Grounds Maintenance Worker

City of Suffolk; Virginia (MN); On-site; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Suffolk seeks a Grounds Maintenance Worker to perform semi-skilled tasks in city parks, prune trees, mow lawns, maintain fixtures, and operate light machinery under supervision. You will follow schedules, repair and set up equipment, and help ensure safe, inviting public spaces.

Requirements include a high school diploma and 1–2 years in labor-intensive maintenance, a valid driver’s license, and ability to work in varying weather.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• 1–2 years in labor-intensive maintenance preferred.

Responsibilities

• Mow lawns, prune hedges and shrubs, maintain flower beds, and trim weeds.
• Rake leaves, perform debris cleanup, and prepare fields for use.
• Operate light machinery and use hand tools for park maintenance.
• Perform basic upkeep on equipment and replace parts as needed.
• Polish park facilities, set up for events, and maintain signs and playground areas.
• Load/unload materials, perform minor repairs, and assist with projects as needed.

Skills

Physical fitness

Manual dexterity

Reading comprehension

Communication

Teamwork

Ability to follow instructions

Education

High school diploma

Tools

Lawn mowers

String trimmer

Hand tools

Maintenance equipment

Job description

Under direct supervision, performs semi-skilled and unskilled work in the maintenance of the City’s parks and landscapes. Work involves operating light machinery and using hand tools to prune trees, mow lawns, maintain park equipment and facilities; and policing public grounds. Employee must exercise some independent judgment and initiative in ensuring proper completion of assigned tasks. Reports to the Grounds Maintenance Superintendent.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.

• Performs various landscaping duties such as mowing grass, trimming hedges and shrubbery, maintaining flower beds, trimming weeds, raking leaves, etc., using power lawn mowers, string trimmers and various hand tools.
• Performs general maintenance on weed eater which includes changing string, heads, spark plugs and blades.
• Maintains City parks, cuts grass in City parks, sets-up special events all over the City, landscapes gateways of City.
• Maintains lawn machines by performing general maintenance on mowers which includes gas, oil and blade changes.
• Polices public playgrounds, picking up debris and other refuse.
• Loads and unloads equipment and materials on work truck at start and end of workday; performs minor maintenance on equipment.
• Drags and lines off athletic fields for recreational play.
• Maintains and constructs park facilities including picnic shelters; erects signs, stages, playground equipment, fences, etc.
• May perform some building maintenance and carpentry work.
• Performs other related work as required.

Graduation from high school and 1 to 2 years of experience in labor-intensive maintenance work; or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. Requires a valid driver’s license.

• Knowledge of the standard methods, materials and equipment employed in basic landscaping and grounds maintenance operations.
• Knowledge of the operation of the equipment and tools used in grounds maintenance and digging work.
• Ability to use power lawn mowers, and power and hand tools. Is able to understand and learn the occupational hazards and proper safety precautions to be taken in grounds maintenance work.
• Ability to perform strenuous work under varying weather conditions.
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to establish and maintain effect working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.
• Ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
• Ability to speak/signal people to convey or exchange information.Includes receiving instructions, oral and written assignments and/or directions from superiors
• Ability to read work orders and requisition forms.Requires the ability to prepare work orders and time cards, using prescribed format.
• Ability to apply principles of rational systems to solve practical problems and to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule form.
• Ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions.Must be able to use and interpret auto mechanic terminology and language.
• Ability to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract totals; to multiply and divide.
• Ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.
• Ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color.
• Ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under minimal levels of stress.