"Grounds & Nursery Services Specialist 4 (Supervisor)"

Grounds & Nursery Services Specialist 4 (Supervisor)

Posted: 19-Dec-25

Location: Vancouver, Washington

Type: Full-time

Categories: Facilities//Maintenance/Trades, Staff/Administrative

Internal Number: 6804045

Online applications must be received before 11:59pm on: January 4, 2026

Available Title(s): 591L-YN_CS_NPS - Grounds & Nursery Services Specialist 4

Business Title: Grounds & Nursery Services Specialist 4 (Supervisor)

Employee Type: Classified

The Opportunity:

Be a part of keeping the Washington State University (WSU) Vancouver campus beautiful! We're looking for individuals who like to be hands on maintaining grounds and landscaping, and can lead and supervise the work of our groundskeeping team.

As the Grounds & Nursery Services Specialist Supervisor (GNSS 4), you are responsible for leading and supervising the WSU Vancouver Grounds maintenance team. You will perform, assign, instruct and check the work of other grounds personnel and service providers in a variety of skilled duties in landscape construction and grounds maintenance to maintain safe, clean and attractive grounds on the WSU Vancouver campus.

You identify best practices to accomplish this mission. You will also take steps to mitigate the operation's effect on the environment. Your duties include but are not limited to: turf maintenance, plant bedding installation and maintenance, tree planting, pruning and removal, trail, walkway and road surface maintenance, irrigation system operation, maintenance, repair and snow and ice control operations, stormwater system maintenance. You may serve as a subject matter expert with coworkers or representing the University to vendors serving the University.

Grounds & Nursery Services Specialist Supervisor essential duties include:

• Landscaping Maintenance
• Walkway Maintenance
• Equipment Operation and Maintenance
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
• Leadership
• Safety
• Other duties as assigned

Additional Information:

This position is full-time (100% FTE), permanent positions and is overtime eligible.

Monthly Salary: $3,581 to $4,771, Step A-M | Range 40.

Successful candidates typically begin at the beginning of the salary range and receive scheduled salary increment increases in accordance with WAC 357-28.

Benefits: WSU offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes paid sick and vacation leave; paid holidays; medical, dental, life and disability insurance package for employees and dependents; retirement; deferred compensation, optional supplemental retirement accounts; training and development; and employee tuition waiver. For additional information, please review the detailed Summary of Benefits offered by WSU for Classified staff and Total Compensation.

Required Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent, or higher education.
• Two to three years of experience in gardening, plant care, landscape construction and grounds maintenance OR equivalent education/experience.
• One year of lead or supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated experience working with equipment required for grounds maintenance activities; variety of hand and motorized tools, such as: pruners, loppers, shovels, rakes, hoes, mowers, tractors, blowers, edgers, litter picker, chainsaw, trimmers, string trimmer and sprayers.
• Ability to work in all weather conditions typically starting early mornings, with occasional overtime opportunities evenings, and weekends.
• Must have, or be able to obtain by time of hire, a valid driver's license and meet requirements in accordance with SPPM 7.10 and departmental driving standards.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain within 12 months of hire, a valid Washington State Pesticide Applicators License.
• Ability to work collaboratively across work groups to deliver positive outcomes.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience with computers working with Microsoft Office suite and computerized irrigation software programs.
• A professionally recognized certification in grounds maintenance (National Association for Landscape Professionals, Professional Grounds Maintenance Society, International Society of Arboriculture, etc.)
• Completion of WSU Master Gardener Program.

About WSU Vancouver's Campus:

WSU Vancouver campus is set within 350 acres of manicured, semi-manicured and natural grounds consisting of turf, forest, pollinator habitat, hardscape and six miles of Cougar Trails in a Salmon Safe habitat. First impressions of the grounds contribute to the successful enrollment of students, employment of faculty and staff, and the attitudes of visitors and donors. Creating a quality environment for learning and working is the mission of our groundskeeping staff.

The WSU Vancouver Grounds team is part of the multifaceted Facilities Operations team, and the overall Finance and Operations division. We invite you to learn more about us by checking out our website: WSU Vancouver Webpage, WSU Vancouver Facilities Operations Webpage, WSU Vancouver Finance and Operations Webpage.

Area/College: Washington State University Vancouver

Department Name: Facilities Operations

Location: 14204 NE Salmon Creek Avenue, Vancouver, Washington

Application Instructions: Applicants must upload the following required documents to their online application. Application materials should clearly communicate how the applicant meets all required qualifications and additional requirements.

1. Resume
2. Cover Letter

External candidates: upload all documents in the 'Application Document' section of your application.

Current WSU Employees (internal candidates): before starting your Workday application, please use these instructions to update your education and experience in your worker profile in Workday. Upload all documents in the 'Resume/Cover Letter' section of your application.

Documents may be submitted as one file or separate files. Applicants are encouraged to upload as a PDF, if possible.

Professional reference contact information will be requested later in the recruitment process through Workday.