Park Maintenance Specialist I/II - Horticulture

City of Thornton, Colorado; Denver (CO); Sur place; USD 36 000 - 54 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Multi-lingual pay

Vacation time & sick leave

Recreation center pass

Family membership discounts

Résumé du poste

City of Thornton is seeking a Park Maintenance Specialist to maintain parks, open space, trails, and municipal grounds. Work starts early with shifts from 6:00 AM to 2:30 PM and offers year-round outdoor tasks in Colorado sunshine.

You will operate irrigation systems, support civic events, and contribute to habitat stewardship. The role emphasizes hands-on outdoor work, teamwork, and community service in Thornton.

Qualifications

• Willingness to work outdoors in varied weather.
• Ability to identify grasses and weeds.
• Interest in wildlife and habitat management.
• Curiosity and willingness to learn.

Responsabilités

• Naturally Thornton program conversions: turf conversion, seedbeds, native reseeding, irrigation modifications.
• Open Space and aquatic corridors maintenance of waterways, trails, and undeveloped properties; weed control.
• Trail upkeep, wildlife monitoring, and litter mitigation.
• Operate, repair and program computerized irrigation systems; assist in event planning for civic events.

Connaissances

Outdoor work

Grass/weed ID

Wildlife monitoring

Drone piloting

Outils

Irrigation control systems

Description du poste

Work Schedule & Work Environment: Standard shifts run from 6:00 AM to 2:30 PM, providing an early start with afternoons mostly free. The position offers year‑round outdoor work in fresh mountain air with 300+ days of Colorado sunshine, featuring diverse, hands‑on tasks across municipal parks and facilities.

About the City of Thornton:

Thornton is an expanding municipality with active community development and growing public grounds teams. Whether starting a new municipal career or bringing seasoned horticultural expertise, there is strong demand for skilled maintenance professionals. Our organizational mission is to serve Thornton residents, visitors, and city employees with excellence.

About the team:

Our Open Space team may be small, but we take pride in the work we do and the natural spaces we help maintain. We’re looking for someone who enjoys working outdoors, starting the day early, and spending their workday in the field rather than behind a desk. You might be a great fit if you have an interest in native prairies, can identify grasses and weeds, enjoy learning about wildlife and habitat management, or are excited by the opportunity to pilot a 55 kg drone. You don’t need to bring every skill to the table - we’re looking for someone with curiosity, a willingness to learn, and an appreciation for the outdoors.

The work offers a welcome change of scenery and the opportunity to make a tangible difference in the community. Outdoor work comes with its share of challenges, including summer heat, winter cold, and unpredictable weather, but it also means experiencing the seasons firsthand. There are spring mornings when the prairie comes alive, fresh air instead of fluorescent lights, and the satisfaction of knowing your work helps preserve the natural spaces people enjoy. If you’re looking for meaningful, hands‑on work outdoors with a close‑knit team, we encourage you to apply!

Under specified supervision, the Park Maintenance Specialist performs a variety of duties maintaining parks, open space, trails, municipal grounds, rights‑of‑way (ROW), medians, and roundabouts; or (occasionally) executes arboricultural responsibilities including the care and preservation of trees, shrubs, and ornamental flowers.

Park Maintenance Specialist I:

Under general supervision, incumbents assigned to this class are expected to perform the full range of work assigned to this class and to work with independence and initiative.

Park Maintenance Specialist II:

Under direction incumbents work independently, exercising judgment and initiative. Incumbents may train employees on duties and safety practices, and lead a crew in the absence of a crew leader or supervisor.

Compensation & Employee Benefits:

The City of Thornton provides a comprehensive compensation package designed to support employee well‑being, work‑life balance, and long‑term financial security:

• Base Hourly Rate: $26.05 – $39.37 hourly, based on qualifications, relevant experience, and classification level.
• Multi‑Lingual Pay Program: Employees fluent in Spanish, Hmong, or American Sign Language (ASL) are eligible to participate in the City’s Multi‑lingual Pay Program, earning supplemental pay for using language skills in community and team service.
• Paid Vacation & Sick Leave Accrual: New employees begin accruing paid vacation leave at 10 hours per month (120 hours/year) and paid sick leave at 8 hours per month (96 hours/year) starting from their initial hire date.
• Recreation Center & Wellness Access: Complimentary city recreation center pass for the employee, alongside substantial family membership discounts.
• See the "Benefits" tab for more information!

Essential Functions

(Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following tasks, knowledge, skills and other characteristics. The list of tasks is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY, and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by positions in this class.)

Naturally Thornton Conversions & Open Space Stewardship

• Naturally Thornton Program Conversions: Executes turf conversions by removing Kentucky bluegrass, grading and preparing seedbeds, reseeding native varieties, modifying irrigation lines, and maintaining weed‑free establishment.
• Open Space & Aquatic Corridors: Maintains waterways, lakes, trail corridors, and undeveloped open properties. Identifies and controls noxious weeds and invasive trees and shrubs.
• Trail Upkeep & Wildlife Monitoring: Maintains public trails and trail amenities, monitors localized wildlife and fish health conditions, and enforces litter mitigation.

Irrigation Systems, Public Events & General Operations

• Computerized Irrigation Maintenance: Operates, repairs, and programs computerized central irrigation systems, replacing sprinkler heads, adjusting controller schedules, and assisting in plumbing pipe installations.
• Civic Event Coordination: Assists in planning, logistics setup, and execution for major civic events including Arbor Day, Thorntonfest, and Trees for Tomorrow; leads tree workshops and educational presentations.