General Statement of Duties
Under the general supervision of the Building Maintenance Supervisor, the Groundskeeper is responsible for maintaining all City's public lawns, parks and facilities and incumbent's tasks are performed under relatively close supervision.
Essential Functions
Incumbent's duties are as follows:
- Maintain regular, reliable, and prompt attendance and physically present to work.
- Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
- Gather and empty trash in of public parks and facilities.
- Care for established lawns by mulching, aerating, weeding, grubbing, and removing thatch, and trimming and edging around flower beds, walks, and walls.
- Maintains and marks softball, baseball, and soccer fields.
- Mow and edge lawns, using power mowers and edgers.
- Follow planned landscaping designs to determine where to lay sod, sow grass, or plant flowers and foliage.
- Gather and remove litter.
- Maintain irrigation systems, including winterizing the systems and starting them up in spring.
- Haul or spread topsoil and spread straw over seeded soil to hold soil in place.
- Attach wires from planted trees to support stakes.
- Mix and spray or spread fertilizers, herbicides, or insecticides onto grass, shrubs, and trees, using hand or automatic sprayers or spreaders.
- Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
- Performs physical activities that require considerable use of incumbent’s arms and legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
- Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Supervisory Responsibility
This position has no supervisory responsibilities.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time, non-exempt position, with a 40-hour work week. Incumbent must have the ability to work flexible hours including holidays, evenings, and weekends, if needed. Participation in City sponsored special events, trainings, or meetings may be required.
Physical Demands
Must have the use of sensory skills to effectively communicate and interact with other employees and the public using the telephone and personal contact as normally defined by the ability to see, read, talk, hear, handle, or feel objects and controls. Significant standing, walking, moving, climbing, carrying, bending, kneeling, reaching, crawling, and handling, sitting, standing, pushing, and pulling. The employee must be able to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Incumbent will work outdoors, sometimes in extreme weather conditions. The job has medium hazards associated with working with equipment and the physical demands are high. Individual must be able to operate 15 to 30 horsepower garden tractors. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Minimum Qualifications and Requirements
Graduation from high school or possession of an acceptable equivalency diploma;
One (1) year experience in park maintenance and operation procedures;
A comparable amount of training and experience may be substituted for the minimum qualifications;
Possession of a valid, appropriate Texas (Class C) driver's license and an acceptable driving record; and
Pre-employment drug screen and physical required.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Knowledge - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance. Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Skills - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed. Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools. Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Abilities - Ability to understand and follow simple oral and written instructions. Ability to make minor repairs and adjustments to cleaning equipment. Physical strength and agility to perform a variety of moderate heavy custodial tasks in the care and limited maintenance of building, landscaping, and equipment. The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects. The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways. The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
AAP/EEO Statement
The City of Pharr is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Act (ADAAA) the City of Pharr will provide reasonable accommodations, upon reasonable request, to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective employees and incumbents to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
The city focuses on identifying candidates who are customer oriented and committed to public service to create a culture that is committed to diversity.
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.