Columbia, and Essex Counties. The Saratoga Capital Region offers an exciting mix of history, culture, sports and performing arts all surrounded by the tranquil beauty of its forests, lakes, mountains, and farms.

This position will have opportunities to work at more than a dozen state parks and historic sites with a wide range of responsibilities and opportunities to get engaged in the workplace. The successful candidate will supervise and lead regional trail staff on assigned trail projects, trail maintenance work order, trail initiatives, and operational needs. This position is predominantly performing field work with routine opportunities for office work, though the ratio is flexible dependent on the workplace needs and the candidate.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
• Recruiting, training, supervising, and leading regional trail technicians and/or crew leaders for both field season and off-season projects, maintenance work orders, and general trail initiatives
• Leading field projects that are both new construction and maintenance; that involve technical rock work, signage installation, tread & drainage improvements, carpentry of dimensional lumber, compact equipment operation, and rigging
• Supervising the inventorying, servicing, and usage of trail operational tools, gear, equipment, vehicles, and facility space
• Reviewing and approving timesheets every pay period for the trail technician(s) and crew leader(s) hours worked, while also facilitating time off requests for those staff
• Maintaining a clean, organized, and productive workspace for office space, workshop space, vehicles, project sites, and staging sites.
• Tracking progress of trail projects & trail maintenance work orders, recording completed work by the trail staff under their supervision
• Supporting team promotional materials by taking pictures of staff working on projects, before & after pictures of trail work, group photos, reviewing and providing feedback to the development of posters, banners, flyers, videos, newsletters, press releases, summaries etc.…
• Responsible for facilitating response plans and job hazard assessments for project sites, developing alternative inclement weather & different season assignments for staff, and enforcing appropriate PPE use by trail staff under their supervision
• Working closely with the Regional Trails Manager on regional & agency trail priorities, trail initiatives and recreational trail development

Minimum Qualifications One year of experience in maintenance, construction, landscaping, business operations, park operations, or in an organized recreation program.

Additional Comments PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Working knowledge of both modern and traditional sustainable trail building techniques.
• Experience with leadership, communication, time management and problem-solving.
• Experience with recruiting, interviewing, and training.
• Experience with rigging setups, rigging equipment use, and rigging equipment maintenance.
• Experience with chainsaws, pole saws, and demo saws.
• Experience with field maps data collection and trail map orientating.
• A degree in Natural Resource Management, Forestry Management, Environmental Engineering, Recreation Management, or similar field.
• At least one year of experience supervising trail work, trail projects and/or trail crews.
• At least one year of experience preforming trail work that includes sustainable trail construction, trail tread and drainage improvements, building & working with stone to create staircases/crib walls/retaining walls/ etc., trail corridor maintenance, and signage installation.
• At least one year of experience using hand tools, power tools, compact equipment operation and performing/troubleshooting basic tool maintenance.


OPERATIONAL NEEDS:
• Candidate must possess a strong attentiveness to detail, critical thinking skills for problem solving, have a strong understanding for safety, and initiative to collaborate with the Regional Trails Manager on region-wide trail development.
• Candidate must be able to work on uneven and steep terrain, carrying and moving tools, materials, and equipment up to 50lbs or more.

BENEFITS:
This position has the option to join the NYS Employee’s Retirement System and is eligible for health insurance, dental and vision coverage. There is opportunity for paid time off in the form of vacation, sick, personal and holiday leave after time & service requirements has been met.

Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.

Name Philip Corney

Telephone (518) 801-2406 / (518) 584-2000 EXT 232.

Fax

Email Address Philip.Corney@parks.ny.gov

Address

Street Saratoga

City Saratoga Springs

State NY

Zip Code 12866

 

Notes on ApplyingIf you feel you meet 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 website at:

FillableUpdatedParksEmployeeApplicationS1000Part1Saratoga.pdf

Please forward your application, resume, and 3 professional references in a single PDF document to: Philip.Corney@parks.ny.gov

Please insert the words "Regional Trails Specialist Application" in the subject line. For any questions regarding the position please reach out to Philip J. Corney by email at Philip.Corney@parks.ny.gov and/or by phone at (518) 801-2406 / (518) 584-2000 EXT 232.

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 agency’s operating needs.

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