Lead Groundskeeper

University of North Texas - Denton; Denton (TX); On-site; USD 29,980 - 36,643; Full time

Job summary

University of North Texas is seeking a Lead Groundskeeper in Denton to lead the grounds crew, perform landscaping and maintenance tasks, and ensure safety and quality on campus properties. Responsibilities include supervision of a crew, equipment operation, and coordination of grounds activities across diverse terrain.

The role requires at least three years of related experience, knowledge of turf and landscape practices, and the ability to train less experienced staff.

Qualifications

• Three years of related experience or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Knowledge of herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers handling and application.
• Comfortable with recordkeeping and basic lab-like measurements.
• Possession of or ability to obtain Noncommercial Pesticide Applicator License (TDA) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversees grounds crew and assigns duties to subordinate employees.
• Mows, trims, prunes, and maintains landscapes and related tasks.
• Mixes pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides per procedures.
• Maintains safety and proper horticultural practices on the jobsite.
• Keeps timely labor and mileage records and completes required paperwork.
• Leads projects and training for new crew members.

Skills

Follow instructions

Chemistry math

Grounds maintenance knowledge

Supervision/leadership

Outdoor work in all weather

Safety awareness

Heavy equipment operation

Job description

Title: Lead Groundskeeper

Employee Classification: Lead Groundskeeper

Campus: University of North Texas

Division: UNT-VP Finance & Admin

SubDivision-Department: UNT-Facilities

Department: UNT-Facilities-Gen-152000

Job Location: Denton

Salary: $33,312

FTE: 1.000000

Retirement Eligibility: TRS Eligible

Department Summary

First impressions matter! As the department of first impressions, the Grounds department is essential to project the correct image of the University's longevity, culture, and priorities. Here at UNT, we Mean Green, and we strive to show that in how we as a department tend to our campus. A well‑maintained grounds provides social, economic, and environmental benefits to the university, the students, the faculty and staff, and the surrounding community. Grounds maintenance professionals create safe, sustainable, and aesthetically pleasing landscapes with these goals at the forefront of all we do.

Position Overview

The Facilities Department at the University of North Texas is seeking to hire a Lead Groundskeeper to join our team.

• Works under the direction of Grounds Supervisor to apply herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers to the campus grounds and sports fields.
• Operates and performs preventative maintenance on equipment such as tractors, spreaders, aerators, sprayers, and other landscape related equipment, for grounds and sports fields.
• Assists with troubleshooting plant health care issues.
• Assists with agronomy product inventory management and storage in accordance with TDA guidelines and regulations.
• Responsible for daily recordkeeping of agronomy applications in compliance with TDA requirements.
• Assists crew leader to ensure all safety and proper horticultural practices are followed.
• Takes proactive measures in addressing problem areas, including making plans, asking for assistance from other teams, and reporting to Crew Leader, Supervisors, or Managers.
• Ensures that all required paperwork is completed in a timely manner, including labor reports, daily completion reports, mileage forms, and others as required.
• Helps Crew Leader ensure that crew members properly follows all break times, lunch times, and work schedules.
• Helps train and supervise new and inexperienced crew members including students.
• Works with crew to ensure all assigned areas and tasks are completed properly and according to the schedule.
• Leads crews or projects as assigned.
• Participates in mowing, trimming, edging, hand weeding, digging, planting, pruning, trash detail, and all other mow and landscape related tasks.
• Participates in inclement weather cleanup including snow, ice, storm events.
• Other duties as assigned.
• This position is considered to be essential personnel, and may require working overtime, which could include nights and weekends as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Three years of related experience or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to apply mathematical concepts to complete tasks (example: measuring and mixing chemicals).
• Considerable knowledge of the practices, tools, materials, and machines used in grounds maintenance operations.
• Ability to monitor tasks of others and ensure completion of work.
• Ability to work outdoors in all kinds of weather.
• Knowledge of safety and security precautions appropriate to work performed.
• May operate heavy machinery.

Preferred Qualifications

• 1 year of experience applying fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides.
• Possession of or ability to obtain Noncommercial Political Pesticide Applicator License from the TDA.
• Three years of landscape or grounds experience.
• One year of leadership experience.

Required License/Registration/Certifications

Possession of a valid Texas drivers license or ability to obtain within 30 days of employment; ability to drive a vehicle and maintain coverage under University liability insurance policy, if required to drive University vehicles.

Job Duties

• Oversees groundskeepers, mowers and landscape crew.
• Assigns duties to subordinate employees, reports any employee relations issues to management and trains employees. Trains personnel on installation methods and procedures and proper equipment use.
• Mixes a variety of pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides while following proper application procedures.
• Supervises and assists grounds personnel in the removal of snow and ice from walks and roadways when necessary.
• Consistently completes expected duties in a timely manner without constant supervision. Accepts responsibility for own work and follows through on commitments.
• Supervises construction and care of new landscape beds and installs plants and trees according to landscape blueprints and existing horticultural standards.
• Promotes Facilities core values of Service, Integrity, and Excellence by conducting oneself in a manner that is respectful, honest, ethical, and customer focused.
• Committed to maintaining a safe and secure work environment.
• Demonstrates punctuality and follows policies and procedures for absences, time and attendance.

Physical Requirements

• Communicating with others to exchange information.
• Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles, and the like.
• Lifting and Moving objects up to 50 pounds.
• Moving self in various positions to perform tasks in tight and confined spaces.
• Operating machinery and/or power tools.
• Operating motor vehicles or heavy equipment.
• Repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands and/or fingers.

Environmental Hazards

• Elevated temperatures.
• Exposure to fumes or airborne particles.
• Exposure to moving mechanical parts or vibration.
• Low temperatures.
• Noisy environments.
• Outdoor elements such as precipitation and wind.
• Work with toxic or caustic chemicals.

Work Schedule

Monday - Thursday or Tuesday - Friday 6:30 AM - 5:00 PM

Driving University Vehicle

Yes

Security Sensitive

This is a Security Sensitive Position.

Benefits

Benefits information is available through the university benefits resources.

EEO Statement

The University of North Texas System is firmly committed to equal opportunity and does not permit -and takes actions to prevent - discrimination, harassment (including sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking), and retaliation on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran status in its application, employment practices, and facilities; nor permits race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, veteran status, or sex discrimination and harassment in its admissions processes, and educational programs and activities. UNT System Administration promptly investigates complaints of discrimination, harassment, and related retaliation and takes remedial action when appropriate. System Administration also takes actions to prevent retaliation against individuals who oppose any form of harassment or discriminatory practice, file a charge or report, or testify, assist, or participate in a related investigation or proceeding.