Grounds Maintenance Worker 2 in Newport

This recruitment will be used to fill one full-time Grounds Maintenance Worker 2 position for the Hatfield Marine Science Center at Oregon State University (OSU). This position will be located in Newport, Oregon. The Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) is Oregon State University’s campus for research, education, and outreach in marine and coastal sciences. HMSC is located fifty-five miles west of the OSU main campus in Newport, OR.

The Grounds Maintenance position is a valued member of the HMSC Facilities team, which supports the expanding campus endeavors and strives to maintain the highest service standards with a focus on quality, efficiency, safety, and customer service. The Grounds Maintenance position is responsible for the professional upkeep and enhancement of HMSC’s outdoor environments, ensuring a positive and lasting impression on students, visitors, volunteers, researchers, and staff.

Under the supervision of the HMSC Maintenance Supervisor and coordination with fellow grounds crew, this role is dedicated to achieving and maintaining a natural aesthetic across the 63.5-acre HMSC campus and grounds, with a primary focus on the eradication of invasive plant species and the promotion of native vegetation. Additionally, the position incorporates principles of landscape design, emphasising the selection and cultivation of indigenous trees and plant species appropriate to the Oregon Coast region. This is an on-call position and considered essential personnel, which may require attendance during emergency university closures.

Key Responsibilities:

• 20% – Landscaping: Design and develop new garden areas around campus buildings to enhance aesthetics and provide wildlife habitat. Maintain existing landscapes to ensure ongoing quality and appeal.
• 20% – Grounds Maintenance: Responsible for cleaning up trash and debris, performing weeding, thinning trees and shrubs, and hauling debris to off-site recycling or disposal locations using a university-owned pickup (requires a current, valid driver’s license).
• 20% – Lawn Care and Maintenance: Perform tasks such as mowing, seeding, weeding, raking, string trimming, and debris blowing to uphold the standard of campus lawns.
• 15% – Native Flora Promotion and Invasive Species Control: Encourage the planting of native flora and eradicate invasive species through manual methods, with an emphasis on Himalayan blackberries, English ivy, and Scotch broom.
• 10% – Additional Facilities Team Responsibilities: Assist with daily rounds, seawater system maintenance (including confined space tank cleaning and periodic line changes every six weeks), support plumbing and irrigation repairs, and assist electricians and HVAC specialists as needed to ensure that all vital HMSC facility functions remain operational.
• 5% – Equipment Maintenance: Maintain all groundskeeping equipment and sharpen tools used in grounds maintenance work.
• 5% – Irrigation System Management: Maintain existing irrigation systems and install new systems in a sustainable manner, particularly in relation to new plantings.
• 2.5% – Community Relations and Project Assistance: Participate in pertinent campus committees, such as the HMSC Green Team when applicable. Represent OSU/HMSC with external groups on landscaping, forest expansion, habitat restoration, and invasive species removal as needed.
• 2.5% - Other Duties as assigned.

What We Require:

• Pesticide applicator’s license may be required based on position duties; AND Two years experience as a grounds keeper which included plant care; OR An Associate’s degree in Landscape Technology or Horticulture; OR Completion of a Landscape Certification program or license in a horticultural specialty.

What You Will Need:

• Must obtain Confined Space certification within 6 months of date of hire.
• Must obtain Forklift certification within 6 months of date of hire.
• In accordance with the Department of Commerce Background Investigation policy, the incumbent must successfully obtain the appropriate security clearance within 90 days of the employment start date.
• This position is designated as a critical or security-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a criminal history check and be determined to be position qualified as per University Standard: 05-010 et seq.
• Incumbents are required to self-report convictions and those in youth programs may have additional criminal history checks every 24 months.
• This position requires driving a university vehicle or a personal vehicle on behalf of the university; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a motor vehicle history check, possess, and maintain a current, valid driver’s license in their state of residence, be determined to be position qualified and self-report convictions as per University Policy 05-030.

What We Would Like You to Have:

• Four years’ experience as a groundskeeper.
• Experience planting and maintaining native flora in the PNW coastal landscape.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate in a manner that shows respect and inclusivity for all co-workers.

Working Conditions / Work Schedule:

This position will often be required to lift or carry objects weighing up to 75 pounds and pushing or pulling carts weighing up to 50 pounds. This position may work in confined spaces. This position is required to work in and have access to student rooms and community areas of student residences while occupied by students. This position may work scheduled weekends and holidays. This is an on-call position and considered essential personnel, which may require attendance during emergency university closures and inclement weather. The position is based at the OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, Oregon, which is in a tsunami hazard zone.

Pay Method: Hourly Pay Period 16th - 15th of the following month Pay Date Last working day of the month Min Salary $20.19 Max Salary $30.11