Sportsfield Maintenance Tech

The University of Rhode Island; Kingston, Northern (RI, KY); Hybrid; USD 58,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Rhode Island in Kingston is seeking a Sportsfield Maintenance Tech to maintain athletic fields, landscapes, and outdoor surfaces to NCAA Division I standards. You will oversee turf equipment operation, field line striping, irrigation, and seasonal maintenance tasks across campus.

Qualified applicants will hold a valid pesticide license and have multiple years of field maintenance experience, with a preference for higher education in turfgrass management.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of athletic field maintenance methods and safety practices.
• Experience with turf fertilization, irrigation, and pesticide applications.
• Ability to supervise skilled and unskilled personnel.

Responsibilities

• Maintain turf, landscaping, and athletic field surfaces to NCAA standards.
• Operate turf equipment and manage field painting, line striping, and sodding.
• Oversee inventory, ordering, and vendor inspections for field maintenance.

Skills

Athletic field maintenance knowledge

Pesticide licensing

Supervise staff

Equipment operation

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Associate degree in Turfgrass management or related field

Job description

80 Lower College Road, Kingston, RI 02881

Below you will find the details for the position including any supplementary documentation and questions you should review before applying for the opening.

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

At the time of appointment and continually thereafter as a condition of continued employment:

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

Within six (6) months of employment:

• 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

Position Information

Posting Number

Posting Number CS02317

Job Title

Job Title Sportsfield Maintenance Tech

Position Number

Position Number TBD

FTE

FTE 1.00

FLSA

Pay Rate

Salary Range

Salary Range $57,806 - $65,606

Pay Grade Level 322

Position Type

Union

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

Status

Status Calendar Year, Full-time, Permanent

Department Information

Department

Department Landscape & Grounds Maintenance

Contact(s)

Sean Nelson
Specialist, Talent Acquisition
Office of Human Resource Administration
80 Lower College Road
Kingston, RI 02881

Contact Phone/Extension

Contact Phone/Extension 401-874-5269

Contact Email

Contact Email [e-mail]

Physical Demands

Campus Location

Campus Location Kingston

Building(s)

Campus Wide/Float

Grant Funded

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.

Preferred Qualifications

Environmental Conditions

Work Hours

6:00am – 2:30pm – Monday – Friday
Saturday and Sunday off

Posting Date

Posting Date 09/24/2026

Closing Date

Closing Date 10/04/2026