LAKE LIFEGUARD SPECIALIST

Position/Program Information

DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION

LAKE LIFEGUARD SPECIALIST


We will be accepting online applications from April 22, 2026, at 8:00 am (PT) until May 6, 2026, at 5:00pm (PT)
Applications must be received BEFORE 5:00pm (PT) on May 5, 2026, to be accepted
Exam Number: D2949A

RECRUITMENT TYPE
We welcome applications from everyone.
Why work for us?
With more than 10 million residents, Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the nation! As the largest employer in Southern California, over 116,000 employees in more than 38 Departments, we provide vital public services as diverse as law enforcement, property assessment, public health protection, water conservation, cultural activities and many more.

We are dedicated professionals committed to preserving the dignity and integrity of the workplace as well as protecting the rights of each employee. The County has more than 2,300 different job descriptions, offering a lifetime of opportunities and careers! We offer a comprehensive benefits package. Join us and discover a rich selection of health care options, robust retirement plans and the flexibility to work, relax, and rejuvenate to reach your fullest personal and professional potential.

ABOUT THE JOB: You willprovide technical guidance to lake lifeguards across the lake and adjacent shoreline areas and performs in, or rotates among, various assignments such as launch ramp operations, beach lead lifeguard duties, and patrol boat operation.

Essential Job Functions

Provides technical direction to lifeguards engaged in controlling launch ramp traffic and responds to requests for assistance in resolving problems caused by recalcitrant or belligerent patrons, or any instances in which citations may be issued.

Serves as lead lifeguard in charge of a section of shoreline by giving technical direction to ensure proper performance of assigned lifeguards.

Deploys assigned lifeguards on a section of shoreline in appropriate locations according to crowd dispersion and hazards; requests additional lifeguards and reassigns or releases according to existing conditions.

Responds to major incidents in assigned area such as multiple rescues, serious injuries or unruly crowds; notifies supervisor of situation and directs or participates in initial corrective action.

Enforces lake ordinances prohibiting such activities as illegal fires, boats too close to shore, and drinking alcoholic beverages; cites persistent offenders, writes a narrative description and may testify in court as to facts of incidents.

Conducts on-the-job training of lifeguards in the techniques, procedures and skills of lifesaving, first aid, and patrol boat operations using departmental approved practices; evaluates capability of subordinate lifeguards and advises supervisor of the findings.

Operates a boat to patrol an assigned portion of, or an entire lake to enforce lake regulations and protect life and property by responding to emergency incidents.

Responds to distressed boats and directs crew member in extinguishing fires, righting and towing sinking boats and rescuing persons in the water; swims to shore, distressed boats, or victims in the water when knowledge or skill required there is beyond capability of crew member.

Directs crew members in the daily maintenance of the boat and in periodic sanding, painting and minor refitting of the boat; refers major repairs to specialists.

Maintains log book reporting all activities of the patrol, prepares maintenance records and writes a complete report of all major incidents for use in investigations or legal proceedings.

Engages in physical fitness program established by the department in order to maintain sufficient capability to perform lake lifesaving duties.

Requirements

REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY:
Graduation from high school or its equivalent -AND- 1000 hours experience as an ocean, pool, river or lake lifeguard, including experience in the operation of an inboard engine boat, and the ability to swim 1000 meters within 18 minutes in a pool environment.

Incumbents must have the physical strength, stamina and swimming skills to effect rescues in rough lake water conditions.

You must provide a legible copy of high school diploma or its equivalent at time of appointment.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:
Credit will be given to applicants who possess the following:

• Additional years of experience above the minimum 1000 hours or 2 years
• Rescue Boat operation experience
• Basic Scuba certification
• California Boater Card
• Rescue Diver Certification

PHYSICAL CLASS:
4 - Arduous- This class involves frequent heavy lifting over 25 pounds, often combined with bending, twisting, or working above ground on irregular surfaces. It includes those positions that occasionally demand extraordinary physical activity such as those in Safety positions.

WITHHOLD INFORMATION:
No withholds will be allowed for this examination. Required experience must be fully met and indicated on the application by the last day of filing.

OUT-OF -CLASS EXPERIENCE:
No out-of-class experience will be accepted for this examination.

LICENSE:
A valid California Class C Driver License is required.

Certification in open-water lifesaving* must be obtained before appointment from an agency authorized under the California Code Regulations, Health and Safety, Title 22, State First Aid Standards for Public Safety Personnel.

An EMT-1 Certificate of Completion must be obtained during the probationary period.

* To receive credit for your open-water lifesaving certificate, you must submit a legible copy at the time of filing or within 10 days of the filing end date.

If the certificate is not uploaded with your application, please email it as an attachment to sking@parks.lacounty.gov with the Subject line: "Lifeguard Specialist Cert" and include your full name in the email.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

Vision :
At least 20/30 in each eye without correction.

Hearing :
There may be no greater than a 25 dB loss in the better ear as averaged over the test frequencies of 500, 1000, and 3000 Hz. There may not be a peak loss at any of the test frequencies greater than:
30 dB at 500 Hz
30 dB at 1000 Hz
40 dB at 2000 Hz
40 dB at 3000 Hz

There may be no greater than a 35 dB loss in the worse ear as averaged over the test frequencies, and no peak loss greater than 45 dB at any of the test frequencies. In the case of a questionable, unusual, or borderline hearing loss, the applicant's record will be reviewed by the Occupational Health Service consultant in otolaryngology who will make a recommendation as to the applicant's employability and forward it to the Medical Director for final disposition.

Age :
At least 18 years of age. Proof of age will be verified at time of swim test.

Additional Information

Exam Content:
This examination will consist of two (2) parts:

PART I: This examination will consist of a 1,000-meter qualifying swim performance test. Candidates who complete the 1,000-meter swim test in 18 minutes or less will proceed to Part II of the examination. Only those candidates who pass the qualifying swim test will be eligible to proceed to Part II.

PART II: This examination will consist of TRAINING & EXPERIENCE: This assessment type will evaluate the training and experience you list on a questionnaire and assign a score based on a standardized scoring system. This part of the assessment is worth 100% of your total score and assesses professional/technical knowledge in boat operations, rescue diving, and scuba operations. Credit will be given for Desirable Qualifications (DQs). You will be asked to elaborate further on your related experience and training as it relates to the DQs.

You must meet the minimum requirements to compete in this exam. Upon meeting the requirements, y ou will be invited to schedule your appointment to take the swim test. Candidates must come prepared with bathing suit and towel to take the swim test.

DRUG TESTING:
Applicants for this position will be required to take and pass a urine drug screen as part of the pre-placement medical examination. The work week includes evenings, weekends and holidays.
Applicants MUST meet the requirements AND achieve the passing score of 70% or higher on each exam part to be placed on the eligible list.

ELIGIBILITY AND VACANCY INFORMATION:
Candidates who passed the assessment are placed on an eligible list in the order of their score group for a period of twelve (12) months. We will use this list to fill vacancies as they occur throughout Los Angeles County.

NOTE: We may use an alternate banding method in line with Civil Service Rules.

APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION:

We only accept applications filed online. Applications submitted by U.S. mail, fax, or in person are not accepted. Apply online by clicking on the "Apply" green button at the top right of this posting. This website can also be used to get application status updates.

Please fill out the application completely. Provide relevant job experience including employer's name and address, job title, beginning and ending dates, number of hours worked per week, and description of work performed.

We may verify information included in the application at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made. Falsification of information could result in refusal of application or rescission of appointment. Copying verbiage from the Requirements or class specification as your work experience will not be sufficient to demonstrate meeting the requirements. Doing so may result in an incomplete application and may lead to disqualification.

We will send notifications to the email address provided on the application, so it is important that you provide a valid email address. If you choose to unsubscribe or opt out from receiving our emails, it is possible to view notices by logging into governmentjobs.com and checking the profile inbox. It is every applicant's responsibility to take steps to view correspondence, and we will not consider claims of missing notices to be a valid reason for re-scheduling an exam part. Register the below domains as approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk mail.

• info@governmentjobs.com
• sking @parks.lacounty.gov

New email addresses need to be verified. This only needs to be done once per email address and can be done at any time by logging in to governmentjobs.com and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of the online application and to prevent incorrectly entered email addresses.

Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number, so include yours when applying.

For those who do not have access to a computer or the internet, we provide access to complete an application at public libraries throughout the county.

All applicants must file their application online using their own user ID and password. Using a family member's or friend's login information may erase a candidate's original application record.

___________________________________________________________________________
Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI):
The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. We are committed to promoting Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the inequalities and disparities amongst race. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.

Testing Accommodations Coordinator: sking @parks.lacounty.gov

Teletype Phone: (800) 897-0077

California Relay Services Phone:(800) 735-2922

Department Contact Name: Sharon King

Department Contact Phone:(626) 588-5111

Department Contact Email: sking @parks.lacounty.gov

For detailed information, please click here

Closing Date/Time: 5/6/2026 5:00 PM Pacific

• 

• Los Angeles County

• (800) 970-5478

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