Job Title: Groundskeeper I

Department: Grounds

Location: Columbus Campus

Employment Type: Staff

Employment Status: Board Approved

Bargaining Unit: Teamsters(Facilities)

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Compensation Type: Hourly

Compensation: $16.75

Schedule: 7:00am-3:30pm

Position Summary

The Groundskeeper I is responsible for maintaining the lawns, landscaping, sidewalks, parking lots, and parking garage. The focus of this role is to provide a campus that is safe, clean, and attractive. The incumbent will pick up loose trash and empty trash cans across campus, perform landscape duties, and participate in snow removal, as directed. This position will require work after normal hours, weekends, and holidays, as needed to meet seasonal job demand. This role will perform work outside during inclement weather (rain, ice/snow), as directed.

Core CompetenciesProfessionalism, Managing Work, Continuous Improvement, Quality Orientation, Safety Focus, Continuous Improvement, Customer/Student/Employee Focus, Collaboration, Applied Learning, Work Standards

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Outside Premises Support

Maintains outside premises to ensure a safe and attractive condition. Clears leaves, cuts grass, pulls weeds, trims shrubs and trees, and edges lawn. Removes debris from walks, lawns, and parking lots by hand and by operating a power vacuum sweeper. Empties trash cans and picks up loose trash on campus grounds, roadways and parking lots. Assembles, repairs, and assists in the installation of structures such as exterior furniture, walls, and patios.

Paints, seals pavement, patches potholes, stripes lots, installs signs and performs general cleaning responsibilities to maintain sidewalks, parking lots, roads and building exteriors. Patches concrete, fixes pot holes, maintains appropriate signage, maintains flags, and repairs irrigation.

Landscaping/Lawn Care & Equipment Operations

Performs landscaping responsibilities to lawn and adjacent areas. Transplants, removes, and plants flowers, trees, and shrubs, as directed. Applies mulch to landscaped areas. Waters grass, flowers, and shrubs, as necessary. Utilizes heavy equipment including forklift, aerial lift, bush-hog, mowers, stump grounder, trucks, utility vehicles, and tractors, as directed.

Utilizes power tools, blowers, weed eaters, hand tools, seasonal, and other equipment, as directed. Performs preventative maintenance and repair of grounds equipment.

Operations Support & Snow Removal Operations

Provides general maintenance support and assists with set-ups during special events, as directed. Assists the Police Department during evacuations and emergencies. Purchases and picks up supplies and equipment needed to perform job effectively. Enters, fulfills, and submits completed work orders in an accurately and timely manner.

Participates in snow removal, as assigned. Utilizes shovels, snow blowers, tractors, salt spreaders, and trucks for snow removal. Cleans walkways, stairs, parking lots, and roadways of ice and snow. Applies salt, calcium, and sand to various areas to melt ice and provide safe conditions. Assists with flood cleanup. 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Fosters and maintains a safe environment of respect and inclusion for faculty, staff, students, and members of the community.

Other Duties & Responsibilities
Attends all required department meetings and training.

Works overtime, as required to meet workload demands.

In the absence of the Lead Groundskeeper, and under the direction of the Grounds Supervisor, contacts vendors and orders tools, parts, and supplies for grounds operations.

Usual Physical Requirements

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions described in this position description. While performing duties of this job, the employee regularly stands and walks and occasionally sits. Employee frequently uses hands to hold and control tools and equipment. The employee occasionally reaches with hands and arms, climbs, balances, stoops, kneels, crouches or crawls. The employee frequently exhibits digital dexterity and eye-hand coordination when performing designated tasks. Employee occasionally lifts or exerts force on items, with varying weights of more than 50 pounds.

Working Conditions

Exposure to direct sunlight, rain, and humidity while working outside for extended periods of time. Exposure to noisy vibrating equipment such as blowers, chainsaws, weed eaters, and other power equipment. Exposure to dirt, dust, debris, and odors. May experience minor cuts, burns, or other situations that may cause injury. Occasional risk of electric shock. Employee may be exposed to fumes or airborne particles, toxic, or caustic materials, and blood borne pathogens.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge of: grounds maintenance (planting, pruning, trimming, mowing, planting, etc.); tools, materials and equipment used for gardening work; grounds maintenance safety practices.

Skill in: verbal and written communication; operation and use of grounds maintenance equipment; Microsoft Office.

Ability to: understand and follow general instructions; perform manual labor for extended periods of time; develop and maintain effective working relationships with associates, supervisors, job contacts and general public; maintain accurate and complete records; work independently; identify areas in need of grounds maintenance work and determine appropriate work method; perform duties in inclement weather; exercise good judgement.

Minimum Qualifications:

High School Diploma or GED. Possession of or ability to obtain required Forklift Operators Certification within 45 days of employment. Must be insurable to operate a vehicle as a condition of initial and continued employment. State Motor Vehicle Operator's License.