Sandcastle - Lifeguard

Our story began 75 years ago when the Herschend family discovered wonder deep in an Ozark Mountain cave—and chose to share it with the world. Today, Herschend is the largest family-held themed attractions company, with over 40 leading attractions and immersive experiences that reach audiences worldwide.

While each brand offers something unique, all are united by a shared purpose: Bringing Families Closer Together by Creating Memories Worth Repeating®. Our passionate hosts make this purpose possible through everyday acts of love and service—what we call Heartspitality®—the intersection of heart and hospitality.

As an equal-opportunity employer, we strive to provide environments where every host, guest, and partner feel welcome, valued, and loved. We firmly believe that words and actions matter, which is why all individuals are to be treated equally and with respect. 

Sandcastle is the only waterpark in the Pittsburgh area and has been open for over 35 years. This world-class oasis along the banks of the Monongahela River offers scenic views and more fun than you can imagine.

We are currently looking for a:

Sandcastle - Lifeguard

Roles & Responsibilities:

Summer is meant for FUN in the SUN! Do you love working outside and engaging with people? Do you care about safety but also strive to deliver an amazing guest experience? If you answered yes to these questions, you might just be the perfect addition to our Aquatics Team! Prevention is the key to water safety, and aquatic team members provide a safe environment by enforcing park and safety rules.

Lifeguard team members are responsible for the care and safety of all guests, dispatching riders on water attractions, monitoring swimming pools, and assisting guests in and out of the water.

Roles & Responsibilities:

• Dispatch riders down water slides
• Assist guests onto mats and tubes
• Roam entire area of assigned pool, scan water for distressed swimmers
• Maintain constant surveillance of assigned area
• Maintain a sense of calm in tense, escalated or emergency situations
• Perform water rescues when necessary, using appropriate techniques and equipment
• Physically assist distressed swimmers to safety in both shallow and deep water
• Enforce weight and height requirements
• Provide first-aid to injured guests when authorized
• Quickly and efficiently escalate medical emergencies to the proper authorities, when needed
• Report customer and safety concerns as well as lost children to management
• Protect guest belongings turn in found items to lost-and-found as soon as time permits
• Clean up assigned area (including parking lots) at end of shift
• Remove unwanted trash or tripping hazards from Aquatics areas
• Assist in other departments as needed
• All other duties assigned by leadership

Education and Experience:

• No education requirements for this position
• Previous work experience is not required
• Must successfully complete the Ellis & Associates Lifeguard Training Program before becoming a lifeguard at Sandcastle. All Lifeguard candidates will be required to obtain the Ellis Lifeguard Certification instructional handbook and pass all certification requirements. (Swim 50 yards doing front crawl or breaststroke Retrieve 10-lb brick from 5 ft of water and tread water without arms for 1 minute)

Language: Ability to read, write, and speak fluent English Spanish or other bilingual language skills are a plus.

Requirements: 

• Must be at least 15 years of age to comply with Pennsylvania Child Labor Laws
• Ability to work flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays
• Demonstrated ability to successfully perform all swim tests, water rescues, assists
• Ability to comply with all uniform policies
• Must possess safety-oriented mindset and understand the importance of complying with all Federal, State, and local regulations regarding aquatics safety standards
• Must demonstrate a willingness to learn and ability to follow instructions
• Must be guest-focused and work well with other team members and supervisors
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. In certain cases, reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions of the job.

• Ability to swim 50 yards using front crawl/freestyle or breaststroke
• Ability to retrieve a 10-pound brick from at least 5 feet of water
• Ability to tread water for 1 minute without the use of arms
• Ability to stand or walk for extended periods of time

• Ability to swim, wade, and stand (sometimes in moderate currents)
• Ability to frequently kneel, stoop, bend, squat, twist or reach above shoulder-level
• Ability to use hands to grasp, finger, handle, or feel
• Ability to carry, push, pull, lift, and hold objects weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to aid and physically move guests of varying heights and weights

Vision Requirements:

• Must possess 20/25 correct vision (corrective lens, if required, must be worn while on duty)
• Specific vision abilities are required for this job, including close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Ability to see differences between colors and brightness
• Ability to see details of objects that are more than a few feet away

Working Conditions:

• Constant exposure to outdoor aquatics environments
• Constant exposure to variable outside temperatures, including high heat, direct sun, cold, humidity, dust, rain, and other weather conditions
• Regularly subjected to water and pool chemicals
• Subject to frequent interruptions and requests that may require reprioritization of activities

Team member benefits:

Working at Sandcastle is about making people happy! It’s about being independent and having fun, making new friends and earning extra money while doing so. As a Sandcastle employee, you can be the smiling face that makes a great first impression for incoming guests, a cook that serves up tasty treats and culinary delights, a lifeguard who soaks up the sun while keeping guests safe, or a slide operator that keeps guests coming back for more thrills! There are many exciting seasonal job opportunities available to take your summer job to new heights!

Perks & Benefits:

• Flexible schedule
• Ability to cross-train and learn unique skills across various departments
• Free admission to Sandcastle and other parks on your days off
• Invitations to exclusive company-sponsored employee events throughout the season

We’ve got great jobs for people just starting out in the workforce, looking for a second job or staying active after retirement. If you want a fun, flexible job with an innovative company, look no further than Sandcastle. Apply today!

Do not miss the chance to spark your career now!