Landscape Maintenance Technician at City of Durham, NC

About the Department

Work. Serve. Thrive. With the City of Durham
Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve.

Hiring Range: $43,977.00 to $74,111.00
Hours: 6:00a.m. to 2:30p.m./M-F

The General Services Department's innovative, highly qualified, service-oriented individuals support the City we love. Building and maintaining city facilities and public spaces is what we do. Promoting our enviable quality of life and serving as a foundation of a healthy economy is why we do it. If you're interested in applying your unique skills to meaningful work while growing in your career, our team is for you!

The Landscape Maintenance Technician is devoted to maintaining and enhancing lawns, beds and landscaped areas along roadways and on City property through the performance of semi-skilled and skilled labor, the operation of light-duty equipment and power tools, application of seed, fertilizer, water and herbicides, plant installation and other duties related to the field of Landscape Maintenance and the management of snow, ice and litter. Incumbents may also assist with general maintenance tasks in addition to their primary assignment. In the growing season (March-November), duties are mostly limited to following an established operational routine. Decisions are limited primarily to carrying out assignments, operating tools and equipment and performing work efficiently to meet established standards and deadlines. In the dormant season (December-February),  A Landscape Maintenance Technician will participate in snow and ice removal, landscape bed, retaining wall, unit paver, and tree installation, mulching, turf improvement activities, tree and shrub pruning, skills training and litter collection. 

The Landscape Maintenance Technician is responsible for participating in the work assigned to a crew, to include; performing technical work (mowing, edging, trimming, blowing, spraying), following care and custody protocols on equipment and vehicles; operating light-duty equipment and power tools; fueling equipment, and filling/rinsing and properly storing spray-units; maintaining assigned PPE and supplies; reporting daily work metrics to a supervisor (including pesticide logs); and performing related duties.

Position Duties

• Performs mowing operations including deployment of necessary equipment and gear, adheres to use of PPE and proper work zone setup in a roadside environment, performs mowing and litter collection operations as assigned; picks up litter along service area, operates zero-turn, walk behind and ride-behind mowers, hedge trimmers, blowers, edgers, string trimmers (“weed-eaters”), vehicle-mounted tank sprayers and backpack sprayers, and salt spreaders.
• Installs, irrigates and maintains shrub beds, flower beds and improved landscaped areas using fertilizers, mulch and post and pre-emergent herbicides.
• Performs technical work, service checks, and preventative maintenance on applicable equipment. Performs and documents care, and custody protocols associated with assigned gear; and operates light-duty equipment, power and hand tools.
• Gathers and reports information on work metrics to supervisor
• Provides customer service; responds to customer questions and concerns; understands and stays current on policies and procedures.
• Performs other duties of a similar nature and level as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent (GED, HiSet, TASC) 
• Two years of maintenance experience related to assignment.
• Two (2) years of experience working in outdoor environments
• Valid, unrestricted, North Carolina driver's license "or" if you currently have another states driver's license, must be willing and able to obtain a valid NC driver's license within 60 days of hire

Other Qualifications

• Experience working outdoors in extreme conditions (heat/cold) in proximity to vehicular traffic such as cars or construction equipment
• Familiar with the care and custody and the safe operation of landscape equipment such as mowers, edgers, hedge trimmers, string trimmers, sprayers, chainsaws, brush cutters and pumps/sprayers
• MUTCD Roadside Environmental Safety Certification
• North Carolina Pesticide Applicator’s License
• Education or coursework in Landscaping or applied horticulture.
• Knowledge of plant, shrub and tree maintenance.
• A valid North Carolina Commercial Driver’s License (B or A) with a satisfactory driving record.