Park Maintenance Technician

Job ID: 30858
Agency: Game, Fish, and Parks
Location: Watertown, SD
Salary: $19.49 Hourly
Pay Grade: F
Closing Date: 04/01/2025

This is a Full-Time position with the Department of Game, Fish, and Parks. For more information on the Department of Game, Fish, and Parks, please visit https://gfp.sd.gov/.

Working for the South Dakota Game, Fish, & Parks is not only a job, but it is about working together with colleagues, customers, landowners, and partner organizations to ensure that our state’s outdoor heritage lives on for the next generation. Our atmosphere empowers professional success and team building, while fostering relationships to build a culture focused on our four strategic plan goals: habitat and access, asset management, customer service, and operational excellence.

The park maintenance technician will be based at Pelican Lake Recreation Area near Watertown, South Dakota, but will also help with Sandy Shore Recreation Area, Lake Cochrane Recreation Area, and three lakeside use areas that provide year around recreational opportunity to the public such as: camping, lodging, picnicking, beach going, boating, fishing, hunting, non-motorized trails, and equestrian facilities. There are also an additional 50 public water access areas in the area that staff maintain which provide boating and shore fishing access.

The park maintenance technician will focus on grounds maintenance duties for these parks and access area. Grounds maintenance duties including tree pruning and removal, turf management, rangeland management of native prairie and prairie restoration, food plot management, and aquatic access including dock maintenance, shoreline and ice fishing access, and gravel road and parking lot maintenance. This position will utilize and maintain ATV's/UTV's, zero turn mowers, tractors, and/or a skid loader to accomplish these duties. The park maintenance technician also assists with facilities maintenance projects includes with plumbing, carpentry, and preventative maintenance to park buildings.

The Watertown area provides large town amenities in a small town feel. There are ample opportunities for housing, grocery and miscellaneous shopping, and entertainment in Watertown. Watertown is in the heart of the glacial lakes region that offers excellent waterfowl, pheasant, and deer hunting along with world class open water and ice fishing for perch, walleyes, and a number of other species.

Must be able to work outdoors in all types of weather and conditions. Must be able to do manual labor including heavy lifting and strenuous physical activity at times.

Licenses and Certifications:
Valid drivers license. Ability to obtain Herbicide and Pesticide Licenses and Wildland Fire Red Card certification within 90 days of being hired.

The Ideal Candidate Will Have:
An outgoing personality with a task and goal driven mindset. Experience in turf, tree, and/or rangeland management, equipment operation, landscaping, and/or park management. A degree relating to park management, natural resource management, wildlife management, habitat management, rangeland management, or landscaping is preferred but not required. The desire to learn the Department of Game, Fish & Park's policies, rules, regulations, and be able to teach them to volunteers, staff, and the public.

Knowledge of:

• diagnostic and repair methods for a wide variety of vehicles and equipment;
• safe operating guidelines for equipment;
• chemicals for spraying weeds and farming/harvesting practices;
• landscaping, carpentry, plumbing, painting, welding, electrical repair;
• tree and shrub pruning;
• noxious weed control.

Skill to:

• operate hand tools, power tools, and machinery;
• keep detailed records;
• prioritize, organize, and complete assigned tasks and projects.

Ability to:

• communicate effectively with a diverse group of staff;
• visualize opportunities for recreational enhancements;
• understand and follow instructions and compose required reports.

This position is eligible for Veterans’ Preference per ARSD 55:10:02:08.

NCRC: If you possess a National Career Readiness Certificate, please submit the certificate with your application. For more information on how to acquire a National Career Readiness Certificate contact a South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation Job Service Office. A certificate is not necessary to be considered.

The State of South Dakota does not sponsor work visas for new or existing employees. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete an Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9. The State of South Dakota as an employer will be using E-Verify to complete employment eligibility verification upon hire.

The State of South Dakota offers $0 premium employee health insurance option plus eleven paid holidays, generous vacation and sick leave accrual, dental, vision, and other insurance options, and retirement benefits. You can view our benefits information at https://bhr.sd.gov/job-seekers/work-for-state-government/. This position is a member of Class A retirement under SDRS.

Must apply online: https://gen-stateofsouthdako-trn.inforcloudsuite.com/hcm/xmlhttp/shorturl.do?key=1C9
You must apply online, emailed resumes or submissions will not be accepted.
South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources
Telephone: 605.773.3148 Email: careers@state.sd.us
http://bhr.sd.gov/workforus
"An Equal Opportunity Employer"

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