GROUNDS NURERSY II - Lead Athletics @ UNC 6/2026

State of Colorado•Greeley, CO

22h•Onsite

About The Position

This position is responsible for planning, coordinating, and performing maintenance and care of all outdoor sports fields and facilities at the University of Northern Colorado. This includes synthetic fields, track and field facilities, practice fields, soccer, softball, and baseball fields, along with their surrounding landscapes. The role involves establishing and maintaining formal, natural, and desirable landscape features such as lawns, gardens, trees, and irrigation systems. The position also performs game preparation activities, coordinates with team members and other University departments, and as a work lead, coordinates resources for assigned zone gardeners and assists the manager with planning, resource identification, and quality control.

Requirements

Must be a current Colorado resident.
Two (2) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position.
Must possess a valid driver’s license.
Must comply with Federal/CDOT Motor Carrier Regulations.
Must comply with all state and university traffic/parking regulations.

Nice To Haves

2-5 years turf and field management experience
CSFM, turf management, sports field management or related qualification/education
Strong leadership in maintaining accountability and productivity
Ability to collaborate with coaches, athletic staff, and students
Strong decision-making skills in a fast-paced environment

Responsibilities

Performs and directs all activities associated with sports field maintenance and athletic event preparation, including field marking and painting, mowing, infield grading, irrigation repair, pesticide and fertilizer applications, scheduling aerification and top dressing, installing base anchors, edging outfields, trash removal, bleacher staging, and event prep.
Acts as the primary point of contact for athletic events, working with the manager to identify staffing needs and working sporting events.
Monitors turf health and determines mowing schedules for athletic fields and grounds.
Assists the grounds manager in coordinating operations for area zone gardeners and seasonal staff.
Performs work with various grounds maintenance equipment including PTO driven mowers, tractors, zero turn mowers, edgers, string trimmers, and small tractors.
Identifies the need for and performs application of fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides in collaboration with a licensed spray technician.
Monitors fields for aerification and top dressing, performs and coordinates work.
Performs all synthetic turf care activities, including sweeping, grooming, amending fibers and crumb rubber, and monitoring rubber crumb depths to ensure safe playing conditions.
Performs repairs to synthetic turf due to damage to seams and fibers according to manufacturer’s specifications.
Coordinates application of antibiotic sprays as needed.
Coordinates synthetic field snow removal while ensuring practices do not harm the field and are performed in accordance with manufacturers’ recommendations.
Coordinates activities with athletic schedules and notifies appropriate staff members.
Performs snow removal activities including hand-shoveling of steps, wheelchair curb cuts, sidewalks; operation of snow broom-mounted mowers, tractors; truck-mounted plows and sand spreaders.
Applies chemical ice-melt products to control ice.
Assists the grounds manager in coordinating snow removal operations for area zone gardeners and seasonal staff as a work lead.
Monitors watering needs, performs coverage tests, and assists the irrigation technician with programming/scheduling of irrigation controllers.
Monitors the performance and effectiveness of irrigation in assigned zones and reports problems to the responsible individuals.
Troubleshoots and repairs broken sprinkler heads, lateral lines, and drip systems.
Assists the irrigation technician with mainline repairs, system installs, and renovations.
Performs repairs or renovations as needed in the assigned zone and utilizes necessary equipment such as backhoes, loaders, and trenchers.
Monitors event schedules for conflicts with irrigation schedules.
Assists with systems winterization as needed.
Operates various heavy equipment including backhoes, skid steer loaders, fork trucks, 1-ton trucks, compressors, various tractors with attachments, and snow equipment.
Performs tree removal and pruning, including operation of an aerial lift truck and Vermeer Chipper.
Operates various landscaping/turf equipment including tractor front mount mowers and field-marking paint sprayers.
Responsible for preventative maintenance of equipment (fluid checks, fueling, lubrication, etc.).
Operates various gardening hand tools, power string trimmers, blowers, edgers, and rototillers.
Fills out repair tags when equipment is unsafe or inoperable.
Leads and coordinates assigned zone gardeners.
Assists manager with planning resources allocation and quality control.