Park Technician

City of Sioux Falls; Sioux Falls (SD); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Sioux Falls seeks an innovative, service-oriented Park Caretaker at Sherman Park, a premier softball complex recognized for excellence. You will maintain athletic fields, park properties, and facilities, with duties spanning irrigation, groundskeeping, equipment operation, and event support.

Ideal candidates bring turf management or horticulture experience, plus the ability to train and supervise temporary crews.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED plus 1 year of grounds maintenance experience or equivalent.
• Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in park management or related field preferred.
• Must possess or obtain a valid Class A commercial driver’s license within 90 days of hire.
• Within 6 months of hire, licensed for pesticide/insecticide application by SD Department of Agriculture.

Responsibilities

• Inspect, care for, and maintain park properties, rights-of-way, irrigation, and facilities such as shelters, playgrounds, athletic facilities, and park buildings.
• May serve as Park Caretaker as needed or assigned.
• Trim and remove trees; conduct annual tree surveys for disease/damage.
• Care for grounds: trees, shrubs, flowers, lawns, and golf course greens and rough.
• Prepare grounds and facilities for large crowds, events, and tournaments; assist event organizers and the public.
• Coordinate temporary crews and communicate performance concerns to supervisors.
• Operate and perform minor maintenance on park equipment and machinery including trucks, tractors, mowers, irrigation systems, and filtration systems.
• Perform snow and ice control procedures including plowing, sanding, and spreading deicing chemicals.
• Perform other duties as necessary for the position.

Skills

Grounds maintenance

Tree care

Equipment operation

Irrigation systems

Public event setup

Mechanical ability

Pesticide application knowledge

Education

High school diploma or GED

Associate's or Bachelor's in park management or related field preferred

Tools

Trucks

Tractors

Mowers

Irrigation equipment

Job description

The City of Sioux Falls is home to more than 3,000 acres of parks and playgrounds, including over 80 parks. We’re looking for an innovative and service-oriented individual who is passionate about maintaining our high standards of park properties.

This position will be located at Sherman Park, a premier softball complex, having won a 2021 USA Softball Softball Complex of the Year award.

Primary duties include performing skilled work relating to the care and maintenance of athletic fields, park properties, rights-of-way, and facilities. Ideal candidates are those with existing knowledge and work experience within turf management, horticulture, park management, or related fields.

1. 1. Under direction and coordination of the Park Caretaker, inspect, care for, and maintain park properties, rights-of-way, irrigation systems, and City facilities including but not limited to shelter houses, playground equipment, athletic facilities, skating rinks, park buildings, park roads; and aquatic facilities including filtration and circulation equipment.

2. 2. May perform as Park Caretaker as necessary or as assigned.

3. 3. Trim and remove trees, repair split and/or damaged trees, and conduct annual tree surveys to identify diseased/damaged trees for removal.

4. 4. Care for and maintain park grounds including trees, plants, and shrubberies. Cultivate, transplant, trim, spray, fertilize, prune, remove, plant, and water trees, shrubs, flowers, lawns, and golf course greens, fairways, tees, and rough.

5. 5. Prepare grounds and facilities for large crowds, concerts, tournaments and special events. Serve as point of contact for event organizer as necessary and assist the public when requested.

6. 6. Coordinate the work of temporary work crews as assigned and communicate any performance concerns to appropriate supervisors.

7. 7. Operate and perform minor maintenance work on various park equipment and machinery including but not limited to trucks, tractors, mowers, painting equipment, playground equipment, irrigation systems, and aquatic filtration systems.

8. 8. Perform snow and ice control and removal procedures, including plowing, sanding, spreading deicing chemicals, loading trucks, hauling snow, shoveling sidewalks, or assisting mechanics in the maintenance of snow removal equipment.

9. 9. Perform other such duties and functions as are necessary or incidental to the proper performance of this position.

Graduation from high school or GED certification and a minimum of one (1) year’s experience in the maintenance, care, and cultivation of grounds, including plants, shrubs, and trees; or any such combination of education, experience, and training as may be acceptable to the hiring authority.

Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in park management or related field preferred.

Must possess or be able to obtain within 90 days of hire a valid Class A commercial driver’s license.

Within six months of hire must be licensed by the South Dakota Department of Agriculture as a licensed public operator for the application/spraying of pesticides and insecticides.

• Knowledge in the planting, cultivation, and care of flowers, lawns, shrubbery, and trees.

• General mechanical ability and knowledge of the tools and methods used in making minor carpentry, plumbing, electrical, painting, and equipment repairs.

• Ability to operate trucks, tractors, and other power-driven equipment.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

• Ability and willingness to learn basic horticulture, arboriculture, floriculture, and the control of insects and plant diseases through insecticides and pesticides and environmental control.