"Groundskeeper"

Job Description

Groundskeeper
University of Puget Sound
Job ID: 8420
Full/Part Time: Full Time
Regular/Temporary: Regular

Staff Posting Details

Appointment: Regular, full-time (1.0 FTE) position.

Work Location: This position is based in Tacoma, WA. This is an on-site role only.

Position Summary: Responsible for all duties associated with the landscape maintenance program on the university's 97-acre urban campus. Responsible for keeping the campus in safe condition during snow or stormy weather. Applies pesticides under the direction of the grounds supervisor, operates small and large sized power equipment as needed, and may be responsible to oversee student staff when they are working on particular tasks. Required to perform the job safely.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities:

• Communicate information freely with coworkers.
• Direct student staff members in grounds activities as needed.
• Perform all duties as needed associated with maintaining the campus landscape and outdoor activities.
• Responsible for labor, equipment, and materials on assigned projects.
• Work in a safe manner at all times.
• Turf related tasks; mows, trims, edges, seeds, fertilizes, top-dress, aerates, stripes, rakes, waters.
• Bed related tasks; weed control manually and chemically, soil amendments, planting fertilizing, pruning shrubs (shearing and selective), pruning trees, mulching roads and walkways.
• Sweep, rake, blow clean, clear storm drain inlets.
• Snow and storm related clean-up.
• Support various campus construction projects, internal and external.
• Pickup garbage throughout campus, drive garbage truck to dump, clean garbage truck.
• Prune ivy on buildings.
• Apply pesticide and herbicide at the direction of the supervisor.
• Respond to emergency and urgent situations outside of scheduled work hours, including when the university is under modified operations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Student Staff grounds workers
• Assign work (distribute work and guide priorities)
• Oversee work (supervise tasks or projects)
• Direct work (train staff, review and approve work)

Budget Responsibilities: This position has no fiscal responsibilities

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of tasks and equipment associated with trade.
• Knowledge of safe operation of various vehicles.
• Knowledge of general landscape maintenance.
• Ability to work independently as well as in groups.
• Ability to direct student staff in ground related work.
• Ability to communicate in a manner that fosters teamwork in groups.
• Ability to work in all types of weather.
• Ability to be on-call for special needs and emergencies.
• Ability to operate single axel trucks in a safe and responsible manner.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or G.E.D.
• Valid drivers license
• General knowledge of landscape maintenance
• Occasionally pushing/pulling between 36-50 pounds
• Ability to respectfully work, communicate and provide leadership within a diverse campus community

Compensation and Benefits: The anticipated range for this position is $20.95 per hour. Decisions about starting salaries are made based on the extent and relatedness of the candidate's education and experience and on internal equity and market considerations.

Puget Sound offers a generous benefits package for eligible staff employees, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision
• Life insurance and long-term disability
• Employee Assistance Program
• Retirement plan options and 403(b) contributions
• Paid vacation, sick leave, floating holiday, campus holidays and bonus holidays
• Education benefits, such as full tuition for eligible employees and their families
• Access to university facilities and entertainment (fitness center, pool, library, concerts, lectures and more!)

Please note:

• Positions that work less than .75 FTE (1,560 hours per year) do not qualify for long-term disability or education benefits.
• Positions that work less than .50 FTE (1,040 hours per year) will accrue paid sick leave but are not eligible for additional benefits.
• Temporary positions that work at least .50 FTE (1,040 hours per year) will be eligible for benefits.

This position is non-exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

For more information on Puget Sound's non-exempt staff benefits package, visit: Summary of 2025 Benefits for Staff Members in Non-Exempt Positions.pdf

For the Campus Holiday and Bonus Day Schedule, visit: https://www.pugetsound.edu/human-resources

Application Deadline: Review of applications will begin immediately. Search and selection procedures will be closed when a sufficient number of qualified candidates have been identified.

Required Documents:

• Resume
• Letter of Interest

Applications submitted without the required attachments will not be considered.

All offers of employment are contingent on successful completion of all required background checks.

University Diversity Statement

We Acknowledge: The richness of commonalities and differences we share as a university community. The intrinsic worth of all who work and study here. The investigation and reflection enhance that education upon multiple perspectives.

We Aspire: To create respect for and appreciation of all persons as a key characteristic of our campus community. To increase the diversity of all parts of our university community through a commitment to diversity in our recruitment and retention efforts. To foster a spirit of openness to active engagement among all members of our campus community.

We Act: To achieve an environment that welcomes and supports diversity. To ensure full educational opportunity for all who teach and learn here. To prepare citizen-leaders effectively for a pluralistic world.

Puget Sound is committed to an environment that welcomes and supports diversity. We seek diversity of identity, thought, perspective, and background in our students, faculty, and staff. To learn more please visit: https://pugetsound.edu/about-puget-sound-0/mission-core-values/institutional-equity-diversity

The University of Puget Sound is an equal opportunity employer.

Please note that we generally do not sponsor applicants for work visas for staff positions. Therefore, we generally require applicants for staff positions to be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

How to Apply

For complete job description and application instructions, visit: www.pugetsound.edu/employment

About Puget Sound

Puget Sound is a selective national liberal arts college in Tacoma, Washington, drawing 2,600 students from 48 states and 20 countries. Puget Sound graduates include Rhodes and Fulbright scholars, notables in the arts and culture, entrepreneurs and elected officials, and leaders in business and finance locally and throughout the world. A low student-faculty ratio provides Puget Sound students with personal attention from faculty who have a strong commitment to teaching and offer 1,200 courses each year in more than 40 traditional and interdisciplinary fields, including graduate programs in occupational and physical therapy and in education. Puget Sound is the only nationally ranked independent undergraduate liberal arts college in Western Washington, and one of just five independent colleges in the Pacific Northwest granted a charter by Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s most prestigious academic honorary society. Visit "About Puget Sound" (http://www.pugetsound.edu/about) to learn more about the college.

As a strategic goal and through our core values, University of Puget Sound is committed to an environment that welcomes and supports diversity. We seek diversity of identity, thought, perspective, and background in our students, faculty, and staff. EOE/AA