Job Posting: Rhode Island Offering New Lifeguards Up To $1,000 In Bonuses

RHODE ISLAND — With beach season right around the corner, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is in need of lifeguards for the summer.

To encourage candidates to apply, DEM officials on Tuesday said they are offering sign-on and retention bonuses of $500 each. The department is also offering hourly pay increases of between 10 percent and almost 15 percent to lifeguards this summer.

DEM officials said they view the incentives as critical to recruiting more lifeguards to staff state beaches and parks, which attract nearly 10 million visitors and add an estimated $300 million annually to the state economy, according to a University of Rhode Island study.

Full-time lifeguard positions are available at all state swimming areas, including surf beaches such as Roger Wheeler and Misquamicut, non-surf beaches such as Goddard Memorial State Park, and freshwater beaches such as Burlingame Campground and Lincoln Woods State Park. DEM officials said they want to have about 150 lifeguards hired across the state this summer.

Lifeguard pay ranges from $14 to $18.75 an hour based on location, experience, and position level. All lifeguard candidates must receive state certification and have successfully completed courses and hold valid cards in lifeguard training, first aid, and CPR including infant, child, and adult.

"Rhode Island's state beaches and parks provide some of the best outdoor experiences in the state, including many great swimming spots," DEM Director Terry Gray said. "One of our top goals at DEM is promoting outdoor recreation for all Rhode Islanders and providing visitors with excellent experiences at our amazing network of parks, beaches, and campgrounds. We need a great team — and finding and hiring qualified, enthusiastic workers is essential to delivering on this promise."

Lifeguards who submit a complete application packet including all required documents and are hired by June 24, will be eligible to receive a one-time, $500 sign-on bonus. Lifeguard staff who remain in good standing throughout the course of their employment, who have not taken more than five unapproved days off over the summer, and remain employed until Sept. 4, will be eligible for a one-time, $500 retention bonus.

For more information, visit DEM's employment page.