Part-Time Hourly, Grounds Helper

About the College

Whatcom Community College (WCC) is a public associate and applied baccalaureate degree granting institution with an accomplished faculty and staff who serve 7,604 students annually on its beautiful 72-acre campus in Bellingham, Washington. Whatcom offers transfer degrees, applied baccalaureate degrees, professional and technical training programs, basic education, job skills, and community and continuing education classes. Programs and courses are offered through in-person, hybrid, and online modalities to promote access for a diverse student population. The College is committed to equal opportunity and believes diversity of experiences and cultures enrich our campus community. WCC is accredited by The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

About Our Community

Whatcom's campus is located in Bellingham (population 95,960), a city regularly rated on "best of the Northwest" lists. Bellingham is midway between Seattle, WA and Vancouver, B.C., Canada, surrounded by the rural landscape of Whatcom County (population 226,850). The area features historic neighborhoods, waterfront cities, farmlands, and mountain towns, all within a few dozen miles. Known for outdoor activities, Bellingham and Whatcom County offer opportunities for kayaking, hiking, snowboarding, visiting galleries, watching live theater, and more.

About the Role

Whatcom Community College invites applications for a Part-Time Hourly Grounds Helper in the College's Facilities department. This position supports the duties of the Grounds Supervisor and is responsible for performing skilled grounds work. This is an in-person position, not eligible for remote work, and reports to the Grounds Specialist 4.

Responsibilities

• Perform general grounds maintenance tasks such as mowing, trimming, edging of lawn and planting bed areas, and pruning of shrubs, trees, and ground cover.
• Perform specialized tasks related to major landscape improvements and maintenance/repair of facilities grounds and associated equipment.
• Campus trash collection and litter clean-up.
• Install, maintain, and repair campus irrigation systems.
• Work in inclement weather.
• Perform snow and ice removal operations.
• Parking lot maintenance, striping, curb and crosswalk painting, and storm water system cleaning/maintenance.
• Perform related duties as assigned, which may include general labor tasks such as material moving and assisting other Facilities and Operations staff.
• Perform various landscape practices such as hardscape and retaining walls.
• Use of pesticide applicators for chemical weed control.
• Perform other related work of a similar nature and level.

Requirements

• Ability to actively contribute to a work and learning environment that treats everyone with respect and dignity, while engaging diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences.
• Physical ability to perform the functions of the job, including lifting up to 50 pounds, bending/walking/standing for extended periods, and climbing ladders.
• Ability to work both indoors and outdoors and safely handle pesticides, fertilizers, and other maintenance-related products.

Qualifications

Preferred but not required:

• Insurable and hold a driver's license valid in Washington State.
• High school diploma or GED.
• Entry-level experience in grounds maintenance.
• Basic knowledge of mowing, trimming, edging, and operation/maintenance of associated equipment.
• Experience operating power and motorized equipment such as riding mowers, walk-behind mowers, forklifts, skid-steers, weed trimmers, chain saws, backpack blowers, rototillers, light tractors, front-end loaders, light-duty trucks, lawn mowers, sweepers, aerators, stick edgers, and snow blowers.
• Ability to clean, service, and make repairs to tools and equipment.
• Ability to earn the trust, respect, and confidence of coworkers and the public through consistent honesty, forthrightness, and professionalism.
• Understand and follow applicable standards to establish/maintain a safe work environment.
• Remain focused on tasks, working efficiently and handling interruptions appropriately.
• Ability to take action to learn and grow.
• Ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

Pay

$20.00 per hour.

Schedule

Approximately 16 hours per week. This is a part-time hourly, non-permanent position that cannot exceed 12 months or 1,050 hours, whichever occurs first.

Benefits

Accrues 1 hour of sick leave for every 40 hours of work.