Grounds and Nursery Services Specialist 2

Central Washington University is recruiting a Grounds and Nursery Services Specliast 2 to join our Grounds Maintenance and Shop team in Ellensburg, Washington. This role is an important member of our team as they enhance the appearance of outside spaces for the University. The role is a campus-based position, which means you get to see the lives you are impacting. We're offering a salary, depending on experience, from $35,280 - $46,596 plus the awesome CWU benefits.

Who we are:

We are a team of individuals committed to Changing Students' Lives. No matter what job, each of us plays a part in supporting and empowering our students to fulfill their dreams.

Working in higher education provides career growth and career choice. Think of a university campus like a mini city, operating across 380 acres. You'll find diverse academics, libraries, athletics and sporting events, full service and quick serve dining, conferences and events from small to large, recreation centers, housing, health services, police and public safety for the campus population of ~10,000 students.

Central Washington University has been named a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Top Producing Institution for the 2022-2023 academic year. In addition, for the seventh time in eight years, CWU is a recipient of the prestigious Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. Come join us on our journey to encourage, inspire, and create spaces where all identities thrive on campus.

Tour our campus in Ellensburg here.

What we offer:

Our investment in you begins the day you join our team, a healthy and successful future for you is important to us. We offer medical, dental, life and disability insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, tuition assistance for you and your dependents, discounts across town, an employee assistance program for individualized counseling, and a wellness incentive program. Learn more: www.cwu.edu/hr/benefits-perks-discounts.

The Role:

This position is responsible for general maintenance of the campus landscape including, but not limited to: mowing of all turf areas, vegetation management, installation and/or removal of new and disturbed landscapes, snow and ice removal and the operation and general maintenance of equipment used during ground maintenance operations. Work is performed professionally and efficiently, incorporating both personal integrity and mutual respect. All employees are expected to support CWU's commitment to diversity and to bring and support inclusion into the university environment.

Perform aspects of grounds maintenance duties to include but not limited to:

- Effectively communicate and maintain positive working relations with faculty, staff, students and the campus community as well as Facilities Management Department (FMD) management team. Perform work in a manner that provides excellent service with nominal to no inconvenience or disruption for the client. Perform quality work that meets or exceeds the expectation and satisfaction of the client.
- Perform work using Best Practices while maintaining compliance with applicable laws, policies and procedures to provide a safe workplace.
- Perform general mowing and maintenance of turf, lawns, and undeveloped areas.
- Operate turf and lawn maintenance equipment including push mowers, large riding mowers, power mowers and rakes.
- Clean and service mowers daily. General maintenance of equipment. Sweep and hose down wash site. Clean and sweep/blow out mower storage shop.
- Communicate with lead or supervisor upon completion of daily mowing assignment. Perform general gardening maintenance such as raking leaves, laying sod, setting irrigation pipes and sprinklers; prepare beds and soil for planting trees, shrubs and other landscape material using a variety of manual tools and equipment such as rakes, pruning shears, edger's, loppers, shovels, and wheelbarrows.
- Operate tractors for plowing/hauling snow, hauling sand, dirt and gravel; tilling, fertilizing and landscape maintenance. Operate one and two-ton dump and flatbed trucks to haul snow, sand, dirt, gravel, trees, equipment and lumber.
- Manually or with self-propelled equipment, remove debris/litter, leaves brush, snow and ice from areas such as walks, stairs, roads, ramps and parking facilities. Apply ice-melt, sand and gravel.
- Assist in the pruning, shaping and removal of dead and diseased trees and shrubs, using equipment such as aerial lifts, power saws, chainsaws, and woodchippers.
- Install sandbags in flooding situations, clean catch basins and storm drains, and repair fences. Enter Time and Attendance daily with accurate work order numbers.
- Respond in emergency situations.
- Ensure all tools, equipment and vehicle are maintained in good working order. Keep all work areas clean, well-organized and safe at all times.
- Inventory and make recommendations on needed materials.
- Attend departmental meetings, safety meetings and actively participate in training sessions.

- Perform other duties as assigned.

• Valid Washington State driver's license.
• Experience in:
  • One or more of the following: lawn mowing, gardening, plant care, and grounds maintenance.
  • Basic computer skills, to receive and respond to e-mail, report time, performance evaluations etc.
• Ability to:
  • Perform the job duties of the position and meet the physical demands of the working conditions.
  • Follow written and verbal instructions and communicate both orally and in writing in a clear manner.
• Demonstrated willingness and/or experience working with students and/or co-workers from a wide range of abilities, backgrounds and experiences.
• OR applicable combination of education and/or experience which demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the position.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in:
  • Professional landscape maintenance.
  • Using hand tools and equipment such as rakes, pruning shears, edges, loppers, shovels and wheelbarrow.
  • Operating turf mowing equipment.
  • Operating chainsaws, trucks, dump trucks, small tractors, front-end loaders, lawn sweepers, woodchippers, and snowblowers.
• Training in:
  • Accident and general safety.
  • Related course work.
• Ability to incorporate multicultural perspectives and issues into everyday conversations.
• Life experiences that demonstrate an ability to contribute to CWU's commitment to inclusion and diversity.

Competencies

• Accountability/Dependability: Accepts responsibility for quality of own work; acknowledges and corrects mistakes. Shows up on time, meets standards, deadlines and work schedules.
• Judgement: Makes timely, informed decisions. Analyzes options and determines appropriate course of action.
• Teamwork: Promotes cooperation and mutual support to achieve goals. Encourages participation and mutual support.
• Adaptability/Flexibility: Responds positively to changing business needs and responsibilities. Adapts approach and methods to achieve results; recovers quickly from setbacks and finds alternatives.
• Commitment to Diversity: Recognizes the value of diversity and helps create environment that supports and embraces diversity.

Don't meet every single requirement? At CWU we're dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway. This may be the job for you!

Salary: $2,940 /month with periodic increases up to $3,883 /month

Schedule/Appointment: Generally, M-F, 6am to 2:30pm (1/2-hour lunch) / Schedule may vary depending on department need / WFSE Bargaining Unit 1

Working Conditions: This position will work indoors and outdoors, including work in inclement weather during daylight and dark hours and at times in hot/cold/noisy/dirty/wet/confined areas such as mechanical rooms, manholes and excavations. Will need to physically access work areas with the equipment and tools necessary for completion of the job. This position often requires standing/crawling/bending/walking/climbing/carrying (up to 50 pounds) /pulling/pushing/lifting associated with moving of equipment and tools. Some stooping, kneeling, repetitive motion of arms and hands, and other physical movements as required by assigned tasks and essential functions of the position. Must be physically able to ride/operate equipment for an 8-hour workday 5 days per week in areas that include pedestrian traffic, vehicles and buildings as well as open spaces. In addition, this position will work with and be exposed to machinery, tools, electrical equipment and chemicals associated with pesticide application. Will work around all utilities during excavations, maintenance and installations and be exposed to insects that may be in the environment. Must maintain awareness of immediate vicinity in order to recognize, respond to and/or avoid potentially hazardous conditions/ surroundings. Frequent use of personal protection equipment such as ear plugs, safety glasses and filtration masks will be required.

Scheduled hours will vary depending on the needs of the department. Occasional overtime and shift work are required. May be required to work weekends, days, evenings and holidays. Occasional travel may be required. This position is considered an essential position and availability will be required to respond to callback situations including University emergencies.

Benefits: CWU offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical and dental insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, life and disability insurance, along with vacation and sick leave plans depending on employment classification. For additional information please visit: www.cwu.edu/hr/benefits-perks-discounts.

An employee of CWU may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program if the employee has student loans. To learn more, visit: https://ofm.wa.gov/state-human-resources/public-service-loan-forgiveness-program.