Job Details

Groundsworker
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Position Number: 1593286
Location: Rohnert Park, CA
Position Type: Facilities Management

Groundsworker
Sonoma State University

Job ID: 104906
Location: Sonoma State University (Rohnert Park, CA)
Full/Part Time: Full-Time
Regular/Temporary: Regular

Department Name
Facilities Management

Salary and Benefits
The anticipated starting salary placement depends on qualifications, experience and salary budget, and will not exceed $2,736 a month.

This position is eligible for a broad range of benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurances, retirement (CalPERS), tuition waiver, vacation and sick leave. In addition, 14 paid holidays are offered each year; 13 scheduled on specific days and a Personal Holiday that may be taken any time during the year.

A comprehensive benefits summary for this position is available online by clicking the View Benefits Summary link or by request from SSU Human Resources.

Application Deadline
This position is open until filled. For full consideration, please submit application, along with cover letter and resume, by 8am on September 11, 2019. Please refer to the Application Process section of this posting for additional details.

Conditions of Employment
This is a full time, non-exempt position, which will lead toward permanent status following the successful completion of a probationary period.

Responsibilities
Sonoma State University is committed to achieving excellence through teaching, scholarship, learning and inclusion. In line with our Strategic Plan and our Seawolf Commitment, our values include diversity, sustainability, community engagement, respect, responsibility, excellence and integrity. We strive to cultivate a community in which a diverse population can learn and work in an atmosphere of civility and respect. We encourage innovation, experimentation and creativity, as well as contributions to equity and inclusion, in the pursuit of excellence for all members of our university community.

Reporting to the Landscaping Manager, and with additional lead work direction provided from other members of the Facilities Management team, the Groundsworker maintains the grounds in an assigned landscape area of campus and assists a crew of landscape employees and student assistants engaged in landscape activities of a general nature such as mowing, pruning, construction of flower beds, maintenance of drainage systems, resurfacing of athletic fields and facilities, removal of brush and trees, collection of trash and asphalt repairs.

Working under immediate supervision, the major duties of the position include, but are not limited to, the following: planting, cultivating, fertilizing, watering and spraying ornamental plants, shrubs, hedges, trees, lawns, and flowers; raking leaves; hoeing weeds; cleaning trash from assigned areas, including parking lots; preparing and treating soils for planting; maintaining hoses, sprinklers, tools, supplies and equipment in proper condition and repair; trimming trees, hedges and shrubs and erect tree supports. The incumbent may operate and perform minor maintenance on small power-operated pavement sweepers, power mowers, small riding mowers, and other gardening power equipment; may assist in the preparing and lining of athletic fields for events; may occasionally assist a qualified irrigation or gardening specialist in sprinkler repair; spraying, tree trimming, or nursery functions; may drive pick-ups and other automotive equipment in performance of assigned duties; and may provide lead work direction to students and unskilled assistants. In addition, the incumbent works on set-ups and other functions for campus graduation, including, but not limited to setting up chairs the day before graduation and wiping them down the morning of graduation.

Performs other secondary duties as assigned.

Sonoma State University consists of over 2 million square feet of building space of various construction types and ages. The incumbent must be prepared to work in a variety of environments on the University campus including, but not limited to mechanical rooms, crawl spaces, attics, basements, and outdoor. The climate in some of the facilities can be cold, hot, and noisy. Some facilities are three stories high. The work involves heavy manual labor in a rugged, outdoor environment.

Duties take place primarily in outdoor environment settings located in various locations on the Sonoma State University campus. Typical hours for the position are aligned with standard campus hours Monday through Friday, actual work hours may vary on occasion to support department needs. The incumbent maybe required to work a varied schedule. Your specific start time is determined by your Appropriate Administrator. As a non-exempt employee, any request for overtime will be specified and pre-approved by Appropriate Administrator. Evening and weekend hours may be required and will be specified only by the appropriate administrator to meet operational needs, including the University's commencement weekend, which is regularly scheduled in May. The incumbent must maintain regular and acceptable attendance at such levels as is determined by the Appropriate Administrator.

This position requires, with or without reasonable accommodations, the ability to frequently sit, move or stand for office and/or event functions, be at a computer for 1-2 hours/day, occasionally reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop and kneel and lift objects of up to 80 lbs in weight.

Qualifications
This position requires a thorough knowledge of general gardening and grounds maintenances methods. General knowledge of proper methods of planting, cultivating, and caring for hedges, ornamental trees, shrubs, lawns, and flowers as well as the use and care of gardening materials, tools and equipment. One year of experience in the care and maintenance of landscape areas or in general grounds maintenance work, or in related manual labor is required. Beginning proficiency with computers and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel) required. Knowledge of Google Suite and PeopleSoft preferred. The incumbent must successfully complete a pre-placement exam and must possess and/or obtain and thereafter maintain a California Driver's License valid for the operation of any vehicle or equipment required to maintain and operate.

In addition, the incumbent must possess the ability to recognize the more common species of ornamental shrubs, trees and flowers grown in California; perform strenuous physical work as described in this classification; utilize mechanical aptitude and motor coordination; learn to skillfully operate small trucks and power-driven grounds equipment; read and write at a level appropriate to the duties of the position; and follow simple oral and written instructions. The incumbent must be service oriented; fiscally responsible; prioritize and perform all work efficiently and effectively; and provide strong customer service to students, staff, faculty, and campus visitors. Must have the ability to effectively communicate with all levels within the university and establish and maintain productive and effective, inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, students, and other internal and external constituents. Must be able to accept constructive feedback and work cooperatively and effectively both independently and as part of a team and/or group situations. Must also possess the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economy, society, and environment) into all aspects of performing job duties.

Physical Requirements
Requires successful completion of a pre-placement physical exam.

Application Process
Click the "Apply Now" to apply to this position, materials submitted with your application will not be returned. For questions related to the application process, please reach out to Human Resources (hr@sonoma.edu | 707.664.3100).

Qualified candidates must submit the following to be considered:
1. Cover Letter and Resume - application system only allows one document to be uploaded, so cover letter and resume must be included in the same MS Word or PDF file (file name should not contain any spaces or special characters)

2. Online Employment Application (complete entire application, resume/cover letter will not substitute for any part of the application)

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current employees who apply for this position.

The ADA Coordinator is available at 707.664.2664, to assist individuals with disabilities in need of accommodation during the hiring process.

Other Information
Equal Employment Opportunity: The University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, disability, marital status, or protected veteran status.

Mandated Reporting: This position may be considered a "mandated reporter" under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

About Sonoma State University
Sonoma State University, located 48 miles north of San Francisco, is one of the 23 campuses of the California State University. Sonoma State University is a liberal arts institution with an enrollment of approximately 10,000 students and 530 full-time and part-time faculty. Our beautiful campus is located in Rohnert Park, at the foot of the Sonoma hills in the Wine Country.

Sonoma State University is proud to be a smoke-free campus, where smoking and other uses of tobacco products, such as smokeless tobacco, the use of e-cigarettes and similar devices, are prohibited.

Sonoma State University's Jeanne Clery Act Annual Security Report is available at http://www.sonoma.edu/ps/about/jeanneclery.html; Annual Campus Housing Fire Safety Report is available at http://www.sonoma.edu/housing/general-info/emergency-prep/fire-safety.html.

Contact Information
Sonoma State University
Human Resources
Main (707) 664-3100
Fax (707) 664-3196
1801 East Cotati Avenue
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
hr@sonoma.edu