Airport Field Worker

Des Moines Airport Authority • Des Moines, IA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

This position involves operating various types of heavy equipment for airport maintenance, including loaders, pavement sweepers, motor graders, and snow removal equipment. Responsibilities include maintaining airfield grounds, performing repairs, and ensuring safety. The role requires constant radio communication with the Airport Control Tower and adherence to safety protocols. The worker will also be involved in landscape maintenance, including trimming shrubbery, mowing grass, patching asphalt, repairing concrete, and maintaining fences. Additionally, the position requires policing airport grounds to identify and remove foreign objects. The role also includes horticultural and natural resource maintenance tasks such as planting, tilling, fertilizing, watering, mulching, pruning, and weed control. Inspection and repair of irrigation systems are also part of the duties. The position requires the ability to respond effectively to emergencies and hazardous conditions, exercising independent judgment.

Requirements

• Knowledge of the mechanical operation of, and skill necessary in operating pavement sweepers, high speed snow plows, snow blowers, dump trucks and similar equipment.
• Knowledge of the tools and materials commonly used in airport construction and maintenance work.
• Knowledge of the proper safety techniques required when operating motorized equipment.
• Ability to maintain and make minor repairs to light and medium equipment.
• Ability to become a "lead person" for a small crew in the absence of the supervisor.
• Ability to follow oral and written directions.
• Ability to operate two way radios according to FCC standards, and to communicate and effectively report physical location at all times, when inside restricted areas of airport grounds.
• Ability to respond quickly and effectively to airport emergency and/or hazardous conditions, exercising vital and independent judgment.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Knowledge of and ability to develop and conduct effective preventative turf maintenance programs.
• Knowledge of turf grass management.
• Knowledge of math to calculate square foot applications and product dilution.
• Possession of a valid Iowa Class B CDL with tank endorsement and allowing the operation of vehicles with airbrakes.
• Possession of a 3 OT Horticulture license from the State of Iowa.
• Graduation from high school and one year of experience in the operation of motorized construction equipment; or an equivalent combination in which each additional two years of experience may be substituted for one year of education.
• Must be able to perform heavy manual work in severe weather conditions.
• Must be able to lift a minimum of 75 pounds unassisted and heavier loads with assistance.
• Ability to use hand/feet for repetitive single grasping, fine manipulations, pushing and pulling and operating controls and equipment.
• Sufficient clarity of speech and hearing or other communication capabilities, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to communicate effectively.
• Sufficient vision or other powers of observation, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to read technical documentation and manipulate small objects in confined areas.
• Sufficient personal mobility and physical reflexes, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to adjust to confined areas and work around construction sites and on the airfield.
• Successful post-employment physical and drug test.
• Successful background investigation to obtain unescorted airport identification/access privileges.
• Possession of a valid state of Iowa vehicle operator's license.

Nice To Haves

• Associate's degree in a Horticulture field.

Responsibilities

• Operates loader, pavement sweeper, motor grader, motorized grass mowers, and other equipment of similar difficulty.
• Operates complex snow removal equipment and removes snow and ice from runways, taxiways, ramps, airfield entrances, and parking lots.
• Maintains constant radio contact with the Airport Control Tower and garage base station, communicating physical location and following directions when on airfield grounds.
• Assists in the maintenance and repair of shop equipment.
• Trims shrubbery, mows grass, patches asphalt and repairs concrete, maintains landscape, repairs fences, and hauls debris and/or trash.
• Polices airport grounds, spotting, reporting and/or removing foreign objects as necessary.
• Performs horticultural and natural resource maintenance tasks; plans, plants, maintains, and removes landscape beds and other plantings; tills, fertilizes, waters, and mulches flower beds and other plantings; mulches trees, shrubs and other plantings; prunes trees and shrubs; assists Forestry in ensuring trees are maintained in a safe and healthy condition; performs weed control in turf, flower beds and other plantings, shrub areas, and general municipal areas.
• Inspects and repairs irrigation systems.
• Performs related work as required.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED