Park Host

Spend your summer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in Oregon’s beautiful Willamette Valley!

USACE-Willamette Valley Project is recruiting a volunteer park host to join our Recreational Operations team for Spring 2024. Our hosts work and live at their designated areas while serving the visiting public, encouraging regulation compliance, and performing other various duties (no toilet cleaning!).

We are searching for highly motivated, energetic couple or 2-person team to serve as a park host at Fern Ridge Reservoir. The Fern Ridge Lake Hosts will be responsible for opening and closing several day-use park gates and vault toilets at sunrise/dusk and conducting sweeps throughout the parks before closing.

Hosts will act as the “eyes and ears” for the Park Rangers in the parks by observing visitor activities and noting anything suspicious. Hosts will not and should not approach any violations in progress, and instead contact area Park Rangers. Other light maintenance duties may include operating small engine equipment (leaf blower, weed whacker, etc.), assisting in education and outreach programs, and light paperwork. The Fern Ridge office houses our wildlife and botany teams. There may be opportunities to work in the greenhouse and help conduct plant and wildlife surveys in the spring.

This position requires working a minimum of 30 hours/week spread out over five days with Friday, Saturday and Sunday being required. You may request which two days off during Mon-Thurs that you prefer.

You must provide your own street legal transportation. You will be reimbursed milage while conducting official duties.

Fern Ridge Lake, a popular recreation area for sailing, power boating and water skiing, is just 12 miles from downtown Eugene. Fern Ridge Dam was the first Willamette Valley dam constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The area includes extensive wetlands and provides unique habitat for a variety of wildlife and wintering waterfowl populations. Six parks and several remote access points around the lake offer a variety of day use recreation opportunities such as picnicking, swimming, fishing, hunting, and wildlife viewing.

Please note: The Fern Ridge Volunteer Host duty station and campsite is located behind a locked gate at the Fern Ridge office. Due to the setting, keeping a clean and professional site and appearance is of the utmost importance.