Lifeguard

About Our Job

With competitive pay, great benefits, and endless opportunities, working for the City and County of Denver means seeing yourself working with purpose — for you, and those who benefit from your passion, skills, and expertise. Join our diverse, inclusive, and talented workforce of more than 11,000 team members who are at the heart of what makes Denver, Denver.

Application Deadline

Applications for this position will be accepted on a rolling basis and this posting may close at any time. Please submit your application as soon as possible to ensure consideration.

Schedule Requirements

Most indoor pools are open 7 days per week, year-round. Our ideal Lifeguard candidate is committed to working at least 12 - 15 hours per week and has availability to work on weekends and/or midday availability.

Locations

Our current hiring efforts are focused on year-round operations at select indoor pools. Priority consideration is given to candidates who are open to work at select locations with the greatest hiring needs. Those locations include:

• Carla Madison Recreation Center (2401 E. Colfax Ave.)
• Central Park Recreation Center (9651 MLK Jr. Blvd.)
• Green Valley Ranch Recreation Center (4890 Argonne Way)
• Hiawatha Davis Jr. Recreation Center (3334 Holly St.)
• Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center (3880 Newport St.)
• Rude Recreation Center (2855 W Holden Pl.)
• Swansea Recreation Center (2650 E. 49th Ave)
• Washington Park Recreation Center (701 S. Franklin St.)

To view a map of the City and County of Denver’s swimming pools and determine your preferences for work locations, visit the Find a Swimming Pool page.

What We Offer

All new lifeguards with the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) are paid $19.29/hour. On-call positions are eligible to enroll in the City and County of Denver’s 457b retirement plan. This position is not eligible for other additional benefits.

Don’t have a lifeguard certification? No problem! Lifeguard training and certification is provided for FREE with your commitment to work for the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR). Keep reading for more info!

This is an on-call position, which means it is a part-time, hourly role. We offer flexible scheduling around class schedules, extracurricular activities, and other home or life demands so you can help keep your community safe and active at the pool at the times that work for you. Depending on the staffing needs of the recreation center or outdoor pool they are assigned to, on‐call positions may have a routine or variable work schedule and will work no more than 39 hours per week.

What You’ll Do

Check out these videos to see what it means to be a Lifeguard with Denver Parks and Recreation!

Make a splash and earn some cash! The City and County of Denver’s Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) is seeking year-round Lifeguards to work across a variety of recreation centers. DPR offers flexible scheduling around class schedules, extracurricular activities, and other home or life demands so you can help keep your community safe and active at the pool at the times that work for you. Join the team and work where you play!

As a Lifeguard with Denver Parks and Recreation, you will:

• Perform critical public safety duties related to the operation of Denver’s municipal indoor and outdoor pools including supervising swimming areas, enforcing rules and regulations, and responding to emergencies
• Provide friendly and knowledgeable customer service to pool visitors
• Perform regular upkeep and cleaning of pool spaces and equipment
• Teach swimming lessons
• Provide recreation center front desk assistance or other facility operations support, as needed
• Perform other related duties as assigned or requested

What You’ll Bring

Our ideal candidates are strong swimmers with an enthusiasm for engaging with the public and a deep appreciation of their role in keeping visitors safe in and around the water.  Additionally, candidates will be expected to consistently demonstrate reliability and professionalism. Our ideal Lifeguard candidates are committed to working at least 12 – 15 hours per week and have availability to work on weekends and weekday mid-day shifts (~10:00am – 3:00pm). Our ideal candidates will also already possess a certification in lifeguard training.

This position requires a valid American Red Cross certification in Lifeguard Training. No certification? No problem! Applicants who do not possess current certification may participate in an American Red Cross Lifeguard Training certification course led by Denver Parks and Recreation prior to employment for FREE.

To participate in the required Lifeguard Training Certification course, applicants must successfully complete a swimming pre-test consisting of two elements:

Check out this video to see the pre-test in action!

Prerequisite 1: Complete a swim-tread-swim sequence without stopping to rest:

• Jump into the water and totally submerge, resurface then swim 150 yards using the front crawl, breaststroke, or a combination of both. (Swimming on the back or side is not permitted. Swim goggles are allowed.)
• Maintain position at the surface of the water for 2 minutes by treading water using only the legs.
• Swim 50 yards using the front crawl, breaststroke or a combination of both.

Prerequisite 2: Complete a timed event within 1 minute, 40 seconds:

• Starting in the water, swim 20 yards. (The face may be in or out of the water. Swim goggles are not allowed.)
• Surface dive (feet-first or head-first) to a depth of 7 – 10 feet to retrieve a 10-pound object.
• Return to the surface and swim 20 yards on the back to return to the starting point, holding the object at the surface with both hands and keeping the face out at or near the surface.
• Exit the water without using a ladder or steps.

Prerequisite description source: American Red Cross

Do you have questions about the certification process and upcoming courses? Contact the Aquatics Office at [email protected] or (720) 865-0660.

We value diversity of ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, sexual identity, gender, religion, language, ability, and experience and exemplify this through the makeup of our team at all levels. You'll be right at home here if you cultivate strong relationships and push yourself, your work, the people around you and Denver to the next level.

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Education requirement: None
• Experience Requirement: Must be at least 15 years old at time of application, per lifeguard certification requirements.
• Education/Experience Equivalency: None
• Licensure/Certifications: Possession of current Lifeguard Training Certification from one of the following agencies:  American Red Cross, NASCO, Ellis & Associates, or Star Guard within the first month of employment. Licenses and certifications must be kept current as a condition of employment

About Everything Else

Job Profile

RG2401 Lifeguard

To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click here.

Position Type

Oncall

Position Salary Range

$19.29 - $26.43

Target Pay

All new lifeguards with DPR are paid $19.29/hour

Agency

Parks and Recreation

Assessment Requirement

The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law. 

It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please contact [email protected] with three business days’ notice.

For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.