"Turf Health Technician I"

Turf Health Technician I

Company: North Carolina State University

Job Location: Raleigh, North Carolina

Category: Grounds and Landscaping

Type: Full-Time

Join the Pack! A community with nearly 8,000 faculty and staff, and 30,000 students. NC State is one of the largest employers in North Carolina, offering a large range of career opportunities. Visit us at https://jobs.hr.ncsu.edu/.

Department: 445060 - Landscape Maintenance & Operations

Location: Raleigh, NC

Essential Job Duties:
The Turf Health Technician I plays a hands-on role in maintaining and enhancing the landscapes that support NC State's vibrant campus community. This position provides essential irrigation system maintenance and turf horticultural services across the Main, Centennial, and Centennial Biomedical campuses. Working as part of a collaborative grounds team, the technician helps ensure the health, appearance, and performance of more than 60 irrigation systems and a wide variety of turf and landscape areas.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys outdoor work, takes pride in well-maintained landscapes, and wants to contribute to a campus environment that supports learning, research, and community life. If you enjoy working outdoors, value teamwork, and want to help maintain the landscapes of a dynamic university campus, we encourage you to apply.

Join NC State's Grounds team and be part of the work that keeps our campus healthy, functional, and beautiful year-round.

Key responsibilities and duties include, but are not limited to:

• Perform routine maintenance and repairs on campus-wide irrigation systems to ensure proper operation and efficiency.
• Diagnose and troubleshoot issues related to 2-wire irrigation systems, pumps, leaking pipes, and irrigation heads.
• Set up, program, and operate various irrigation controllers.
• Assist with new irrigation installations, including manual excavation and operating small equipment.
• Maintain and troubleshoot low-voltage landscape lighting systems.
• Install, maintain, and support turf areas such as lawns, prairies, meadows, playfields, and ground cover associated with new construction projects.
• Carry out seasonal horticultural practices, including aeration, top dressing, and composting.
• Apply sound horticultural standards to promote healthy, sustainable, and visually appealing campus landscapes.
• Support campus operations during inclement weather events and leaf collection activities.
• Collaborate with turf and horticulture teams on special projects and assigned initiatives.
• Safely perform physically demanding work, including lifting and transporting materials up to 30 pounds (with or without reasonable accommodations) and working outdoors in varying weather and terrain conditions.
• Communicate effectively with supervisors, coworkers, and the campus community, and follow verbal and written instructions related to work assignments.

Other Work/Responsibilities:

• Position serves in a critical role and is essential to the operation of the University. May be required to work during adverse weather conditions and work even if the University closes. Use snow/ice removal equipment to aid in snow removal as directed by supervisors.
• Other tasks and responsibilities may be assigned based on the needs of the organization and evolving priorities.

Minimum Experience/Education:
High school diploma or equivalency; or demonstrated possession of the competencies necessary to perform the work. Some positions may require special licenses or certification(s).
Optional Guidelines: Experience in the trade(s) areas related to the area of assignment may be substituted on a year-for-year basis.

Required Qualifications:

• Experience in troubleshooting and repairing irrigation systems using wire locators and OHM meters.
• Familiarity with turf maintenance, plant care, and light equipment upkeep.
• Ability to effectively convey information verbally and understand written and verbal instructions.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in residential and commercial landscape irrigation installation and repair.
• Knowledge of irrigation system installation, maintenance, and repair.
• Ability to diagnose issues with pumps, clocks, valves, and low-voltage wiring (traditional and two-wire systems).
• Irrigation Technician Certification preferred
• Backflow Certification w/ NC Rural Water Association preferred

Required license or certification:

• Valid driver's license required.
• North Carolina driver's license required within 60 days of hire and must be maintained.

Position Number: 00062665