Groundskeeper

About the role

Under general supervision, perform a variety of semi-skilled duties associated with maintaining and irrigating the grounds in City property and facilities or roadway medians.

Responsibilities

Typical duties include maintaining turf, landscaping, athletic fields, City-owned tree farm, and repairing irrigation systems. This involves inspecting parks, medians, and tree farms for hazards and taking corrective action or reporting to a supervisor, picking up trash and litter, and assisting in graffiti removal. Other duties include assembling and installing park benches and equipment, planting, pruning, or removing trees and shrubs, aerating, fertilizing, mowing, trimming, edging, and over-seeding grounds and turf areas, applying pesticides and herbicides as directed, and repairing and installing irrigation systems and sprinkler systems.

• Operate, maintain, utilize, and work with general, common, and specialized tools, equipment, materials, and supplies associated with groundskeeping.
• Install, remove, construct, repair, paint, refurbish, and perform other tasks associated with the upkeep of assigned structures such as exhibits, fences, rock walls, and sidewalks.
• Operate small and heavy equipment, such as backhoes, trenchers, front loaders, skid steer, and farm tractors.
• Perform a variety of related duties as assigned, including checking fluid levels, cleaning, greasing, and fueling equipment, performing heavy manual labor, answering questions, and interacting with other departments, employees, contractors, vendors, or the general public.
• Act as a crew leader to oversee assigned field personnel, community service workers, and seasonal personnel.
• Assist with preparation for special events such as Christmas tree lighting, concerts, and sports tournaments.
• Fill out detailed reports such as cost estimates and set up required Traffic Control.

Requirements

• One (1) year of work experience in groundskeeping or landscape maintenance.
• Valid Texas Class “C” Driver’s License or a Texas Class “B” Commercial Driver’s License or equivalent from another state by time of appointment.
• Some positions may require herbicide, landscaping, irrigation, or backflow prevention certifications issued by the city, state, or federal government within six (6) months of the date of appointment.
• Positions at the El Paso Zoo will require a Pesticide Noncommercial Applicator’s License issued by the Texas Department of Agriculture within one (1) year of appointment.

Benefits

The City of El Paso offers a range of benefits, including:

• LIFE AND HEALTH INSURANCE: The City of El Paso is a self-insured entity with a third-party administrator for Medical and Pharmacy benefits. Basic Life Insurance Coverage is available at no cost to eligible employees.
• Additional Life Insurance and coverage for dependents are also available.
• Employees can select optional Dental, Vision, and Short Term Disability coverage.
• Employees also have the option to participate in a Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Account (healthcare and/or dependent care for daycare expenses).
• An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with access to mental health sessions, therapy, and more is available at no cost.
• A trained counselor is also available to help employees and their dependents cope with life’s stressors.
• The City’s Wellness Program seeks to promote better health and wellness amongst the workforce through various programs and incentives.
• Tuition Assistance Program encourages employee personal and professional development by sharing educational costs with those employees who have successfully completed their original probation.
• ELIGIBILITY FOR VACATION LEAVE: All regular employees who are regularly scheduled to work on an average, a minimum of twenty (20) hours per week, who have held a position in the City Service for a period of six months from date of employment, shall be eligible for vacation allowance.
• SICK LEAVE WITH PAY: Employees shall be entitled to accrue sick leave with pay in accordance with the Rules of the Civil Service Commission.
• ACCIDENT WITH PAY LEAVE: The Amended Section 4.4 of the Ordinance shall become effective upon adoption and shall apply to occupational injuries and occupational diseases occurring on and after date of adoption.
• PREGNANCY LEAVE: Pregnancy shall be treated the same as any other temporary physical disability.
• LEGAL HOLIDAYS: The City of El Paso observes a range of legal holidays, including New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Holiday, Cesar Chavez Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

Pay

Salary $38,908.69 - $56,806.68 Annually