Aquatic Lifeguard

The City of Bellingham is continuously recruiting for qualified lifeguards at our year-round facility and summer beaches. This position is responsible for public interaction with aquatic patrons and students; provides customer service, lifeguarding, lifesaving measures, first aid and general aquatic facility custodial services.  

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

This position will start at Step 1 ($19.41/hour). Employees receive step increases on completion of 2080 hours in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement and City policy. The full hourly range for this position is $19.41-$23.67. 

At the City of Bellingham, we offer the following benefits that help you thrive in both your career and personal life.

• Work up to 69 hours per calendar month and flex up to full time for up to four months each calendar year.
• Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• 1 hour of Washington State paid sick leave accrued for every 40 hours worked.

This position is not eligible for benefits, except as required by law. 

This position becomes represented by the Local 1937 bargaining unit after the completion of 1040 hours working an average of at least 12 hours per week, on an annual basis. You can find more details on our employment benefits page and labor agreements page.

  

This is an on-going recruitment to fill current and future staffing needs throughout the year. This recruitment may be closed at any time based on departmental needs.  

JOB SUMMARY:

This position is responsible for public interaction with aquatic patrons and students; provides customer service, lifeguarding, lifesaving measures, first aid and general aquatic facility custodial services.  

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Lifeguards facilities, program and patrons, identifying potential safety concerns and preventing accidents. Provides lifesaving measures including first aid, and CPR when necessary.

2. Ensures that all areas of the facilities are limited to authorized users. Recognizes and acts immediately to address inappropriate and unsafe behavior. Responds to safety or security situations and contacts appropriate staff, law enforcement, or other emergency personnel as appropriate.

3. Cleans locker rooms, staff areas, beaches, and natatorium. Conducts chemical tests and sanitizes facilities after contamination incidents.

4. Attends monthly in-service trainings and may assist with those trainings as needed.

5. Completes all paperwork related to lifeguarding and other assigned duties.

ADDITIONAL WORK PERFORMED:

1. Performs other related work of a similar nature and level.

2. May assist in providing high-quality swim lessons, American Red Cross training courses and aerobic classes to all levels and age groups.  

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

Work is performed year-round in a humid indoor Aquatics Center and outdoors during the summer months at City-owned beaches. Employees often walk on wet or slick surfaces around pool area and waterfront areas. Frequently interacts with the public in the field, which may include exposure to hostile, offensive language, or interactions with angry or volatile individuals. Frequent exposure to pool chemicals and cleaning agents. Occasional exposure to hazardous materials such as blood. General safety precautions are taken into consideration for the majority of these hazards. Exposed to outside weather conditions.

• Must be at least 16 years of age.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively work with members of the public of all ages and abilities.
• Customer Service experience preferred.

• Employment contingent upon passing a criminal convictions check and child and vulnerable adult abuse records check. (see Fair Hiring Practices below). 
• Verification of ability to work in the United States by date of hire. 
• Must pass a pre-employment swimming skills test, including but not limited to:
  • American Red Cross Pre-test for Lifeguarding and Waterfront Certifications            
• Employment contingent upon passing a pre-employment drug test. (This position is considered a safety sensitive position; therefore, the pre-employment drug test includes testing for cannabis. Positive test results will exclude an applicant from being hired.) 
• Ability to secure within two months of hire and maintain the following American Red Cross certifications throughout duration of employment:
  • Lifeguarding
  • First Aid 
  • CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuers
  • Administering Emergency Oxygen
  • Bloodborne Pathogens Training
• Failure to obtain and maintain required certifications within the specified timeline will result in dismissal.
• Must be willing to work a flexible schedule including evenings and weekends with a minimum availability of 1 shift per week. 

This is a continuous recruitment. As applications are received, they will be reviewed to ensure they are complete. All complete applications will be forwarded to the Aquatic Center for further review. 

Candidates selected to participate in testing will be notified via email by the Aquatic Center.

Please Note: Candidates will receive updates regarding application status via email. Please be sure to check your email frequently, including your spam folders for messages filtered by your email providers.

Equal Opportunity:
Our environment is characterized by respect for cultural backgrounds, belief systems, and ethnic diversity. The City of Bellingham is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in its work force. We do not make decisions on the basis of an individual's race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, age (40 ), disability, retaliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. All are encouraged to apply for employment.

Fair Hiring Practices

• The City provides individuals who have been arrested or convicted of a criminal offense an equal and fair opportunity to obtain employment.
• The City will not inquire about an applicant's criminal history until after a conditional job offer has been made.
• The City will disregard the prior arrest and conviction record of an otherwise qualified individual unless the offense is directly related to the job position for which the individual has applied.
• The City will notify an otherwise qualified applicant about a potentially disqualifying conviction and give the applicant an opportunity to submit information regarding the accuracy of the criminal records as well as evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation, as appropriate.

Salary : $19