St. Augustine and St. Johns County jobs: a guide for job seekers

St. Johns County runs south from Jacksonville along the coast, past St. Augustine and beyond. New communities have spread across the northern half of the county for years. Homes, schools, shopping centers and medical offices keep going up, and all of them need people to build, clean and care for them.

This guide is for job seekers who live in St. Johns County or plan to move there. It covers where the work is, the kinds of jobs you will see and the roads that link the county to Duval. It also covers getting to work without a car, what to bring on day one and how to apply with All Purpose Staffing.

Where the work is in St. Johns County

St. Augustine is the county seat and its historic center. The downtown area, the bayfront and the beaches nearby draw visitors all year. Hotels, venues, restaurants and attractions need facilities staff and cleaning crews to keep them ready for guests.

The northern part of the county sits just south of the Duval County line. Nocatee, Fruit Cove and the St. Johns area have grown quickly, with new subdivisions, schools and shopping centers. CR-210 crosses this part of the county from east to west and meets I-95 at an interchange.

The World Golf Village area sits off I-95, between the northern communities and St. Augustine. It has homes, hotels, offices and shopping, along with new building nearby. SR-16 runs west from St. Augustine and crosses I-95, and new homes and businesses have spread along it as well.

Ponte Vedra lies along the coast in the northeast corner of the county, near A1A. It has offices, clubs, medical practices and homes that need upkeep. Hastings, in the rural west of the county, is quieter and farther from most job sites.

Tell your recruiter which part of the county you live in. St. Johns County is long from north to south. A job across the county can mean a long drive, so your recruiter can look close to home first.

Construction jobs in new communities

Home building is a large part of hourly work in St. Johns County. Subdivisions keep opening along CR-210, SR-16 and the I-95 interchanges. Schools, shopping centers and medical buildings follow the new homes, and each project needs crews.

Builders need workers at every phase, from clearing the lot to cleaning the finished home. Many roles train on the job. Others ask for experience in a specific trade. Tell your recruiter what you have done, even if it was informal work for family or friends.

Here are roles you will often see on St. Johns County sites.

• General laborer: carries material, cleans the site, sets up for the trades and helps wherever the crew needs hands.
• Framing helper: assists framers with lumber, layout and nailing on new homes.
• Roofing helper: moves material and assists roofers, with fall protection rules on every job.
• Drywall and painting crew: hangs, finishes and paints walls after framing and rough-in work.
• Trades helper: assists electricians, plumbers or HVAC technicians and learns the trade along the way.
• Final clean crew: cleans new homes and buildings so they are ready for the owner.

Facilities and custodial work

Finished communities need steady upkeep. Clubhouses, pools, schools, offices and medical practices all need cleaning and care. This work is often closer to home than a job in Duval, which can mean a shorter drive.

Common roles include custodians, day porters, floor care technicians and facilities maintenance helpers. A day porter keeps lobbies, restrooms and common areas clean while a building is open. A floor technician strips, waxes and buffs floors with machines after training.

Medical offices and clinics have stricter cleaning standards. If you take a job in one, expect training on the site's chemicals, gloves and cleaning steps. Offices may also have their own rules on keys, alarms and locked areas.

Facilities work can grow into more. A helper who learns basic repairs, painting and equipment care can move toward a maintenance technician role. Newer homes and buildings also need warranty and repair work from skilled trades workers. Tell your recruiter if a trade is your goal.

Working in St. Augustine's historic and visitor areas

St. Augustine's downtown has narrow streets, older buildings and a steady flow of visitors. Hotels, inns, event venues and attractions need people to clean rooms, set up spaces and maintain the grounds. Much of this work happens early in the morning or after events end.

Older buildings need careful hands. Repair, painting and maintenance work on historic structures can follow special rules about materials and methods. If you have experience with older buildings, mention it to your recruiter.

Parking downtown can be tight, and traffic slows near the bayfront and the bridges to the beaches. If your job is in the historic district, ask where workers park and how early you should arrive. Plan your first trip at the hour you would really travel.

Office and medical office jobs

Medical and professional offices have followed residents into the county. Clinics, dental offices and business offices have opened in Nocatee, World Golf Village and along US-1. They hire front desk staff, receptionists, billing and admin help.

These roles usually need computer skills and a friendly, organized way with people. Medical offices may ask for experience with scheduling, insurance forms or patient check-in. Many will train the right person on their own systems.

Spanish speakers can be a strong fit for front desk work, since some offices serve Spanish-speaking patients and clients. If you speak more than one language, list it on your application.

Commuting within the county and into Duval

Many St. Johns County residents work in Duval, and many Duval residents work in St. Johns. I-95 is the main route between them. It runs north from St. Augustine past World Golf Village and the CR-210 interchange, then crosses into Duval toward Mandarin and the Southside.

US-1 runs roughly alongside I-95 and links St. Augustine with the northern part of the county and Jacksonville. Some workers prefer it when I-95 is backed up. A1A follows the coast and connects St. Augustine, the beaches and Ponte Vedra.

Rush hour traffic builds on I-95, CR-210 and US-1, especially near the Duval County line. A crash on I-95 can slow traffic for miles. Leave extra time in your first weeks, until you know the route well.

Before you say yes to a job, think through these points.

• How long the drive takes at your real start time, in both directions.
• Whether you can use US-1 or another road when I-95 is slow.
• Whether you have a backup way to get there if your car is in the shop.
• Whether the shift ends after dark, and how the drive home feels at that hour.
• Whether a coworker who lives nearby might share the drive.

Getting to work without a car

Public transit in St. Johns County is limited compared with Jacksonville. JTA runs buses inside Duval, and service outside Duval is not the same. If you do not drive, check what local service runs near your home and your job site before you count on it.

Many job sites in the county, such as new subdivisions, are far from any bus stop. Early starts can also begin before buses run often. That makes carpooling common for workers in St. Johns County.

If you need a ride, ask coworkers who live near you during your first week. Family members with a set schedule can help, too. Above all, tell your recruiter how you get to work. That helps them suggest jobs you can reach every day, not just on day one.

Shifts, weather and what to bring

Construction days often start early to beat the afternoon heat. Custodial work may happen during business hours or after a building closes. Hotel and venue work can follow guest and event schedules. APS places workers on first shift and more, so tell your recruiter which hours you can keep.

Summers in St. Johns County are hot and humid, and afternoon storms are common. Drink water before you feel thirsty, and take the breaks the site gives you. OSHA publishes heat safety guidance, and many sites build their rules around it. Follow the site's rules when lightning moves in.

Plan for the basics below unless your recruiter tells you otherwise.

• Closed-toe work boots, and safety-toe boots if the site requires them.
• Work gloves that fit well, and safety glasses where the site calls for them.
• Clothes that suit the job, with no loose ends that can catch on equipment.
• A refillable water bottle and a packed lunch, since some sites are far from places to eat.
• A valid photo ID for check-in and your hiring paperwork.

How to apply with All Purpose Staffing

All Purpose Staffing is headquartered in Jacksonville, with an office on Baymeadows Road. We place workers across Northeast Florida, including St. Johns, Duval, Clay and Nassau counties. Positions include contract, contract-to-hire and direct hire roles in construction, custodial and facilities, office and other fields.

Applying is simple.

• Browse open jobs on our jobs page, or apply once online and let a recruiter match you.
• Tell us which part of St. Johns County you live in and how you get to work.
• List the shifts you can work and any limits on your schedule.
• Describe past jobs, trade skills, office software and any equipment you have run.
• Bring a photo ID and work authorization documents for your hiring paperwork.
• Create an account to get job alerts when new openings are posted.

After you start, your recruiter stays in touch. If the commute or the job is not working, tell them early so they can help. We put worker satisfaction first, because people who are treated well stay, and that is good for everyone.

Common questions

Related pages

• Browse open jobs
• Apply online
• St. Johns County and St. Augustine jobs
• Construction jobs in Jacksonville
• Custodial and facilities jobs
• Getting to work without a car