Groundskeeper (Maintenance Specialist I)

Salary : $37,440.00 - $40,123.20 Annually

Location : Charlottesville, VA

Job Type : Regular Full-Time

Job Number : 240800014

Department : Parks and Recreation

Opening Date : 08 / 22 / 2024

Closing Date : Continuous

Bargaining Unit : N / A

General Summary

The City of Charlottesville is seeking candidates to be considered for Groundskeeper (Maintenance Specialist I) who are highly motivated and who strive for success by demonstrating Charlottesville's Core Values of Commitment, Integrity, Respect, Innovation, and Collaboration.

The preferred hiring range for this position is between $18.00 - $19.29 Hourly ($37,440.00 - $40,123.20 Annually). As of March 28, 2024, this position is in the Labor and Trades bargaining unit in accordance with the City's Collective Bargaining Ordinance (Ordinance No. 22-128). Starting pay for this position is based on applicable education, experience, and internal equity. Future wage adjustments are subject to terms and conditions of the collective bargaining agreement between the City and the exclusive bargaining representative. The parties are in the process of negotiating the collective bargaining agreement, which will take effect on July 1, 2025.

Starting offer is based on applicable education, experience, and internal equity. This is a full-time, non-exempt, position. The position also provides excellent benefits including 13 paid holidays plus 1 floating holiday, paid vacation and sick leave, health insurance options with employer contribution, employer-paid life insurance, City's retirement options, gym membership reimbursement, and continuing education / training opportunities.

• For a general summary of benefits offered by the City, please click the 'benefits' tab on this posting, or visit https : / / www.charlottesville.gov / 1047 / Employee-Benefits .
• The City of Charlottesville manages its own retirement system and does not participate in VRS; however, the City has a Portability Agreement with VRS and there are certain provisions that must be met. If questions pertaining to the Portability Agreement, please contact the City's Benefits Administrator at 434-970-3462.

This Maintenance Specialist I position is responsible for functioning as a team member performing mowing, fertilization, aeration, leaf removal, invasive and perimeter brush control, and snow removal. The position is key to maintaining an extremely effective team that follows defined schedules requiring skilled labor with a high level of responsibility. Positions in this class are responsible for the maintenance, construction, or landscape / horticultural duties in city parks, downtown mall, schools, right-of-ways and public recreational facilities. Position may also perform construction / repair projects, park maintenance / renovations, tree planting / maintenance, and athletic field maintenance. Performs other duties as assigned. May have supervisory duties. Reports to the Unit Supervisor, Crew Leader, or other first line supervisor.

Note : This job opportunity is advertised with a closing date of "Continuous." If interested in being considered, an application should be submitted as soon as possible. Applications will be evaluated on a continuous basis. Interviews will be conducted as soon as possible during the recruitment with candidates who are best qualified. Applications may no longer be considered once a candidate to fill the position is identified. This job announcement will close when the position(s) have been filled and may close at any time.

Essential Responsibilities and Duties

Operations and Safety

Relationship Management

Financial Management

Human Resources

Reporting and Analysis

Education, Experience and Skills

Minimum Requirements :

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities :

Physical Conditions & Additional Information

Physical requirements for this position as outlined by the Department of Labor :

HEAVY WORK : Ability to lift up to 100 lbs. occasionally and / or up to 50 lbs. frequently and / or up to 20 lbs. constantly to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for Medium Work.

This position may be required to work weekends, nights, holidays, standy-by / on-call, emergency on-call, and / or weather-related emergency on-call.

This is a safety sensitive position subject to drug and alcohol testing for pre-employment, reasonable suspicion, post-accident and random testing.

The majority of time spent in this position involves outside work which may involve exposure to extreme temperatures, extreme brightness, chemicals / hazardous waste, blood-borne pathogens, electrical hazards, extreme darkness, fumes / airborne particles and fuels.

This position also requires the regular use of or subject to vibration, ladder / step stool, traffic / roadways, driving light equipment, driving heavy equipment, driving a City vehicle, moving mechanical parts and / or confined space(s). The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.

The City of Charlottesville is an Equal Opportunity Employer and supports workforce diversity at all levels of the organization. The City prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. The City is dedicated to this with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities, access to facilities and programs, and general treatment during employment.

Requests for reasonable accommodation by individuals with disabilities may be requested by contacting Human Resources at (434) 970-3490 or

The City of Charlottesville conducts job related background checks, reference checks, and pre-employment drug tests, in accordance with federal, state, and local law, of applicants who reach the final stages of the employment selection process. The City's policy has not changed because of the decriminalization of marijuana in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Marijuana remains an illegal drug under federal law, and it continues to be a violation of the US Department of Transportation regulations and the City's policy prohibiting employees from testing positive for marijuana.

SUMMARY OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Updated July 1, 2022

Benefits cited represent those for regular 40-hour employees and may differ for Management Level, Part-Time, and / or Library positions. Long-term temporary employees are eligible for all benefits except retirement. Interns, temporary, seasonal, substitute, and relief employees are not eligible for benefits.

3.09 hours accrued biweekly0 -

4.62 hours per biweekly pay period, approximately 120 hours a years, no limit on accumulation

14 paid holidays per calendar year (13 observed and 1 floating)

2. INSURANCE :

Choose from three options with different premiums and levels of coverage and coverage is effective on the first of the month following date of hire :

HMO : $0 premium for employee only coverage

Dependent coverage is available but the cost of the premium is not subsidized.)

No cost for employee only coverage. Dependent coverage is available but the cost of the premium is not subsidized.

Employee only coverage : $2.50 bi-weekly; Dependent coverage also available at differing rates.

Two times annual salary (paid by the City)

Cancer / accident / short term disability / intensive care insurance (paid by employee)

Protection from income loss due to long-term illness or injury (paid by the City)

3. RETIREMENT : The City of Charlottesville manages its own retirement system and does not participate in VRS, however the City has a Portability Agreement with VRS. There are certain provisions that must be met and the portability request must be executed within 18 months of vesting in the City's Plan.

Choose from two options :

A Defined Benefit Pension plan pays a monthly benefit in retirement using a defined formula based on the employee's earnings history, tenure of service, and age. Our plan has a 5 year vesting period and an employee contribution of 5% of salary.

Deferred Compensation (457) - employee contribution

4. OTHER BENEFITS :

Health Care Expenses

Gym Reimbursement Program

Reimbursement of up to $20 per month for reasonable bike commuting expenses

A variety of confidential, personal professional services for you and your family available 24 hours a day.

Up to $1,500 for undergraduate OR Up to $3,000 for graduate level tuition per fiscal year per employee.

How many years of experience do you have related to Landscaping, Turf Maintenance, Grounds, Maintenance, Construction, and or Horticultural duties? (Must be verifiable in reference to the work history section of your online application)

Do you have any combination of education and experience equivalent to at least a high school, vocational school diploma, or GED?

If 'No Experience' was selected to Questions #2, do you have a minimum of two years of direct work experience in the field related to Landscaping, Turf Maintenance, Construction, Horticultural duties etc?

Please list ALL equipment you have used during your prior work experience in general maintenance, repair and / or construction, grounds, turf or landscaping maintenance. If none, please write 'none'.

This position requires driving to perform essential job duties and requires a valid driver's license. The candidate selected for this position must meet the driver eligibility requirements of the City and must provide a certified copy of their DMV driving record.Do you possess a valid driver's license and are you willing to provide a certified copy of your DMV driving record, if selected as a finalist, for the City to confirm your driving eligibility?

To be considered, qualifying education and experience, including City of Charlottesville employment, must be clearly documented in the education, work history, and additional information sections of the employment application. Resumes can be attached but should not be used as a substitute for the required information on the application. I understand that an attached resume may not be accepted in place of a completed employment application and that my qualifications should be stated on the employment application itself.

I certify that the information above is true and correct, and I certify that it can be verified with reference to the information in my basic application. I understand that my application may be rejected if the responses to supplemental questions do not match my basic application.

Required Question

Salary : $37,440 - $40,123