Lead Grounds/ Outdoor Maintenance Worker

Search:#1316
Date Posted: 12/20/2024
Type/Department:Staff in Physical Plant
Search Status:Searching for Candidates - Accepting Applications
Apply Now:Would you like to apply for this position?

Hampshire College

Department:  Facilities and Grounds                                     

Job Title: Lead Grounds/ Outdoor Maintenance Worker

Position Type: Full Time

Schedule: 40 Hours a week; Monday – Friday 6:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Pay Range/ Status:  $24.00 Hour/Non-Exempt

                                   $1920.00 paid bi-weekly

Location: Hampshire College Campus in Amherst, MA

Reports to: Assistant Director of Grounds and Land Management

Anticipated Start Date: Immediately

BENEFITS:

Hampshire College offers an excellent benefits package to Facilities employees.

New Facilities employees are immediately eligible for the following paid time off package:

  • Holidays - 12 paid holidays per calendar year, including 1 floating holiday
  • Personal Days - 3 personal days per fiscal year, prorated according to start date
  • Sick days - 1 sick day accruing per month (Maximum of 130 days)
  • Vacation days - 10 paid vacation days per fiscal year (July 1 - June 30), prorated according to start date; vacation time will increase with years of service.

Hampshire College also has a winter break that is fully paid for employees from Christmas Eve to New Years each year, typically 6 ½ paid days.

On top of generous paid time off, Hampshire College offers all full-time employees an excellent benefit package, including:

  • Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
  • College paid basic life insurance
  • 403b Retirement plan  
  • Educational opportunities for employees and their families, including a variety of college tuition benefits for dependent children.

For information on Hampshire College, including more information on employee benefits and our college culture, visit our website at www.hampshire.edu.

ABOUT US:

Hampshire College, an independent, innovative liberal arts institution and member of the Five College consortium, is located on a beautiful rural campus in Amherst, Massachusetts. We provide residential undergraduate education to nearly 600 students. Each department at Hampshire College contributes to the collaborative culture of the organization and plays an important role in the success of the College. The facilities and grounds department supports the educational mission and campus community of Hampshire College, with a special commitment to sustainable practices. As part of the facilities team, you will be instrumental in the department achieving its mission and goals!

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES:

Reporting to the Assistant Director of Grounds and Land Management and in accordance with established procedures and standards, the Lead Grounds/Outdoor Maintenance Worker will execute the grounds program (mowing, landscaping, snow removal, outdoor trash and compost removal) and special projects (repair and creation of paved walls, walkways, roadways, garden beds, etc.), and occasional campus moves and special events. The Lead serves as a senior member of the Grounds Team and may lead the team in tasks and projects as well as provide guidance, assistance, and training to other staff members. Participation in the preparation for and execution of special events is required. Grounds/outdoor maintenance workers must participate in the snow removal and emergency response programs.

This position is also essential to student and community service and experience. As a member of the facilities team, the incumbent must feel comfortable working in an evolving, face-paced organizational framework with shifting responsibilities. This position collaborates with other facilities staff, and a variety of offices to meet the department goals, and further the mission of the Facilities Department. The incumbent will participate as a committed member of the Facilities team in college and department work, projects, meetings, events, and overall community development: assists in the coordination and facilitation of work and services for students and other community members.  Availability to work occasional nights and weekends required.

REQUIRED SKILLS:

  • Knowledge and understanding of grounds care techniques and practices as related to the New England Region.
  • Minimum three (3) years’ experience in commercial grounds work or the equivalent.
  • Oversee the fleet management program for Campus vehicles; vehicle logs, performing repair work and coordinating and schedule work.
  • General knowledge and understanding of grounds equipment and maintenance work.
  • Must be able to be licensed under the college’s driver credentialing program upon hire and pass the DOT physical.
  • Must have a reliable form of transportation to get to and from work.
  • Valid Massachusetts (Hoisters) required within 6 months.
  • Communicate, read, write and understand English at a level necessary for efficient job performance. 
  • Passionate about working in an organization that values and promotes diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism. 
  • Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with students, faculty, staff and community members.
  • Ability to flex communication style to multiple cultural environments. 
  • A commitment to working with people from diverse backgrounds is essential.
  • Employment is contingent on DOT or Pre-employment physical with lift test. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Experience with operating snow removal machinery (BobCat, Plow Truck, Salt/Sander, etc.).
  • Experience working on a residential campus, sports facility, or agricultural operation.
  • Experience with heavy machinery maintenance and repair, and an ability to help maintain and repair grounds equipment and fleet of vehicles.
  • Experience leading a team in the successful completion of large tasks or capital-intensive projects.
  • Experience helping to coordinate work tasks relevant to numerous simultaneous projects.
  • Experience in detailing the scope of a project: itemizing equipment, parts, tools and products needed, calculating necessary worker hours to complete the project, identifying safety hazards or community nuisances and proactively taking steps to avoid disturbances and keep working environments safe. 
  • Experience installing drainage and irrigation systems.
  • Experience building steps, retaining walls and other hardscape features.
  • Experience installing plantings as well as how to use horticultural understanding to tend to plants throughout their life cycle
  • Experience installing and maintaining turf systems.  

REQUIRED CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION, AND EXPERIENCE:

  • High School Graduate (GED/HiSet or certificate accepted with experience)
  • Minimum three years’ experience in commercial grounds work or the equivalent
  • Valid Massachusetts Class II Driver’s License (Air Brakes) required within 6 months
  • Valid Massachusetts (Hoisters) required within 6 months
  • Must be able to be licensed under the college’s driver credentialing program upon hire and pass the DOT physical
  • Employment is contingent on Pre-employment physical with lift test

Alternatives to formal education and paid work experience may be considered as equivalent qualifications to include military service/training, volunteering, activism, and other non-traditional programs and experiences related to the position.

WHO SHOULD APPLY:

Hampshire College is an equal opportunity employer and deeply committed to a community of excellence, equity, diversity, and inclusion. We are particularly committed to revealing and combating the social and institutional structures that support racism and white supremacy in all phases of employment and college life. We believe that the educational and employment environment is enhanced when diverse groups of people with diverse ideas come together to work and grow. We encourage applications from women, underrepresented minorities, persons with disabilities, sexual minority groups, veterans, and other candidates who will contribute to the diversification and enrichment of ideas and perspectives. Hampshire College is committed to removing barriers to employment faced by equity-seeking groups and encourages (but does not require) members of these groups to self-identify in their application materials. Applicants whose work incorporates a global perspective and a demonstrated commitment to issues of diversity in the work environment are particularly encouraged to apply.

HOW TO APPLY:

Please submit your cover letter, resume and names/phone numbers of three professional references via our website at https://jobs.hampshire.edu/

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

Hampshire College is an equal opportunity institution, committed to diversity and inclusion in education and employment.

Hampshire College is an equal opportunity institution, committed to diversity and inclusion in education and employment.