Grounds Technician II

Job Description

Job Description

Join Our Grounds Team

At The Dawes Arboretum, we value incredible people with incredible skills!

We are actively recruiting  Grounds Technicians to join our team and play an essential role in the care, beauty, and preservation of our Arboretum grounds. This is an opportunity to work in a dynamic outdoor environment where your skills and attention to detail directly contribute to an exceptional experience for our visitors and the long term health of our living collections.

As a Grounds Technician, you’ll help maintain the landscapes, gardens, pathways, trees, and natural areas that make The Dawes Arboretum a special place to explore, learn, and connect with nature. From seasonal landscape care and planting to mowing, pruning, invasive species management, and general grounds maintenance, every day brings meaningful hands-on work in a beautiful setting.

We’re looking for reliable, hardworking individuals who take pride in their work, enjoy working outdoors, and appreciate being part of a team dedicated to caring for an extraordinary place. Whether you bring years of horticultural or grounds-care experience or are eager to develop your skills in the field, we invite you to consider joining us. 

Essential Responsibilities: 

• Perform skilled grounds maintenance tasks including mowing, mulching, weeding, planting, watering, fertilizing, turf maintenance, and plant removals. 

• Maintain up-to-date records related to collection material and equipment. 

• Perform Integrated Pest Management (IPM), including the application of herbicides. 

• Perform invasive plant removal. 

• Remove leaves, debris, and litter from Arboretum grounds. 

• Operate a variety of standard landscape equipment and tools including mowers, edgers, chainsaws, chippers, skid steer, stump grinder, tractor, brush hog, etc. 

• Train and provide in-field direction to Level One (1) Grounds Technicians. 

• Assist with snow and ice removal. 

• Serve as a member of the Emergency Response Team. 

• Assist in event set-up and tear-down. 

• Coordinating and Leading Volunteer Projects 

Qualifications:  

• High School diploma or General Education Degree (GED); or equivalent combination of education and experience. 

• Two (2) to three (3) years of demonstrated experience in grounds maintenance, Botanical / Arboretum experience preferred but not required. 

• Exhibit a positive attitude and willingness to work as a team player. 

• Ability to work in all types of weather conditions. 

• Ability to frequently stand, walk, sit, reach, lift, bend, kneel, stoop, crouch, and carry, push, and pull items weighing up to and including 50 lbs. 

• Ability to work evening and weekend hours. 

• Ability to maintain Grounds Management certifications. 

Why You Will Love Working Here  

At The Arboretum, you will find more than a job; you will find a place where your work makes a meaningful difference every day. You will join a collaborative team that values integrity, respect, continuous learning, and genuine care for one another. Your ideas will be welcomed, your contributions will be recognized, and your work will directly support an organization dedicated to inspiring curiosity, advancing conservation, fostering scientific research, and connecting people with the natural world. 

If you are looking for a role when you can truly make an impact, this is it! You will find a mission worth supporting, colleagues who are passionate about their work, and an opportunity to leave a lasting mark on an organization that values people as much as purpose. Come help us cultivate a workplace where our people and our mission continue to grow! 

This is a non-exempt, full-time year-round role offering an hourly rate of $20.00 - $21.00 

Interested in joining our team? Apply online 

The Dawes Arboretum is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions at The Arboretum will be made without regard or consideration of an individual’s race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, marital status, veteran or military status, genetic information or any other protected status. The Dawes Arboretum values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment.