Under the direction of the Supervisor-Grounds, perform various grounds maintenance and gardening duties in beautifying assigned grounds and landscaped areas; maintain grounds and other assigned areas to ensure a safe, clean, and attractive environment for students, staff, and the public. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:   

• Mow, edge, trim, and water lawns, fields, and other turf grounds; edge walkways; hoe and pull weeds and rake leaves; sweep litter from walks, driveways, and other assigned areas.

• Plant, cultivate, prune, spray, fertilize, and irrigate flowers, trees, grass, hedges, and shrubs; water various grounds areas by hand or by operating the irrigation system as required.

• Perform general grounds cleanup, including picking up and removing paper, trash, trimmings, and debris from grounds areas, parking lots, playgrounds, athletic fields, and other assigned areas; empty waste receptacles; report need for repairs or unsafe conditions. 

• Perform a variety of grounds maintenance work in the preparation and maintenance of athletic fields and surrounding landscape as assigned by the position; measure and mark with appropriate marking materials or equipment to delineate the area of play and restricting lines as prescribed and established by the league and sport rules; drag, repair, mow, and edge baseball infield, soccer field, football field and other areas as needed.

• Operate and maintain a variety of equipment such as mowers, edgers, blowers, sprayers, trucks, backhoes, excavators, skip loaders, tractors, trimmers, chainsaws, shears, trenchers, grinders, and line marking machines; utilize standard gardening hand tools; replace blades and fluids as needed; drive a vehicle to conduct work.

• Apply pest control methods to eradicate weeds and other pests according to established procedures as assigned.

• Assist with installing, maintaining, and repairing irrigation systems as assigned; adjust, repair, and replace sprinklers; assist with digging holes and trenches.

• Assist with other grounds maintenance and repair activities including tree removal, tree topping, fence repair, general concrete repair, and others as requested.

• Load, unload, haul, and transport supplies, clippings, debris, materials, and equipment as required. 

OTHER DUTIES: 

• Perform related duties as assigned. 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:   

Education and Experience:

• Any combination equivalent to graduation from high school and one year of gardening or grounds maintenance experience. 

Knowledge of: 

• Basic grounds maintenance procedures including mowing, edging, raking, and weeding. 

• Methods, equipment, and materials used in gardening and grounds maintenance work. 

• Cultivating, fertilizing, watering, and spraying flowers, trees, and shrubs. 

• Operation of hand and power tools and equipment used in ground maintenance.

• Methods, tools, and materials used in cultivating and maintaining landscaped and athletic field areas.

• Athletic fields and track boundaries and markings.

• Basic methods and materials used in controlling weeds and other pests.

• Health and safety regulations.

Ability to:

• Perform various grounds maintenance and gardening duties in beautifying assigned grounds and landscaped areas.

• Mow, edge, water, weed, fertilize, rake, and cultivate lawns, flower beds, athletic fields, and other landscaped areas. 

• Apply chemicals to control and eradicate weeds and other pests as assigned. 

• Perform a variety of grounds maintenance work in the preparation and maintenance of athletic fields and surrounding landscape.

• Operate and maintain hand and power tools and other equipment used in grounds maintenance. 

• Understand and follow oral and written instructions. 

• Observe health and safety regulations.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Work Environment: 

• Outdoor environment. 

• Seasonal heat, cold, or adverse weather conditions.

• Driving a vehicle to conduct work.

• Exposure to fumes, dust, odors, oil, grease, and gases.  Physical Demands: The physical demands described here represent those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate grounds maintenance equipment.

• Walking or standing for extended periods.

• Seeing to perform gardening and grounds work.

• Lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling heavy objects as assigned by position. 

• Bending at the waist, kneeling, or crouching. 

• Reaching overhead, above the shoulders, and horizontally. 

• Climbing ladders.

• Heavy physical labor. Hazards:

• Working around or with machinery having moving parts.

• Working at heights.

• Exposure to chemicals used in pest control and weed abatement.