Sportsfield Maintenance Tech

University of Rhode Island; Kingston (RI); On-site; USD 58,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Rhode Island is seeking a Sportsfield Maintenance Tech to manage advanced landscape and athletic field upkeep for varsity stadiums and practice fields at the Kingston campus.

The role involves operating turf equipment, applying pesticides, supervising crews, maintaining irrigation, and ensuring safe, high-quality playing surfaces to NCAA standards. A valid pesticide license and several years of field experience are required.

Qualifications

• Education options include a high school diploma or GED with experience, or an associate degree in turfgrass/landscape.
• Valid pesticide license is required for the position.
• Minimum five years of field maintenance experience, or two years with an associate degree.

Responsibilities

• Operate and maintain sports turf equipment for stadiums and fields.
• Apply general and restricted-use pesticides per regulations.
• Oversee subordinates in landscape maintenance and related tasks.
• Maintain turfgrass, shrubs, and other plant materials for NCAA-level surfaces.
• Perform routine irrigation system maintenance and scheduling.

Skills

Athletic field maintenance

Supervisory skills

Recordkeeping

Pesticide knowledge

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Associate's Degree in Turfgrass Management or related

Valid Pesticide license

Tools

Turf equipment operation

Irrigation systems maintenance

Job description

Sportsfield Maintenance Tech

Posting Number: CS02317

FTE: 1.00

Salary Range: $57,806 - $65,606

Pay Grade Level: 322

Union: C94/L528 - Council 94/Local 528 (Serv/Maint)

Status: Calendar Year, Full-time, Permanent

Department: Landscape & Grounds Maintenance

Campus Location: Kingston

Duties and Responsibilities

ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES OF WORK PERFORMED: Within the University of Rhode Island (URI), to perform advanced technical and skilled work relating to landscape and athletic field maintenance programs at URI for stadiums, sports fields, outdoor courts, recreation fields, and other landscapes.

To be responsible for the operation and maintenance of specialized sports turf equipment, the application of general and restricted use pesticides, knowledge of sports field layouts and line striping, planting, watering, sweeping, snow removal, and the utilization of turf and plants to provide functional, safe, and aesthetic playing surfaces; and to do related work as required.

To engage in, and as assigned, to oversee subordinates engaged in, cleaning and maintaining parking lots, roadsides, landscape plantings including transplanting shrubs or trees, weeding, spraying, fertilizing, hydroseeding, rolling and sodding, leaf collection, trimming and mowing grass.

To be responsible for inventorying, ordering, and stockpiling of all materials needed for an athletic field maintenance program under the general direction of a superior.

To be responsible for the maintenance of turfgrass, shrubbery, and other plant materials used on practice and competition NCAA Division 1 level sports fields and recreation fields, outdoor courts, landscape beds, bioretention ponds, swales, slope coverages, parking lots, bike paths, and roadsides.

To be responsible for evaluating and maintaining synthetic and natural grass athletic surfaces for safety and playability related to NCAA Division 1 competition specifications or higher standards as required.

To have knowledge of and perform best maintenance practices on synthetic athletic field surfaces, including painting, paint removal, grooming, and other maintenance practices to enhance playability and extend useful life of surface.

To have knowledge of and perform best maintenance practices on ball fields with clay- skinned surfaces to NCAA Division I competition specifications or higher standards as required.

To maintain current knowledge and specific care needs of various plants including turfgrasses, trees, shrubs and perennials.

To maintain current knowledge and read assigned literature to gain knowledge and stay current in the various areas of expertise required to perform duties and responsibilities.

To recommend landscape planting for site improvements and erosion control including grading, filling, sloping, selection of proper plant materials to combat erosion, seeding and sodding.

To perform safety sensitive functions and provide a safe work environment for co-workers and the campus community by following established work and safety rules.

As assigned, to operate trucks equipped with plow blades and spreaders to remove snow and ice and spread abrasive and de-icing materials on sidewalks, parking lots and roadway surfaces.

As assigned, to operate specialized snow removal equipment.

As assigned, to operate mowers or tractors with attached rotary, gang, sickle or other type cutters to control vegetation in ditches, medians and other areas of university owned right-of-way.

To operate specialized turf management equipment such as aerator, top-dressing attachment, rototiller, sweeper, sod cutter, seeding equipment and other specialized autonomous robotic equipment.

To operate watering equipment such as tow behind water buffalo, water tanks, truck mounted water tanks, hose and reel and other related equipment to maintain healthy plant material on the University campus and athletic grounds.

To perform maintenance on campus and athletic field irrigation systems.

To perform daily athletic field irrigation system scheduling and periodically monitor system operation and efficiency.

To implement and execute a turf fertilization and herbicide application program on university athletic fields and landscaped areas.

To provide event setup and support to URI Athletics events, URI Conference/Event Office events, and Department of Recreation Services programs.

As assigned, to explain sports turf landscape maintenance policies and plans and to teach horticultural practices to student workers and students.

To assist in classroom learning under the specific direction of a faculty member/course instructor, including planting, transplanting, herbicide, pesticide and insecticide application demonstrations, tree and shrub identification, and other industry- related nomenclature.

To inspect any contracted work done by private vendors to ensure that the work was completed according to instructions or written specifications.

To inspect mulch operations performed by contracted vendors, tally quantities, instruct and coordinate with the vendor.

To perform record- keeping and process work orders.

To perform job functions in a variety of environmental and weather conditions.

To perform related work as required.

Required Qualifications

KNOWLEDGE. SKILLS AND CAPACITIES: Knowledge of industry standard athletic field maintenance methods, athletic field playing surfaces and installations, practices and techniques and the ability to apply such methods, practices and techniques, including the safe use of appropriate equipment; a working knowledge of, turf maintenance and safe use of herbicides; a working knowledge of the methods commonly used in the eradication of insect pests and diseases of turfgrass and ornamental plants.

The ability to lay out, coordinate and supervise the work of skilled and unskilled personnel; the ability to carry out and direct proper seed selection, seeding operations, hydroseeding, sodding, fertilizing methods and practices, and herbicide selection and application practices; the ability to keep records and prepare written reports; the ability to follow oral and written instructions; and related capacities and abilities.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Education: Possession of a High School Diploma or GED including affiliated certificates, workshops and/or post-secondary course work; andExperience: A minimum of five (5) years of employment in public agency or in private industry involving athletic field, golf, or landscape maintenance at a technical level, including possession of valid Pesticide license for that duration. Or, Possession of an Associate's Degree or higher in Turfgrass management, Plant Sciences or Environmental Horticulture or closely related field, and a minimum of two (2) years of employment in a public agency or in private industry involving athletic field, golf, or landscape maintenance at a technical level, including possession of a valid Pesticide license for that duration.

Posting Date: 10/29/2026

Closing Date: 11/08/2026

Special Instructions to Applicants

1. Must possess a valid Driver's License
2. Must possess a valid Hoisting License as regulated by the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT).
3. Must possess a valid Rhode Island Commercial Pesticide Applicator's license as regulated by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM).
4. Must be physically qualified to perform assigned duties as evidenced by a physician's certificate.

Within six (6) months of employment:

1. Must obtain and maintain an Arborist License as regulated by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and continually thereafter as a condition of continued employment