Summer Waves Certified Head Lifeguard

Position: Certified Head Lifeguard
Department / Division: Summer Waves / Amenities
Status: Part time, Seasonal
Pay: $15.50 per hour
Reports to
:
Summer Waves Aquatics Manager
Benefits: Parking Pass & Amenity Passes, Georgia State Employee Retirement System (GDCP)

Summer Waves is hiring for the 2026 summer season to work May through mid-September. This is a seasonal position that can expect to work weekends and holidays.

The Georgia coast's favorite water park, Summer Waves, welcomes families near and far, to cool off and cool down on our wet and wild attractions. With 11 acres of fun and frenzy, there is something for everyone and plenty to do. We offer a fun and friendly environment and the opportunity to work with a team dedicated to delivering exceptional service and wonderful summertime memories!

Jekyll Island is dedicated to maintaining the delicate balance between nature and humankind through conservation, education, and preservation. Surrounded by salt marshes, expansive oceanfront, and ancient maritime forests, it is situated within the chain of the Golden Isles, and just a few miles from St. Simons Island, Sea Island and Brunswick. As a State Park, Jekyll Island is a coastal haven where nature and humans peacefully co-exist.

Under general supervision, ensures that the patrons remain safe at Summer Waves Water Park. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to scanning, slide operation, rule enforcement, emergency response, customer assistance, and general park cleanliness.

• Ensures safety to all park guests patrolling and monitoring assigned swimming areas including slide pools, wave pool, lazy river and kiddie pool
• Assists with opening the park by helping with morning jobs, rotations as needed, and by performing other morning duties as assigned such as putting out chairs, preparing shade areas, preparing attractions.
• Assists with the closing of the park by helping with afternoon assignments as needed, ensuring the park is cleaned to the Summer Waves standard, and other assigned closing duties such as cleaning and putting away chairs, shade areas, gathering and removing litter.
• Enforces safety rules and regulations of all attractions to further ensure the safety of park guests.
• Regularly walks the park, monitoring activity to ensure operations are in accordance with Summer Waves standard and ensures guards have everything needed for their assignment.
• Operates aquatics operational station, answers guest questions, performs first aid, and maintains the guard rotation assignments.
• Responds to emergency situations as needed, rescues distressed persons using rescue techniques and equipment.
• Contacts management and emergency medical personnel in cases of serious injury.
• Follows all aquatic procedures as outlined in SOP manual.
• Required to attend in-service training, assist with in-service training and will directly train new employees by providing work shadowing opportunities.
• Assists patrons with all customer service needs, represents Summer Waves in a professional courteous manner at all times.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

• Must be at least 16 years old.
• One year of Lifeguarding experience.
• Have a current American Red Cross lifeguarding certification, with CPR for the professional rescuer.
• Knowledge of general aquatic operating policies and procedures, knowledge of modern first aid and water safety techniques.
• Ability to communicate verbally and in writing.
• Ability to effectively respond in the event of an emergency.
• Ability to recognize and correct/report unsafe conditions.
• Must have reliable transportation.
• Flexible availability with the ability to work 5 days per week, including weekends and holidays.
• Position requires the ability to swim and lift own body/body weight out of pool.

• Ability to crouch, kneel, and/or bend up to one half hour per normal work day.
• Ability to stand, walk, crouch, climb, kneel, crawl, bend at waist, or remain in a prone position during an emergency situation.
• Ability to work with arms bent up to two-thirds of working day, and with arms extended up to one-third of normal working day.
• May be required to have arms extended for a longer period of time during an emergency situation.
• Ability to push and pull with arms with a force of up to two pounds for one half hour each normal working day.
• May be required to push and pull with arms with greater than fifty pounds of force during emergency situation.
• May be required to twist and rotate arms during and emergency situation.
• May be required to lift and carry heavy emergency equipment weighing up to seventy pounds during an emergency situation.
• Ability to grasp and manipulate objects, and perform fine finger dexterity movements for up to one-third of normal working day. This work involves eye-hand coordination and some bilateral coordination. May be required to grasp and manipulate objects and perform finer finger dexterity work with exceptional speed and bilateral…