Grounds & Nursery I

University of Colorado•Colorado Springs, CO

5d•Onsite

About The Position

This position plays a key role in creating and maintaining an attractive, safe, and welcoming campus environment for General Funded spaces at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. The role maintains landscaped areas and floral displays, cares for campus grounds, supports sustainability efforts through recycling programs, collects litter and debris, performs routine grounds-equipment maintenance, and assists with seasonal snow and ice removal. The position helps preserve the beauty, accessibility, and functionality of campus for the university community. The position works within an assigned zone to prioritize turf maintenance, assess and report turf stress, and determine repair strategies for damaged sprinkler heads. It maintains clean and safe campus areas, identifies hazards and communicates them to supervisors, and may create work orders for repairs. Equipment duties include assessing condition, checking fluids, and evaluating mower blades. Snow-removal duties include prioritizing surfaces, addressing slip hazards, and operating snow-removal vehicles. The role also determines appropriate timing and methods for chemical applications. This is an essential-service position. Employees must report without delay or interruption when needed to provide essential or emergency services. Various shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays, may be required depending on building or work-group needs. The role is onsite and may involve exposure to hazardous materials, cleaning products, infectious materials or bodily fluids, extreme temperatures, atmospheric conditions, electrical shock, and toxic or caustic chemicals. A background check, pre-employment physical, drug test, and valid driver's license are required. Colorado residency is required at the time of application.

Requirements

One year of experience in an occupational field related to the assigned work, such as grounds and nursery, landscaping, storm-water maintenance, outdoor services, or another related field.
Possess a valid driver's license.
Be a Colorado resident at the time of application.
Successfully pass a background check.
Pass a pre-employment physical; must be able to push, pull, lift, and carry up to 50 pounds.
Complete pre-employment drug testing.
Be available for various shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays, depending on the needs of the building or work group.
Report without delay or interruption when required to provide essential or emergency services.
Frequently move and perform activities involving climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, handling, and fine motor skills.
Occasionally lift or move up to 50 pounds and frequently lift or move up to 20 pounds.
Meet the position's vision, hearing, talking, and physical-activity requirements.

Nice To Haves

One year or more of experience in an essential-personnel role.
Two years of experience in a related occupational field such as grounds and nursery, landscaping, storm-water maintenance, or outdoor services.
Experience in a higher-education or institutional environment.

Responsibilities

Maintain landscaped areas, turf, and floral displays in an assigned campus zone, prioritizing work based on campus foot traffic and building activity.
Assess turf condition and report signs of stress to a Grounds & Nursery II employee or supervisor.
Determine repair strategies for damaged sprinkler heads.
Collect litter and debris and assess the cleanliness of benches and tables; clean surfaces as appropriate.
Identify campus hazards, determine temporary methods to mark them, and communicate issues to a supervisor.
Evaluate handrail paint condition and create work orders and schedules for painting when needed.
Assess grounds-equipment condition, determine cleaning schedules, check fluids, and add fluids according to specifications.
Evaluate mower-blade performance and sharpen blades or submit a maintenance request.
Prioritize snow-removal and sanding of high-priority surfaces, identify slip-and-fall hazards, and apply ice melt according to manufacturer recommendations.
Operate snow-removal vehicles and determine snow-push locations while considering impacts on roadways and parking spaces.
Respond to emergencies and accept short-term reassignments as needed.
Determine appropriate timing and method for weed control and assess whether weather conditions are suitable for chemical application.
Support sustainability efforts through recycling programs.
Perform seasonal snow and ice removal.

Benefits

Medical insurance, with the lowest-cost option costing $0 to the employee.
Dental insurance.
Vision insurance.
Life insurance.
Disability insurance.
Paid vacation accrual starting at 8 hours per month, prorated if part-time.
Paid sick time accrual starting at 6.66 hours per month, prorated if part-time.
Mandatory retirement plan; employees contribute 5% of annual compensation and the university contributes 10%.
Tuition Assistant Benefit for the employee or a dependent.
Paid parental leave after 12 months of employment.
Off-campus housing resources.
Overtime eligibility under the Fair Labor Standards Act (non-exempt).