Grounds Maintenance Technician - Park District 1

City of Omaha; Omaha (NE); On-site; USD 29,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Forty-hour work week

Paid leave: vacation, sick, holidays

Health insurance (vision/dental)

Job summary

The City of Omaha seeks skilled labor for landscape maintenance across city parks and facilities. Responsibilities include mowing, pruning, irrigation, and grounds upkeep, with emphasis on safety, equipment operation, and routine inspections.

Qualified applicants will have two years of landscaping/green infrastructure experience, a CDL Class B with N endorsement plus air brake certification, and a pesticide applicator certificate. The role offers a forty-hour work week and comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• Two years of experience in landscaping or maintenance.
• Two years of experience in green infrastructure installation/maintenance.

Responsibilities

• Mow, edge, and trim grass in parks and city properties.
• Prune trees/shrubs and manage debris in natural areas.
• Care for ballfields, parks, and playgrounds including watering and soil conditioning.
• Diagnose plant problems and apply pesticides/fertilizers.
• Perform equipment maintenance and basic repairs.
• Operate heavy equipment as needed and ensure safety procedures.

Skills

Plant care

Irrigation knowledge

Pesticide application

Tool use

Safety adherence

Heavy lifting

Education

Two years landscaping experience

Two years green infrastructure

Tools

CDL Class B with N endorsement

Air brake certification

Pesticide Applicator Certificate

2nd Grade Hoisting/Engineer cert

Forklift Operator Certificate

Job description

Posting Type:

Open Competitive

Work Type:

Full Time

Nature of Work:

This is skilled and manual labor work in maintaining the appearance, usability, and safety of landscapes, grounds, sports fields, and related facilities of City parks and City land. Work involves caring for grounds, ballfields, playgrounds, and athletic complexes at the City of Omaha's parks and other specified areas. Routine work assignments are performed independently; however, work is inspected during progress and upon completion by the assigned supervisor.

Education and Experience:

The knowledge, skills, and abilities may be acquired through, but are not limited to, the following combination of education and/or experience.

• Two (2) years of experience in working in landscaping or maintenance.


• Environmental Quality Control: Two (2) years of experience in installing or maintaining green infrastructure (rain gardens, bioretention, bioswales, green roofs, permeable pavement).

Special Qualifications:

• Must possess a valid class "B" commercial driver's license with "N" endorsement and air brake certification by the end of the probationary period.


• Must possess a current category 04 Certified Federal and State of Nebraska Pesticide Applicator's Certificate by the end of the probationary period.


• Must possess a 2nd grade hoisting and engineer's certificate by the end of the probationary period.


• Must possess a forklift operator's certificate by the end of the probationary period.

Pay Range:

$20.67 with step increases to $27.80 Hourly

Benefits:

• Forty-hour work week.


• Paid leave per year: twelve days vacation; eighteen days sick; and fourteen holidays.


• Employee's group health insurance, including major medical, vision, and dental, for individual or family.


• Defined benefit pension plan, plus Social Security, and more.


• See hr.cityofomaha.org for detailed information.

Who Can Apply:

Any person who meets the qualifications and other requirements described in this posting.

Examination Information:

The examination will consist of a structured interview which will be scheduled at a later date. The structured interview is designed to assess job-related knowledge, skills, and abilities for this position. The final eligibility list will be assembled from those candidates achieving a passing score of 50% on the structured interview (100% weight).

Veteran Points:

To claim five (5) points for veteran's preference, you must submit proof of service (such as a DD-214) that includes the date of induction, date of honorable separation, and Social Security number. (You must have completed more than 180 consecutive days of active duty.) To receive an additional five (5) points credit for disability, you must submit proof of eligibility from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs dated within the last 12 months. This information must be submitted to the Human Resources Department by October 18, 2026.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of propagating, planting, fertilizing, cultivating, pruning, and general care of plants, flowers, trees, and shrubs.


• Knowledge of basic irrigation systems.


• Knowledge of the methods, tools, materials, and practices used in landscaping and grounds maintenance.


• Knowledge of the use of fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides and other disease management techniques used in grounds maintenance.


• Skill in the use of tools used in forestry and grounds maintenance.


• Ability to recognize and treat various diseases, insect and abiotic problems of flowers, trees, shrubs, and turf.


• Ability to understand oral or written instructions.


• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with fellow employees and members of the general public.


• Ability to adhere to safety policies, procedures, and guidelines.


• Ability to operate automotive equipment and tools used in forestry and grounds maintenance.


• Ability to reach, balance, bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, stand, walk, push, pull and otherwise perform the movements involved in exercising the essential functions of this position for periods of up to eight (8) or more hours.


• Ability to move objects weighing up to fifty (50) pounds up to 33% of the time; weighing up to twenty (20) pounds 34 to 66% of the time; and weighing up to ten (10) pounds from 67 to 100% of the time.

Essential Functions:

• Mows, edges, and trims grass in parks and various city properties.


• Prunes trees and shrubs, mulches leaves, seeds, mulches, fertilizers, and removes debris from natural areas.


• Cares for city parks and ballfields, including watering, aerating, tilling and dragging ballfields, and adding sand to playgrounds.


• Diagnoses plant problems and applies pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers to trees and shrubs.


• Inspects grounds and performs necessary upkeep, minor repairs, or reporting issues.


• Performs general maintenance to equipment pertaining to landscaping and grounds maintenance.


• Performs general maintenance to park equipment, including painting, repairing storm damage, putting up and removing sunshades, replacing fence posts.


• Performs tree maintenance, including trimming limbs, removing trees, chipping, and grinding stumps.


• Maintains equipment and service maintenance records.


• Fills potholes with asphalt.


• Drives heavy equipment, such as loaders and trucks with loaded trailers.


• Prepares athletic complexes for use by members of the public, including cleaning pools.


• Removes snow from city properties using all forms of snow removal equipment.


• Disposes of litter and other debris appropriately.


• Cleans public restrooms.


• Maintains and repairs irrigation systems throughout city properties.


• Trains and provides work direction to other employees.


• Maintains regular job attendance in accordance with a schedule established for the position by the supervisor.


• Performs other related duties as assigned or as the situation dictates within the scope of this classification.


• The following essential functions are specific to the designated division:


• Environmental Quality Control


• Waters, sprays, weeds, prorogates plants, repairs damage, and removes sediment from green infrastructure.


• Assists in monitoring of water quality in green infrastructure.


• Directs volunteers and part‑time employees assisting in green infrastructure maintenance.


• Operates common equipment used in maintenance of permeable pavement systems (mechanical sweeper, wet/dry vacuum).

Conditions of Employment:

Candidates must provide proof of U.S. citizenship, permanent residence, or authorization to work without sponsorship. The City of Omaha reserves the right to conduct pre‑employment inquiries or evaluations of candidates for employment as it deems appropriate for the particular position. Pre‑employment inquiries may include, without limitation: verification of employment history and educational attainment; review of driving, credit, and criminal convictions; hearing, drug, functional capacity, psychological, vision, and medical tests; and/or any other relevant background information deemed appropriate to determine the suitability of the applicant for the position. Failure to provide the information requested in the application and hiring process in a truthful, timely, accurate, and complete manner may result in disqualification, revocation of a conditional offer of employment, or termination.

Reasonable Accommodation:

The City of Omaha does not discriminate on the basis of disability. If you need a disability‑related accommodation during the job application or selection process, advise the Human Resources Department at least 48 hours prior to the need by emailing [e-mail].

Contact Points:

City of Omaha Human Resources Department
1819 Farnam St, Suite 506
Omaha, NE 68183

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Website: hr.cityofomaha.org
Email: [e-mail]