Well-known for its warm weather tubing, Ichetucknee Springs State Park is a 2,669-acre wildlife haven where beaver, otter, gar, softshell turtle, wild turkey, wood duck and limpkin all find a home. We are looking for summer volunteers who want to be part of a team that makes us Florida's #1 State Park for a third year in a row. We have openings forJune through September calling your name!

POSITION DESCRIPTION & EXPECTATIONS

Summer is our busy season and boy do people love our park. Resident volunteers during this time relieve our rangers of certain kinds of duties so that they can focus on keeping visitors safe and protecting the park. Generally, these volunteers' duties will be to assist with closing of the park. Our park does not have a campground, but many of the duties will overlap. This will include keeping bathrooms (including their toilets) clean, mopping, emptying trash, picking up litter, blowing leaves off the parking areas, and overall tidiness of the visitor-use areas. Volunteers will also brush coals out of grills, power wash as needed, and scrub algae off of spring/river access stairs. These volunteers should be comfortable with enforcing compliance of policies at the springs in between their other responsibilities. This would include reminding people of our pet-policy, making sure people are not using tubes in the swimming area, answering questions, and over all being a friendly face for our visitors. Of course, staff are always the go to for difficult situations.

Weather this time of year is hot and sticky. Mosquitos & gnats are rare but ticks are common if you walk through overgrown grass or brush (which should be a rare occurrence). The park is situated in a rural community, with larger towns surrounding us in most directions. However, don't let the heat scare you away. This is the best time to meet people from all over the world and people who have been coming for decades. Its a beautiful river, cold springs, and truly a beloved park.

A successful volunteer in this position is friendly and gets a giggle from even the kookiest visitors. They are adaptable, patient with the public, and open-minded. This volunteer would be comfortable being alone for long periods of time, but will not hesitate to report safety issues to the staff. They take the use of personal personal equipment (PPE) and hold themselves to a high standard of professionalism. They are unafraid to take initiative, but will always communicate with staff before starting any assigned projects.

SCHEDULING REQUIREMENTS

Park residents are required to contribute 24 hours per week per campsite (can be split among others on the site) to receive the free RV site.

Usually, 3 to 4 days per week from 2:00 PM to 8:30 PM. However, needs may vary as park closing times change. Our park is day-use only and does not have a campground, so night shift will never be expected.

1-4 Month commitment for no more than 16 weeks at a park in a 12-month period starting at first day of occupancy. At our park, we prefer resident volunteers who are able to commit to at least two months so that we may make the most of your time and training. However, we may be open to one month stays in special circumstances.

REQUIRED SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Pass a National and Florida sexual predator check
• Ability to stand, walk, and frequently bend over for long periods
• Ability to lift and move at least 20 lbs
• Knowledge of different cleaning products and tools
• Time-management and multitasking abilities
• Organization skills
• Good verbal communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work with minimal supervision
• A willingness and desire to help others, customer service experience, excellent communication skills with the ability to speak and to interact with visitors in a friendly manner.
• Follow verbal and written instructions.
• Perform preventative and corrective maintenance on park equipment and facilities, including buildings, vehicles, paths, grills, boardwalks, docks, tractors, and small equipment.

• Commitment to submit volunteer hours digitally at least monthly and to complete required trainings in the volunteer portal.
• Pass National and Florida sexual offender checks
• Have a valid drivers license

Important Note: Our agency does not allow us to hire volunteers who have any DUI conviction in their history. If this is the case for you, we would suggest you look into county parks, city parks, or KAO campgrounds for opportunities.

TRAINING/PRE-REQUISITS

• Safety training will be on-going and provided by the park
• In the Volunteer Portal, have a Volunteer Application, a current Volunteer Agreement, and Volunteer DEP Annual Combo Training (diversity, sexual harassment, & workers' compensation), both renewed annually
• UTV Training (provided by the park if not already completed)
• Park orientation provided by staff

VOLUNTEER AMENITIES

• Full hook-ups 50 Amp electrical service, water, and sewer
• Washer, dryer, ice machine
• Good cell signal
• Lots of different community services within 30 minute drive, including RV repair shops, primary care & emergency veterinarians, grocery stores, playhouses, food trucks, restaurants, and so on. Within 40 minutes of UF Health Shands Hospital, a national leader in medical care.
• **Bathrooms are not provided. Please ensure you have your own toilet & shower facility. Park buildings are locked and armed during closing hours.**

BENEFITS

• Volunteering allows you to maintain a valuable Florida resource and provide visitors a with a positive and comfortable experience.
• You will be provided a Volunteer T-shirt, a nametag, and position specific training.
• Upon completing your first 50 hours, you will receive a free entrance pass to Ichetucknee Springs State Park for 6 visits for you and your family, up to 8 people.
• Upon completing 250 hours, you will receive a special volunteer annual pass for you and your family to visit any Florida State Park an unlimited number of times. Limited to one 250-hour pass per year.
• Volunteers are eligible for recognition and awareness on a district and statewide level.
• Workers compensation is available if the volunteer is injured while volunteering.
• Join us in park staff gatherings (i.e., potlucks, celebrations, holiday parties, etc.)
• Be a part of the Florida Park Service family, working alongside like-minded staff and volunteers
• You have the opportunity for personal enrichment and experience working in a unique state park setting

APPLICATION INFORMATION

• Applications will only be accepted through the volunteer portal. Applications will not be accepted in person, over the phone, or email.
• Incomplete volunteer applications/volunteer profiles will not be considered. Family and friends unfortunately cannot be used as references. I suggest asking past volunteer managers their comfort level being a reference.
• All potential volunteer will undergo a position interview before placement.
• If you would like to visit the park in person before making a commitment, please reach out to the volunteer coordinator by email to confirm availability. We don't want to miss you!
• For any remaining questions about this position, email the volunteer coordinator at caitlin.gonsiorek@floridadep.gov.