Review Vacancy
AgencyParks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, Office of
TitleParks and Recreation Aide 6-7 (Regional Trails Project Leader - Saratoga Region)
Occupational CategorySkilled Craft, Apprenticeship, Maintenance
Bargaining UnitOSU - Operational Services Unit (CSEA)
Salary RangeFrom $22.54 to $25.21 Hourly
"Other" Explanation This position is a 40 hour/week Monday–Friday, all year-round long-term seasonal position with NYS OPRHP. Typical workday will be 8:00am – 4:30pm, with a 30-minute lunch. There is opportunity to adjust schedules to 7:00am – 3:30pm, as well as 4 10hour workdays on a limited basis with prior approval. Start date of this position is January 7th, 2027, but remains flexible & candidate dependent.
Workday
Duties Description The Regional Trails Project Leader will assist the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) in the enhancement of its extensive network of over 228 miles of trails within the Saratoga Capital Region. The Saratoga Capital region includes parks, historic sites, campgrounds, boat launches, preserves, and more 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 orders, trail initiatives, and general operational needs. The successful candidate will possess strong attentiveness to details, critical thinking skills for problem solving, a drive to be organized for balancing multiple things at once and a team-oriented mentality. This position will predominantly perform field work with routine opportunities for office work, though the ratio is flexible dependent on the workplace needs and the candidate’s skill sets.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
• Assisting with the recruitment and training of trail technicians, and other department staff
• Supervising and leading regional trail technicians during the field season (April-October) and off-season (November-March) on trail projects, trail maintenance work orders, trail initiatives, and general facility & grounds maintenance
• 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, hand tool usage, power tools, and rigging equipment
• Leading trail initiatives assigned to you that involve promotion, development, and management of trails, trail infrastructure, trail resources, and trail features across the region
• Performing & supervising routine inventorying, servicing, and maintenance of trail operational tools, gear, equipment, vehicles, and facilities & grounds
• For staff under your supervision; reviewing, approving, and submitting their timesheets for every pay period, facilitating time off requests, completing seasonal progress reports, enforcing appropriate PPE use for the right task, and working with the regional trails specialist for onboarding & offboarding needs
• Maintaining a clean, organized, productive, and professional workspace in the office, workshop, vehicles, project sites, and project staging areas
• Tracking, capturing, and reporting progress of trail projects, trail maintenance work orders, and trail initiatives assigned to you to the regional trails specialist on a routine basis
• Filling out completed trail projects forms & completed trail maintenance work orders forms for assigned projects, work orders, and initiatives
• Working with the regional trails specialist on various tasks including-field planning, data collection (photos, GPS tracks, field maps use), layout and design work for; assigned projects, work orders and initiatives; office needs; writing project narratives, State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR); response plans and job hazard assessments for project sites, developing alternative inclement weather & different season assignments for staff; project planning and operations.
Minimum Qualifications No minimum qualifications per Civil Service.
See Additional Comments section for operating needs.
Additional Comments OPERATING NEEDS:
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license that allows the candidate to legally operate a motor vehicle in New York State as a term and condition of employment.
• Comfortable and physically able to work on uneven and steep terrain, carrying and moving tools, materials, and equipment up to 50lbs or more.
• Ability to operate and perform routine maintenance on a variety of power tools; chainsaws, pole saws, demo saws, cordless tools, generators, backpack blowers, weedwhackers, rotary hammer drills, grinders, air compressors.
• Experience rigging equipment, compact mechanized equipment; Mini excavators, tractors, stand on loaders, vibratory rollers, material crawlers, etc..
• Experience with a variety of hand tools; pick mattocks, rouge hoes, shovels, rakes, rock bars, stone busters, loppers, double jacks, etc..
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:
• At least one year of experience performing and supervising people that were performing new trail construction projects and existing trail maintenance tasks which includes; construction & restoration of trail tread, drainage structures, dry stone structures such as staircases & retaining walls, signage installation, carpentry of trail bridges & boardwalks,
• At least one year of experience using hand tools, power tools, compact equipment operation and performing/troubleshooting basic maintenance
• Working knowledge of both modern and traditional sustainable trail building techniques
• Demonstrates leadership, communication, time management, organization and problem-solving
This position is eligible to receive certifications for the following but not limited to:
• CPR/First Aid
• NYS OPRHP Safety Operators Training for mini-excavator, vibratory roller, tractor, skid steer, UTV, Woodchipper, Fall Protection, and Equipment Trailering/Load Securement
• NYS OPRHP Sawyer Certification level 1, 2, and 3
BENEFITS:
This position has the option to join the NYS Employee’s Retirement System and may be 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.
Email Address Philip.Corney@parks.ny.gov
Address
Street Saratoga Spa State Park
19 Roosevelt Drive
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 download an application from the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation website at www.parks.ny.gov/employment.
Please submit your cover letter, resume and employment application via email to: Philip.Corney@parks.ny.gov with the subject line indicating your "First name, last name, and Regional Trails Project Leader Application"
It is the responsibility of each applicant to accurately describe their experience and demonstrate that they meet the agency’s operating needs.
Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. The NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer committed to ensuring equal opportunity for persons with disabilities and workplace diversity.
New York State (NYS) is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. NYS Law prohibits discrimination because of age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, disability, predisposing genetic characteristics, marital status, domestic violence victim status, carrier status, gender identity or prior conviction records, or prior arrests, youthful offender adjudications or sealed records unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.
Executive Order 31 commits New York State government to becoming a model employer for people with disabilities, increasing the participation of people with disabilities in state service, and ensuring equal access to opportunities. OPRHP encourages people with disabilities to apply. We provide reasonable and religious accommodations for any part of the application and hiring process. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please send a request to the Equal Opportunity Unit at ReasonableAccommodation@parks.ny.gov or (518) 486-7754.
Please be advised that New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation does not use E-Verify and does not offer sponsorship for employment visas statuses (i.e. H-1B, Self-Sponsorship, STEM OPT). Candidates sponsored for employment by an organization should be aware of their sponsorship status and the relevant expiration date(s) of that sponsorship before applying to this position.