Grounds Technician I

Salary : $22,880.00 - $27,156.00 Annually
Location : Florence, Alabama
Job Type: Staff
Division: Business & Financial Affairs
Department: Grounds Maintenance
Opening Date: 11/13/2025
FLSA: Non-Exempt

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven days. This job may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended. The posted salary and/or position title may be adjusted dependent on the successful candidate's education, experience, and unique qualifications as they relate to the position. Sponsorship is not available for any staff positions and unless otherwise indicated within the posting information, is not available for most faculty positions.
Description

This position is an entry-level position responsible for maintaining all university grounds, both on and off campus, through the use of various lawn care equipment. Responsibilities include a variety of landscape functions performed independently in specified areas or as a member of a crew. Additional responsibilities include performing maintenance labor duties in support of all other areas of facilities administration and planning, as requested.
Essential Job Duties

• Perform duties under general supervision;
• This position does not train or supervise employees;
• Perform basic-level landscape functions to maintain and improve university grounds;
• Maintains university grounds using hand tools such as a shovel, pick, and rake, as well as power tools including a weedeater, edger, hedge trimmer, tiller, blower, etc.;
• Operate both push and riding mowers to mow grass and operate utility task vehicles to perform work duties;
• Perform basic landscape-related duties on university grounds to include weed pulling, plant watering, plant removal, plant installation, pine straw/mulch installation, sod installation, etc.;
• Provide debris removal with cleaning and litter control equipment to keep university grounds, streets, and parking lots free of dirt, leaves, trash, and other debris;
• Maintain university hardscapes through the use of a pressure washer;
• Maintain and clean both hand and power tools, and other equipment including, but not limited to, checking/maintaining fluid levels and blade sharpness;
• Perform full turf detail including mowing/trimming/edging 90+ acres of campus, winter leaf clean-up/removal, installation of new landscape designs, and general maintenance of campus grounds;
• Perform daily trash detail on all campus grounds, empty all trash cans in assigned area;
• Collect and deliver recyclables to the Florence Recycle Center;
• Collect large garbage items and clean construction sites as needed;
• Assist annually with campus Christmas decorations (i.e., storage, hanging, etc);
• Operate pruning equipment (hedge shears, pole saws, chain saws, etc.) and other machinery as required (fork-lifts, leaf machines, dump trucks, and other vehicles);
• Maintain department equipment and vehicles including sharpening blades, changing oil and filters, cleaning, and other general maintenance tasks;
• Keep drains and gutters on campus and drains immediately adjacent to campus free of debris to maintain clear water drainage and flow;
• Responsible for landscaping maintenance of the Lion Habitat and cleaning litter box in the lion habitat;
• Pressure wash campus surfaces as needed (sidewalks, buildings, lion habitat);
• Maintain grounds of university sports fields and complexes (e.g., tennis, baseball, football, softball, and soccer fields);
• Assist other campus departments as necessary (e.g., carpenters, plumbers, expediters, etc.);
• Perform general labor as necessary;
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

ADDITIONAL DUTIES:

• May be responsible for meeting and maintaining training and certification requirements as outlined by the department and/or supervisor;
• May perform pressure washing duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School Diploma/equivalent is preferred;
• Previous grounds or related landscaping experience is preferred;
• Current, valid driver's license.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Applicants must upload a resume at the time of application as well as provide contact information for at least three professional references. For questions, please email or call 256.765.4291 and select option #2.

UNA is an equal opportunity employer. We seek a wide range of applicants for our positions so that our core values will be affirmed.
Staff Benefit Summary - For more details regarding each benefit listed below, please visit the HR website at or click on the links below. The benefits premiums listed below are effective March 1, 2025.
UNA has a fully-insured group health insurance program with , which includes medical, prescription drug, vision, psychiatric, and substance abuse benefits for full-time university employees, and their eligible dependents. The University covers the full individual premium for eligible employees.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama Health/Vision/RX - Monthly Premiums

Tier Employee Cost UNA Cost Total Premium
Employee $0.00 $649.45 $649.45
+Child(ren) $422.13 $649.45 $1,071.58
+Spouse $649.45 $649.45 $1,298.90
+Spouse & Child(ren) $746.22 $649.45 $1,395.67
UNA also provides dental coverage through The University covers the full individual premium for eligible employees.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama Dental - Monthly Premiums

Tier Employee Cost UNA Cost Total Premium
Employee $0.00 $27.54 $27.54
Family $36.34 $27.54 $63.88
UNA provides all eligible employees with basic life insurance at no cost to the employee. The basic life coverage level is 1.5 times the covered employee's annual base salary with a maximum benefit of $400,000. Included with your basic life coverage is Accidental Death and Dismemberment coverage at 3 times the covered employee's annual salary. The provider for this coverage is As a member of the , eligible employees have life benefits available through the TRS. Also, for eligible active employees, a death benefit of the payment of accrued sick leave is paid to the employee's beneficiary by the University.
This coverage provides benefits after a 90-day period of disability. The monthly benefit is 60% of the covered employee's monthly base salary not to exceed $10,000 per month. The cost for this benefit is paid in full by the University for eligible employees and the provider for this coverage is

Retirement Plans

The is a defined benefit plan in which participation is mandatory for eligible employees. Eligible employees are categorized by the TRS as Tier I or Tier II members.

Rates below are effective as of October 1, 2024

• Tier I - Employee contribution rate is 7.5% for regular employees and 8.5% for law enforcement employees.
• Tier II - Employee contribution rate is 6.2% for regular employees and 7.0% for law enforcement employees.

- this retirement plan is a voluntary, supplemental, deferred compensation plan.

- this plan is a voluntary, supplemental, deferred compensation plan offered by the Retirement Systems of Alabama.
The University provide a $6.00 per month credit to eligible employees to offset the cost(s) for supplemental, voluntary benefits. All full-time regular employees are eligible for this benefit on the first day of the month following the completion of 90 days of employment.

• Flexible Spending Accounts - HealthEquity
• Cancer Insurance - Allstate
• Short-Term Disability Insurance - Fort Dearborn Life
• Life Insurance - Symetra
• Accident Coverage - Symetra
• Critical Illness Insurance - Symetra
• Hospital Indemnity Coverage - Symetra
• Vision Insurance - VSP
• Air Evac Lifeteam
• Long-Term Care Insurance - LTCi Plans

UNA provides remission of tuition to eligible employees and to their spouses and qualified dependent children.

Paid Time Off
- Annual leave is accrued for each hour worked. During the first 2 years of employment, the accrual is 10 workdays. After completion of 2 years of continuous service, eligible employees are entitled to 12 days of annual leave and, for each additional year of service, annual leave is increased by one day per year to a maximum of 20 days after 10 years.
- Full-time regular staff members are entitled to 96 work hours (12 workdays) of sick leave each year at the employee's regular rate of pay regardless of length of service.
- Full-time, regular staff employees are eligible for paid holidays.

Miscellaneous Benefits

01

Do you have a high school diploma or equivalent?

• Yes
• No

02

Do you have a current, valid driver's license?

• No
• Yes

03

Do you have previous grounds maintenance or landscaping experience?

• No
• Yes

Required Question

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