The Indiana DNR was recruiting seasonal employees at the Indianapolis Boat, Sport and Travel Show at the Indiana Fairgrounds in mid-February.
Lew Freedman | The Tribune
Want a job?
Angie Manuel sat at a table with a wide array of hats spread in front of her, as if she was the queen of a lids company, selling caps to hard shells to be worn by naturalists or firefighters.
In a way, she was.
An Indiana Department of Natural Resources interpretive manager, Manuel was on duty at the 68th annual Indianapolis Boat, Sport and Travel show this past weekend at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. She sat next to a sign urging those who might like to spend time in official capacities at Indiana state recreational facilities to check things out.
Parks or nature preserves, fish and wildlife properties or state forests, lakes or state-managed forest recreation areas, all are searching for seasonal hires who can work up to 11 months of the year or people who wish to work only a couple of days a week.
Passersby might be retirees looking for part-time opportunities in the outdoors for themselves, or sometimes, Manuel said, she might hear, “What have you got for my grandchildren?”
In some ways, it can be said that DNR seasonal opportunities have something for everyone, depending on time available, expertise, energy, personal desires and state needs.
The most telling message Manuel heard when sitting in the midst of the exhibits was, “I didn’t know you could do that.”
You can. Flipping to a page in the 2023 Indiana Recreation Guide, Manuel pointed out a map identifying where the locations are situated around the Hoosier State to help browsers learn how close to home, or far away, an appealing place is to them.
“I have them point on the map to what property they are interested in,” Manuel said.
Which places need help? That’s an easy question.
“Every place does,” she said.
However, there may not be openings for everything at every place or more applicants for a role than are needed in that role. Things can be competitive for a job.
“We might only need two of that type of position filled but six of that type of position,” she said.
Some hopefuls might only want to work three days a week, and there might be something available. Others want to work for most of the year, but by definition, “a seasonal” cannot work more than 11 months of a year, Manuel said.
Other people are not fussy but have one fundamental desire regarding working at a DNR property: “I just want to be outside.”
Thoughts turn to outside activities, hiking, boating, fishing and the like, as the weather warms up and parks see their most usage in the summer. However, now is the time to act looking for employment for the summer season, Manuel said.
“Don’t just come Memorial Day and say, ‘Hey, got a job for me?’” she said. “There are opportunities right now.”
The peak season is April through October.
“We really need to be getting people on,” she said.
Jobs are listed, including seasonal, at the state’s job bank. Manuel said initial contact should be made at in.gov/dnr/about-us/jobs. Information also can be obtained through workforindiana.in.gov.com.
Generally, Manuel said, those who seek seasonal DNR parks employment have a fondness and allegiance to nature and preservation of the outdoors.
“They do,” she said.
