You submit your application and then are scheduled for an initial interview assuming you meet the requirements. I did this via an online web chat with two people. From there, you travel to WA State Parks HQ to do a panel interview. Once you pass that, you must return to the HQ to do a polygraph, drug screen, and psych test. Finally, when all of the background checks are complete, your application package is submitted to a committee where a panel decides whether or not to hire you. The HR woman I worked with was fantastic and responsive. Everything had went well - I had a clean background (and previously worked in LE, at an agency with a much stricter background investigation process), I passed all of the required tests, and had good references. However, at the 11th hour, the panel decision, I was dropped. No explanation was given, nor was I afforded an opportunity to clarify any issues or defend myself. The same happened to other applicants who were fresh out of the academy and appeared to have no problem issues. I found the no explanation dismissal, after a 3+ month process wherein I had taken a lot of personal time off and traveled at my own expense to Olympia twice, to be incredibly disrespectful. The best I can surmise is that the final panel is exceedingly and unnecessarily strict. My advice is that if you are not local to Olympia to participate in the process, don't even bother.