Grounds Maintenance Worker

City of Tacoma•Tacoma, WA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The City of Tacoma and Tacoma Public Utilities are hiring Grounds Maintenance Workers for multiple positions across the City of Tacoma and Tacoma Public Utilities. Positions may be assigned to Tacoma Power, Environmental Services, or Public Works. The role focuses primarily on cultivating and caring for lawns, flowers, plants, trees, and ornamental shrubbery, while also performing landscape construction, right-of-way maintenance, and related street maintenance duties. Workers operate and maintain tools, equipment, and vehicles; use and dispose of pesticides properly; and remove graffiti within the right of way. Street maintenance duties may include crack pouring, flagging, and pothole patching. The position involves heavy manual labor, including lifting, digging, climbing, and walking long distances while carrying equipment or tools. Work is outdoors in potentially adverse weather and may involve exposure to noise, chemicals, energized equipment, steep or rugged terrain, canyons, and heavily traveled roads. Workers may operate grounds maintenance equipment in these conditions and may work graveyard or swing shifts, weekends, and holidays. Applicants need an equivalent combination of two years of education, training, or experience that provides the knowledge and skills required for plant and grounds care, including maintenance of gardening tools, equipment, and facilities. Required licenses and certificates include a Washington State driver's license at appointment, a Washington State Class A commercial driver's license with tanker endorsement and no air-brake restrictions before probation ends, a Public Pesticide Operator License before probation ends, and traffic-control flagging, CPR, and first-aid certificates before probation ends. The Class A CDL requirement does not apply to employees in this classification before January 1, 2010; required licenses and certificates must be maintained thereafter.

Requirements

Equivalent combination of two years of education, training, or experience providing the background to perform the essential duties, including care of plants, flowers, shrubs, trees, and lawns and maintenance of gardening tools, equipment, and facilities.
Valid Washington State Driver's License at appointment, maintained thereafter.
Washington State Commercial Driver’s License, Class A, with Tanker endorsement and air brake restrictions removed, obtained before completion of probation and maintained thereafter; this requirement does not apply to employees in this classification prior to January 1, 2010.
Public Pesticide Operator License obtained before completion of probation and maintained thereafter.
Traffic Control Flagging, CPR, and first-aid certificates obtained before completion of probation and maintained thereafter.
Knowledge of grounds maintenance, gardening, and landscaping techniques; proper chemical handling and disposal under the MSDS program; plant-care practices, materials, methods, and tools; plant diseases and insect pests and their control; sprinkler systems and related facilities; and plant species and planting techniques.
Ability to operate vehicles and equipment for grounds and street maintenance; maintain routine records and prepare reports; communicate orally and in writing; explain and enforce safety rules; establish effective working relationships; and meet schedules and timelines.
Ability to perform heavy manual labor, including lifting up to 50 pounds without assistance and/or over 75 pounds with assistance, digging, climbing, and walking long distances with equipment or tools.

Responsibilities

Cultivate and care for lawns, flowers, plants, trees, and ornamental shrubbery.
Perform landscape construction and right-of-way maintenance.
Operate and maintain a variety of tools, equipment, and vehicles.
Use and dispose of pesticides properly.
Remove graffiti within the right of way.
Perform street maintenance duties, including crack pouring, flagging, and pothole patching.
Maintain routine records and prepare routine reports.
Calibrate and safely operate spray equipment.
Explain and enforce safety rules and regulations.
Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships.