Groundskeeper IV

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Groundskeeper IV to join our team at the Texas Department of Aging & Disability Services. As a key member of our facilities maintenance team, you will be responsible for maintaining and improving the appearance of our grounds and facilities, including mowing, weeding, fertilizing, and ensuring the effective operation of sprinkler systems.

• Maintain and improve the appearance of grounds and flower beds for the facility
• Remove, plant, and trim trees and shrubs
• Assign and prioritize the work of other groundskeeping staff to accomplish daily and weekly tasks most effectively
• Serve as a team lead on groundskeeping projects and maintain the schedules for routine work
• Safely and efficiently operate power- and gas-operated equipment to complete duties and train others to use the equipment
• Ensure grounds keeping tools, supplies, and equipment are well maintained and accounted for
• Perform minor repairs on equipment in accordance with training and skill level
• Ensure parking lots, roads, fences, and sidewalks are free from obstructions and in good repair
• Minimize the presence and impact of nuisance animals at the facility, including snakes, rodents, and feral cats
• Perform some maintenance duties as needed in conjunction with maintenance staff
• Perform other duties as assigned to ensure the overall safe operations of the facility

• Attends work on a regular basis and may be required to work a specific shift schedule or, at times, even a rotating schedule, extended shift, and/or overtime in accordance with agency leave policy
• May serve in an on-call status on a rotating schedule as required to meet operational needs of the facility
• Performs grounds keeping maintenance duties at the facility, including mowing, trimming, fertilizing, removing, and planting trees and shrubs
• Ensures the safe and effective use of gas- and power-operated tools to complete work efficiently
• Trains other staff to use tools commensurate with skill and ability
• Implements the daily, weekly, and monthly scheduling of work in the grounds section/department
• Assigns, prioritizes, and leads the work of other groundskeepers to ensure all tasks are completed as required on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis in accordance with the groundskeeping schedule
• Designates and assigns mowing and weed eating areas (zones of the campus) to other groundskeepers
• Oversees the quality of work for other groundskeepers and assists as necessary, assuring proper results
• Reports any significant issues to the supervisor for handling
• Initiates and executes projects for facility beautification, such as designing and planting new flowerbeds, with the approval of the supervisor
• Ensures sprinkler systems are in working order
• Operates tractors with implements such as front-end loaders and backhoes for digging out tree stumps, cleaning up debris, moving large amounts of gravel, sand, mulch, and other landscaping materials, and to help dig out areas for tree planting or if there is a water line break
• Ensures roads, parking lots, and sidewalks are safe and free from debris and reports any major issues to the supervisor
• Assists with conducting sidewalk surveys and documents on a plot plan as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Intermediate Care Facilities (ICF) in an effort to reduce slips, trips, and falls
• Works beyond normal duty hours during inclement weather to remove ice/snow from sidewalks, roadways, clear debris from catch basins during heavy rain, and other related duties
• Minimizes the presence and impact of nuisance animals, including snakes, rodents, and feral cats
• Takes action to safely and humanely trap and remove live animals, disposes appropriately of dead animals, and takes proactive measures to abate future issues
• Performs general maintenance, repairs, and construction work for the facility in collaboration with maintenance staff commensurate with skills and abilities
• If the facility has a cemetery, performs cemetery duties, including maintaining grounds, setting headstones, excavating graves for funerals, setting up casket devices, and tents
• Maintains burial logs, ensures proper lifetime retention of logs in a secure location with a backup log on server
• Other duties as assigned, including actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency's obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation

• Safely fell and remove large trees in and around buildings and other infrastructures
• Minimize the presence of nuisance animals, such as rodents, snakes, and feral cats
• General knowledge of horticulture and landscape design and the skill and ability to apply that knowledge to landscape projects
• Skill in safely operating power equipment, such as mowers, power clippers, tractors, chain saws, backhoes, and/or pruning shears, and a variety of hand and power tools used in construction/repair
• Ability to meet facility driver requirements
• Ability to speak and read English
• Ability to read, understand, and apply a variety of inter-related instructions, such as those found in guidelines, regulations, and policies
• Ability to perform basic mathematical computations
• Ability to communicate effectively
• Ability to follow written and oral instructions
• Ability to train and lead others
• Ability to stand/walk for extended periods
• Ability to work in hot and/or cold conditions
• Ability to work harmoniously and productively with co-workers and residents
• Ability to lift and carry 50 pounds
• Ability to withstand long periods of standing, bending, and walking
• Ability to maintain and care for hand and power tools and equipment
• Ability to teach other groundskeepers to detect diseases in plants and grasses

The Groundskeeper IV will work in a fast-paced environment with frequent deadlines and changing priorities. The position requires the ability to work independently and as part of a team, with a high level of attention to detail and a commitment to quality and safety. The successful candidate will be required to work a variety of shifts, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, as needed.

The Texas Department of Aging & Disability Services offers a competitive salary and benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plan, and paid time off. We also offer opportunities for professional growth and development, as well as a dynamic and supportive work environment.

To apply for this exciting opportunity, please submit your application, including your resume and cover letter, to [insert contact information]. We look forward to hearing from you