Groundskeeper I

DC101 Dickinson College; United States; On-site; USD 32,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Life insurance

Flexible spending accounts

Generous time off

Parental leave

Homebuyer assistance

Tuition benefits

Job summary

Dickinson College is seeking a Groundskeeper I in Facilities Management - Grounds and Landscaping to maintain the campus’s attractive appearance through daily and planned maintenance activities. The role includes supervising student labor and ensuring safe, efficient operations.

Qualifications include a GED, PA pesticide applicator license (or ability to obtain), a PA Class B CDL, forklift certification, and a valid driver’s license.

Qualifications

• Education: GED required; Bachelor’s degree preferred in Hort/landscaping.
• Licenses/certifications: PA Pesticide Applicator license (Cat. 23) or obtain within 6 months; PA Class B CDL; Forklift certification; valid driver’s license.
• Experience: 1–3 years of work experience in grounds/landscaping.
• General requirements: safe operation of grounds equipment and ability to supervise student labor.

Responsibilities

• Mow, fertilize, irrigate, seed, aerate, prune, plant, and maintain campus grounds.
• Ensure safety and cleanliness of work areas and enforce safety protocols.
• Monitor litter, debris, and storm drains; manage pesticide applications and logs.
• Train and supervise student workers; assist with snow removal.
• Operate and maintain grounds equipment; perform minor repairs.

Skills

Grounds maintenance

Safety awareness

Equipment operation

Education

GED

Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture or Landscaping

PA Commercial Pesticide Applicator License Cat. 23 Parks/Schools

PA Class B CDL

Forklift certification

Valid driver’s license

Job description

About Dickinson

Dickinson College is a premier four-year residential liberal arts institution chartered in 1783 and widely recognized as a leader in global and sustainability education. Dickinson College is located in Carlisle, named a “most livable city” by Forbes and is minutes from the state capital of Harrisburg. The campus is connected to a vibrant downtown that offers eclectic dining, shopping and entertainment options. Within a two-hour drive are Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.; New York City is three hours away. Dickinson College offers full-time employees a broad range of benefits, including a comprehensive medical insurance plan, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, generous time off, parental leave, homebuyer assistance, and tuition benefits for eligible employees and dependent children under the age of 24. Upon eligibility, the College contributes 8% of an employee’s base salary to a retirement account with an additional .5% matching contribution; all money paid by the college into the employee’s retirement plan is immediately and fully vested in the employee. Below you will find the details for the position, including any supplementary documentation and questions you should review before applying for the opening.

Position Department Facilities Management - Grounds and Landscaping

Position Details

A Groundskeeper I functions as a working member of the College’s grounds crew or as a project leader, in performing various duties to maintain and assure and attractive appearance of the campus though the execution of daily and planned maintenance activities. Crew members are expected to maintain their individual campus zone with minimal supervision and direction. Crew members should be able to plan, prioritize and execute their activities such that the required work gets done with minimal intervention from their supervisor(s).

Essential Functions

• Maintains individual campus zone including mowing, fertilizing policing, irrigating, seeding,aerating, pruning, planting, leaf collection, etc.
• Ensures work is done in a safe and productive manner.
• Ensures that all trash and recycling receptacles are monitored and emptied as needed.
• Monitors pedestrian traffic areas for debris, appearance and safety issues.
• Blows off walks and performs other maintenance as needed.
• Also monitors storm drains and keeps clear.
• Makes pesticide applications and maintains pesticide application log.
• Attends safety and pesticide update trainings as required.
• Operates all grounds equipment in a safe and professional manner.
• Perform maintenance and minor repairs on grounds equipment.
• Assists grounds lead and Director of Grounds with supervising the work of student labor.
• Trains the groundskeeper II and student labor in maintenance and landscaping skills.
• Works with other grounds crew members to remove snow from campus sidewalks, parking lots, driveways, and steps.

All grounds crew members are considered “essential employees.” As such they are required to report to work even when the college is closed or is operating under a delayed start. Grounds crew members can be called in at any time of day to respond to weather and/or other types of emergencies as needed. It is expected that the employee has reliable transportation adequate to transport them to work even under adverse weather conditions.

Requirements

• Education: Required: Diploma GED
• Preferred: Bachelors Degree in Horticulture, landscaping contracting
• Must have a PA Commercial Pesticide Applicator License Category 23 Parks/Schools Pest Control, or obtain within six months of hire.
• Must have a PA Class B CDL.
• Ability to obtain a Forklift Operators certification.
• This position requires a valid driver's license for the operation of a company owned, rented or leased vehicle.

1-3 Years Work Experience

EEO/Diversity Statement

The College is committed to building a representative and diverse faculty, staff, and student body. We encourage applications from all qualified persons. Dickinson College is a premier four-year residential liberal arts institution chartered in 1783 and widely recognized as a leader in global and sustainability education. Dickinson College is located in Carlisle, named a “most livable city” by Forbes and minutes from the state capital of Harrisburg. The campus is connected to a vibrant downtown that offers eclectic dining, shopping and entertainment options. Within a two-hour drive are Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.; New York City is three hours away. We invite you to take a virtual tour of our campus and explore our Careers at Dickinson College video. Dickinson College offers full time employees a broad range of Benefits including a comprehensive medical insurance plan, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, generous time off, parental leave, homebuyer assistance, and tuition benefits for eligible employees and dependent children under the age of 24. Upon eligibility, the College contributes 8% of an employee’s base salary to a retirement account with an additional .5% matching contribution; all money paid by the college into the employee’s retirement plan is immediately and fully vested in the employee. Dickinson welcomes those who are seeking to be part of an intellectual and social community that values justice, free inquiry, diversity, and equal opportunity. It is a fundamental policy of the college to respect pluralism, civility and mutual understanding within its community. The college does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation or any other protected class. We encourage applications from all qualified persons. Individuals with disablities who require an accommodation to complete the employment process should contact Human Resource Services at [phone], [e-mail] or by visiting our offices Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (ET). You must submit your application for each position for which you would like to be considered. All applications must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the closing date indicated. If you have accepted any position at Dickinson College, there are key pieces of documentation that are needed to complete the hiring process. Be sure to review the list of acceptable Form I-9 documents, List of Acceptable Documents. We must physically verify the original of each document provided and we must obtain a copy of those required documents. Employees must complete the Form I-9 to document verification of their identity and employment authorization. Employment with Dickinson College is contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background check, which may include a criminal background check, reference checks, verification of work history, and verification of any required academic credentials, licenses, and/or certifications, with results acceptable to Dickinson College to ensure a safe learning and work environment for our students, staff, and faculty. A criminal conviction will not automatically disqualify an applicant from employment. Background check information will be used in a confidential, non-discriminatory manner consistent with state and federal law. Federal legislation requires institutions of higher education to inform prospective members of our community about its most recent crime/incident statistics, crime prevention and security programs and activities, policies concerning the reporting of crime, and related information in accordance with the Campus Security Act, commonly referred to as the Clery Act. You can obtain this information by contacting the Department of Public Safety, Dickinson College, 400 W. North St - Rear, Carlisle, PA 17013 or call (717)-245-1349.