Landscape Specialist (I, II, or III)

Berea College; Berea (KY); On-site; USD 28,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care

Dental

Retirement

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

Berea College seeks a Landscape Specialist to perform seasonal grounds operations including mowing, trimming, edging, planting, weeding, snow and ice control. The role may involve supervising student workers and coordinating landscape planning and maintenance across campus.

Responsibilities include maintaining trees and plants, guiding staff in landscaping tasks, and applying environmentally sensitive weed and pest control methods.

Qualifications

• Education/experience aligned with Landscape Specialist I–III levels.
• Ability to supervise student workers and provide instruction.
• Knowledge of grounds trades, safety, and plant care practices.

Responsibilities

• Perform mowing, trimming, edging, weed control, seeding, fertilizing, snow and ice control.
• Maintain trees and plants; oversee in-house/contract maintenance of trees and plants.
• Install and maintain landscaped areas; provide guidance to staff involved in landscaping operations.
• Apply environmentally sensitive weed and pest control methods.
• Supervise student workers and manage scheduling and tasks.

Skills

Grounds maintenance

Tree & plant care

Equipment operation

Education

HS Diploma/GED

Bachelor/Associate in related field

Arboriculture/Horticulture cert

Job description

Working in dangerous conditions- storms, trees, etc.;

Please note that references provided at the time of application for staff positions will not be contacted until the applicant has been offered the position.

Description

Position performs all aspects of seasonal grounds operations such as mowing, trimming, edging, planting, weeding, and snow removal and ice control. The level of the Landscape Specialist position is dictated by the forementioned education and experience. Depending on the level of the position the incumbent may provide assistance to others in the planning, leadership and direction in the development and maintenance of landscaped areas and/or provides guidance on the proper maintenance of trees and other plants.

Your Key Responsibilities

• Performs all aspects of grounds maintenance including; mowing, trimming, edging, weed control and removal, seeding, fertilizing, grounds clean-up including leaf removal, and snow and ice control operations.
• Maintains trees and other plants in a healthy condition and assists with the oversight of both in-house and contract maintenance of trees and other plants.
• Installs and maintains landscaped areas and provides guidance and direction to other grounds personnel involved in landscaping operations.
• Provides environmentally sensitive weed and pest control and provides guidance to others in these operations.
• In support of Berea College’s great commitments this position requires student supervision. The fourth great commitment is to promote learning and serving in community through the student labor program, honoring the dignity and utility of all work, mental and manual, and taking pride in work well done. The Supervision would include scheduling, assigning and approving work performed. Developing students about common workplace acumen and giving them tangible work experience is an expected outcome. To learn more about the student labor program and requirements on this position see: Labor Program Goals

What You'll Bring

Education required to ensure success in this position:

Landscape Specialist I

• H.S. Diploma/GED

Landscape Specialist II

• H.S. Diploma/GED

Landscape Specialist III

• H.S. Diploma/GED
• Bachelors/Associates Degree in Related Field, higher education/trade school
• Certification in Arboriculture or Horticulture

Experience Required To Ensure Success In This Position

Landscape Specialist I

• Entry level, minimum of 0-2 years’ experience in landscape maintenance/care

Landscape Specialist II

• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in landscape maintenance/care

Landscape Specialist III

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in landscape maintenance/care

Special Skills, Knowledge And Abilities

Landscape Specialist I

• Knowledge of grounds and landscaping trades and materials
• Ability to follow direction of others in the maintenance of campus landscaping
• Ability to safely operate all types of landscaping equipment

Landscape Specialist II

• Must meet all requirements of Landscape Specialist I
• Ability to apply weed and pest control using environmentally sensitive methods
• Moderate knowledge of plant varieties and life cycles
• Ability to supervise and provide proper instruction to student workers

Landscape Specialist III

• Must meet all requirements of Landscape Specialist II
• Extensive knowledge of plant varieties and life cycles
• Ability to lead/supervise/train others to complete tasks safely and efficiently
• Assists in planning/execution of projects, renovations, and landscape design

License, Certification, Or Registration Necessary

Landscape Specialist I

• Valid KY Driver’s License

Landscape Specialist II/III

• Valid KY Driver’s License
• Ability to obtain state applicators license in category N3 within 90 days of employment

Physical Requirements

• Physical capability for manual labor
• Ability to lift 50 pounds
• Ability to work in extreme conditions

Environmental Conditions

• Working outside in weather extremes- sun and heat, rain, snow, cold temperatures;
• Working around hazardous equipment- lifts, tractors, front loaders, chain saws, mowers, etc.;
• Working in dangerous conditions- storms, trees, etc.;
• Working in garage- loud, dusty, greasy conditions.

Ability To Operate The Following Vehicles Or Equipment

• Cars, trucks, tractors, mowers, trimmers, chain saw, power tools

Founded in 1855, Berea College is nationally recognized as the first coeducational and interracial college in the South. Berea has a longstanding commitment to interracial education and is one of the most racially diverse private liberal arts colleges in the United States. With an emphasis on service to Appalachia and beyond, Berea enrolls more than 1,500 students from 46 states and U.S. territories and more than 70 countries. Berea College admits students who are unable to afford tuition and provides all of them with a no-tuition promise. Berea’s students excel in the College’s supportive yet demanding academic environment, and most are the first in their families to attend college. As one of only ten federally recognized Work Colleges, all Berea students are expected to work 10-12 hours weekly in various positions across campus. Berea College is also the only institution in Kentucky to receive the 5-Star Rating from Money Magazine, 2025. Washington Monthly has named Berea College the #1 Best College in the nation in its 2025 College Guide. Berea College appears in their rankings as #1 College (overall): Best College for your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars, #1 Best-in Class College, #1 Liberal Arts College and #1 Best Bang for the Buck Southern College.

Located where the Bluegrass Region meets the Cumberland Mountains, the town of Berea (pop. 16,000) lies forty miles south of Lexington and is approximately two hours from Cincinnati, Louisville, and Knoxville. More information about Berea College is available at www.berea.edu.

Berea College, in light of its mission in the tradition of impartial love and social equality, welcomes all people of the earth to learn and work here.

Berea College is always looking for talented, self-motivated individuals to join our team. If you think you are ready to be a part of an exciting team, then we encourage you to continue with this applicant friendly, online job application!

Berea College is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.

Our Benefits

• Health care
• Dental
• Vision
• Retirement
• Health savings accounts
• Flexible spending accounts
• Life insurance
• Short-term disability
• Long-term disability
• An Employee Assistance Program
• Access to the Child Development Laboratory for children of College Staff, ages 6 weeks to 6 years
• Seabury Center Membership
• Staff Development Funds
• Tuition Reimbursement

Eligible staff employees also receive paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave.

Part-time employees who work an average of twenty-four hours per week over the course of a year, receive benefits on a pro-rated basis.

To learn more details, visit our benefits page at https://www.berea.edu/human-resources/employee-benefits.

Our Unique Culture

Berea College strives to be a place where people with various Christian interpretations, different religious traditions, and no religious traditions work together in support of Berea's Great Commitments.

Over the past century, various leaders of the College have applied the College’s inclusive scriptural foundation and spirit to their expanding world and welcomed those whose beliefs were consistent with the Christian gospel of impartial love. Therefore, Berea College today affirms its inclusive Christian tradition even as it respects the traditions of Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus, as well as other faiths, and those holding no religious beliefs. We strive not to ignore our differences, but rather seek to understand each other honestly and respectfully, and together create a climate where anyone can openly discuss what they believe without fear of sanction. To that end, all persons who are willing to share in the spirit and the work of the Great Commitments as shaped by its preamble are welcome to study, to teach, and to work at Berea

Labor Supervision

In support of Berea College’s great commitments, staff and faculty serve as labor supervisors. Our fourth great commitment, The Dignity of Labor, promotes learning and serving in community through the student Labor Program, honoring the dignity and utility of all work, mental and manual, and taking pride in work well done. Student Labor Supervision includes scheduling, assigning, and approving student work, developing students' workplace acumen, and providing tangible work experience. To learn more about the labor program office please see the following link Labor Program Office.