Aquatic Specialist

About the Role

NYC Parks & Recreation is seeking Swim Instructors to organize and instruct participants of all ages—including tots, children, adults, seniors, and people with disabilities. Instructors will also coach swim teams, supervise adult lap swim, teach water‑exercise classes, and may serve as Aquatics Directors at Summer Camps.

Responsibilities

• Conduct dynamic workshops, sports, and specialized recreational programs for the Aquatics Division.
• Provide swim instruction to tots, children, adults, seniors, and individuals with disabilities.
• Coach swim teams, supervise lap swim, and teach water‑exercise classes.
• Develop and facilitate programming that engages New Yorkers in aquatic recreational activities.
• Lead and coach youth Aquatics programming, supporting the Swim Safety Expansion initiative.
• Instruct participants in basic fitness skills, proper equipment use, safety precautions, and health benefits of regular exercise.
• Lead aquatics fitness classes for participants of all ages.
• Maintain equipment and fitness areas daily, including inventory management of materials and supplies.
• Inspect public spaces and report unsafe or hazardous conditions.
• Establish program objectives, evaluate recreational programs, and design cutting‑edge curricula.
• Promote NYC Parks Recreation Center memberships and assist with events and special projects.
• Collect and submit accurate data, forms, and reports to meet internal deadlines.

Minimum Qualifications

• At least 18 months of participation in an art, craft, or other recreational pursuit as a teacher, performer, coach, official, contestant, or demonstrator, including a minimum of one year in the specific pursuit to be performed on the job.
• Alternatively, experience or study in the relevant pursuit acquired through job training, internships, volunteer service, high school, college, or other appropriate institutions over at least a three‑year period.
• A satisfactory equivalent combination of education and experience as described above, with at least one year of experience or education in the specific pursuit.
• Job assignments are limited to the following recreational specialties:
  • Woodworking
  • Weight lifting
  • Tennis
  • Aquatics
  • Soccer
  • Fencing
  • Golf
  • Gymnastics
  • Ham radio
  • Horseback riding
  • Hockey
  • Figure skating
  • Martial arts
  • Music
  • Nature study
  • Art
  • Photography
  • Dramatics
  • Dance‑roller skating
  • Small crafts
  • Sewing
  • Astronomy
  • Auto mechanics
  • Baton twirling
  • Bridge
  • Chess
  • Modern dance
  • Dog obedience
  • Puppetry
  • Boxing
  • Storytelling

Preferred Skills

• Coursework in physiology, recreation, or a sports‑related field.
• Experience recruiting, instructing, and coaching sports, including girls’, women’s, and nontraditional sports.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and customer‑service skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and other computer software.
• Valid New York State driver’s license.
• Ability to work weekends and non‑traditional hours.
• Bilingual proficiency.

Residency Requirement

• Residency in New York City, Nassau, Orange, Rockland, Suffolk, Putnam, or Westchester counties required for employees with over two years of city service.
• New York City residency required within 90 days of hire for all other candidates.

Pay

$25.17 – $28.94 per hour.