Lead Athletic Fields Groundsworker

The California State University; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 43,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous time off

Health coverage

Education support

Job summary

San Diego State University is seeking an experienced Lead Athletic Fields Groundsworker to provide leadership to grounds staff and coordinate maintenance of athletic fields for SDSU Athletics and Aztec Recreation.

The role supports turf management, field operations, equipment maintenance, and staff training, ensuring safe, high‑quality playing surfaces for practices, competitions, and events. On‑site, full‑time position with overtime as needed.

Qualifications

• Two years of experience in planting, cultivating, or grounds maintenance (equivalent).
• Ability to lead, train, and supervise grounds staff.
• Knowledge of turf management and irrigation practices.

Responsibilities

• Provide lead direction to Athletic Fields Groundsworkers, including assigning work, monitoring progress, and inspecting completed work.
• Train employees in athletic field maintenance techniques, equipment operation, and workplace safety practices.
• Maintain accurate records of labor, project costs, and work activities using the university’s facilities management systems.

Skills

Lead direction to staff

Staff training

Oversee work quality

Athletic field maintenance knowledge

Education

Associate degree or coursework in Sports Turf Management

Tools

Irrigation systems

Equipment maintenance

Job description

Job no: 563516
Work type: Staff
Location: San Diego
Categories: Unit 5 - CSUEU - Operations and Support Services, Athletics, Probationary, Full Time, On-site (work in-person at business location)

Position Summary

San Diego State University Facilities Services is seeking an experienced and dependable Lead Athletic Fields Groundsworker to provide lead direction to grounds staff while coordinating and performing the maintenance, preparation, improvement, and repair of athletic fields and surrounding grounds for SDSU Athletics and Aztec Recreation. This position helps ensure safe, attractive, and high-quality playing surfaces for practices, competitions, and special events while supporting turf management, field operations, equipment maintenance, and staff training.

Key Responsibilities

• Daily Work Assignments & Oversight
• Provide lead direction to Athletic Fields Groundsworkers, including assigning work, monitoring progress, and inspecting completed work for quality and compliance with departmental standards.
• Train employees in athletic field maintenance techniques, equipment operation, and workplace safety practices.
• Conduct quality control inspections and ensure work is completed efficiently and professionally.
• Maintain accurate records of labor, project costs, and work activities using the university’s facilities management systems.
• Promote a safe work environment by identifying hazards, documenting concerns, and ensuring compliance with university safety requirements.
• Athletic Field and Grounds Maintenance
• Perform and oversee groundskeeping activities including mowing, edging, pruning, weeding, litter removal, irrigation monitoring, and landscape maintenance.
• Maintain natural and synthetic athletic fields to ensure safe and high-quality playing conditions.
• Evaluate field conditions and determine appropriate grooming, irrigation, fertilization, pesticide application, and maintenance requirements.
• Apply fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides in accordance with applicable regulations and best practices.
• Operate and monitor irrigation systems to support athletic turf health and performance.

Why Join Us?

• Help maintain NCAA Division I athletic facilities used by SDSU student-athletes and visiting teams.
• Provide leadership and training to a skilled athletic grounds crew.
• Work on specialized athletic turf and field maintenance projects.
• Play a direct role in preparing facilities for intercollegiate athletic competitions and major campus events.
• Join a Facilities Services team dedicated to excellence, customer service, and stewardship of university resources.

Position Information

• Full-time, benefits-eligible, permanent/probationary position.
• Position is designated non-exempt under FLSA and is eligible for overtime compensation.
• Standard SDSU work hours are Thursday – Monday, 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., but may vary based on operational needs.
• The individual hired into this role will work on campus at SDSU in San Diego.

Department Summary

Facilities Services is a customer-service-based organization responsible for the operation, maintenance, repair, renovation, and improvement of campus buildings, infrastructure, grounds, and athletic fields. Facilities Services employs approximately 250 employees and supports approximately eight million square feet of buildings and 280 acres of improved and unimproved land. The Athletic Field Operations Program is responsible for maintaining approximately 11 acres of natural and synthetic athletic fields that support NCAA Division I competition and practice, recreational and instructional activities, and campus and external events.

Education and Experience

• Equivalent to two years of experience in planting, cultivating, and maintaining flowers and shrubs, or in general grounds maintenance work.

Key Qualifications

• Ability to work early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and overtime and respond to emergencies based on athletic, event, and weather-related operational needs.
• Athletic field, facilities, grounds, event, or comparable operations program in NCAA Division I Athletics, higher education, municipal government, professional sports, or a similarly complex environment.
• Thorough knowledge of methods, materials, tools, and equipment used in turf management, soil management, and plant and tree care.
• General knowledge of plant diseases, pests, weeds, and accepted control and eradication methods.
• Ability to organize, coordinate, train, and oversee the work of others.
• Ability to inspect and evaluate work quality and provide effective instruction and guidance.
• Knowledge of athletic field maintenance practices, including turf management, irrigation, and field preparation.
• Ability to work collaboratively with coaches, administrators, and internal and external stakeholders.

Preferred qualifications

• Prior lead or supervisory experience in grounds or athletic field maintenance operations.
• Experience maintaining athletic fields at the NCAA Division I, collegiate, professional, or comparable level.
• Knowledge of NCAA and conference field requirements, athletic event operations, and field preparation requirements applicable to competition, practice, recreational use, and special events.
• Experience maintaining warm-season turfgrass varieties, including hybrid Bermuda grass and overseeding programs.
• Associate degree or coursework in Sports Turf Management, Turfgrass Science, Horticulture, Agronomy, or a related field.
• Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) certification or equivalent professional certification.

Licenses/Certifications Required

Valid California Driver’s License or the ability to obtain one within 30 days of hire.

Compensation and Benefits

San Diego State University offers competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well-being and professional growth.

Compensation: Step placement will be determined based on relevant qualifications and professional experience, in alignment with the department’s budget and equity guidelines.

• Initial step placement is not expected to exceed Step 19 ($5,555/month)
• CSU Classification Salary Range: $3,890 - $5,555 per month (Step 1 – Step 19) based on qualifications and experience.
• Bonus Plan: This position is eligible for a lead athletic fields performance bonus in accordance with the CSUEU collective bargaining agreements and CSU policies.

Full Benefits Package Includes

• Generous Time Off: 15 paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave.
• Retirement: CalPERS pension plan with retiree healthcare, and reciprocal agreements with other California public retirement systems, including the UC.
• Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision options at low or no cost.
• Education Support: CSU tuition fee waiver for employees and eligible dependents.
• Optional Offerings: FlexCash, life and disability insurance, legal and pet plans.
• Campus & Community: Access to the library, campus events, employee groups, and volunteer and social activities.

At SDSU, our diversity gives us power and benefits every single member of our community. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, SDSU provides equal opportunity for all in education and employment. We encourage all members of our community to purposefully learn from one another through open and respectful dialogue and responsible engagement. We strongly preserve the right to free expression and encourage difficult conversations that help lead to improved individual and community learning and cohesion.

At San Diego State University, we are a community of diverse individuals who have and represent many perspectives, beliefs, and identities. This diversity lends our community strength, and we commit to creating and sustaining an inclusive and intellectually vibrant environment that benefits all members of our university.

SDSU’s Principles of Community is an aspirational statement that is intended to evolve over time. The statement reflects the ideals we are encouraged to uphold in our interactions with one another.

Equal Opportunity and Excellence in Education and Employment

All university programs and activities are open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, San Diego State University (SDSU) provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. SDSU complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.

SDSU is a diverse community of individuals who represent many perspectives, beliefs and identities, committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and intellectually vibrant environment. We cultivate a culture of open dialogue, mutual respect, and belonging to support educational excellence and student success. Through academic programs, student organizations and activities, faculty initiatives, and community partnerships, we encourage meaningful engagement with diverse perspectives. As a higher education institution, we are dedicated to advancing knowledge and empowering individuals to reach their full potential by prioritizing inclusive curriculum development, faculty and staff training, student mentorship, and comprehensive support programs. At SDSU, excellence is built on merit, talent, diversity, accessibility, and equal opportunity for all.

Supplemental Information

The person holding this position is considered a ‘mandated reporter’ under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

San Diego State University is not a sponsoring agency for staff or management positions (e.g., H-1B visa).Applicants must currently be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Offers of employment are contingent upon the presentation of documents that demonstrate a person's identity and authorization to work in the United States, which are consistent with the provisions of theImmigration Reform and Control Act.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily and is required for employment. SDSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current SDSU employee who was conditionally offered the position.

SDSU is a smoke-free campus. For more information, please .

Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified applicants with disabilities who request an accommodation by contacting Michelle Puentes at [e-mail] .