Groundskeeper

Salary: $17.28 Hourly
Location : Youngstown, Ohio
Job Type: Classified
Job Number: 202600266
Division: Finance & Business Operations
Department: Grounds
Opening Date: 09/10/2026
Bargaining Unit Status: Association of Classified Employees (ACE)
Salary Grade: AN
Full-time Equivalency: 1.0


Summary of Position
The class works under general supervision and requires considerable knowledge of grounds keeping in order to perform skilled and semi-skilled grounds maintenance duties.

Position Information
Essential Functions and Responsibilities: 20% - Performs skilled maintenance of university grounds including mowing, edging, trimming, and fertilizing. Applies pesticides and herbicides to lawns, shrubs, and trees. Lays sod, limes, grades surfaces, and applies topsoil.
20% - Performs skilled maintenance on university flower beds, trees, and ornamental plants. Weeds and grooms flower beds, plants and prunes trees, plants and maintains ornamental flowers and other foliage. Pulls bulbs and winterizes tender annuals.
20% - Performs skilled maintenance, preparations, and mitigation of effects of inclement weather on university facilities. Plows and salts university parking facilities, streets, walkways, loading docks, and entrance ways. Cleans up damaged trees and shrubs following inclement weather.
10% - Maintains a clean and professional appearance of university grounds. Performs regular rounds removing trash and litter. Maintains facilities following events. Moves and stages memorial benches and associated outdoor furniture.
10% - Performs minor shallow, manual, or light mechanized excavation for university led beautification projects. Performs shallow trenching to expose failed irrigation systems for access to make necessary repairs. Develops beds and digs holes for planting of new or relocated trees. Removes soil for landscape renovations and edging. Installs signs, gates, or fences. Builds retaining walls, patios, walkways and ornamental structures. Pour concrete for walkways and surfaces, repairs damaged concrete surfaces. Repairs and patches asphalt surfaces.
10% - Maintains and grooms artificial turf for athletic facilities. Grooms and drags artificial turf for all athletics fields and facilities. Adds infill in high traffic areas as needed. Patches and repairs seams as needed. Performs decompaction on artificial turf.
5% - Maintains and services university irrigation systems. Identifies and isolates leaks and faulty components. Replaces lawn sprinkler heads and control valves. Works with university plumber for more complex problem resolutions.
5% - Cleans and repairs tools; installs attachment on equipment; operates heavy equipment.
Other Functions and Responsibilities: Assists with training new hires.
Performs other duties as assigned and/or required that are within the level of responsibility for this classification at the discretion of the supervisor.
Equipment Operated: Backhoe, skid steer, front loaders, forklifts, plow trucks, and airbrake equipped dump trucks
Work Schedule: M-T-W-Th-F 6:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. May work weekends, early mornings, evenings as scheduled. May be called out due to extraordinary operational needs, 24 hours, 7 days per week.
Primary Location: Youngstown
Supervision Exercised: May exercise supervision over student employees.
Reports to: Groundskeeper Supervisor
Qualifications and Competencies
Required Certifications, Training, and/or Licensures: Pesticide license in 6A (Ornamental Pests) and 8 (Turf Pests) within 4 months of employment; valid driver's license.
Sponsorship and/or Work Authorization Status: This position is not eligible for sponsorship.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Knowledge of: basic mathematic principles; grounds maintenance; safety practices associated with use and operation of grounds maintenance equipment.
Skill in: operation of various types of grounds maintenance equipment including tractors, mowers, sprayers, sod cutters, etc.
Ability to: carry out instructions in written, oral, or picture form; deal with problems involving several variables in familiar context; demonstrate general physical fitness.
(*) Developed after employment.
Minimum Qualifications: High school diploma or GED and two years of experience in grounds maintenance. Valid driver's license. Pesticide license in 6A (Ornamental Pests) and 8 (Turf Pests) within 4 months of employment.
Preferred Qualifications: Landscaping experience. Snow plowing experience. Experience working with collegiate athletics facilities and artificial turfs. Certified Grounds Technician (CGT).
Physical Requirements: In accordance with the U.S. Department of Labor physical demands strength ratings, this position will perform very heavy work.
Very Heavy: work involves exerting 100 pounds of force occasionally, or 50 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
At Youngstown State University we are committed to a comprehensive employee benefit program that helps our employees live healthy, feel secure, and maintain a work/life balance. YSU offers two options for medical plans, optional dental and vision insurance and life insurance. These plans are reviewed annually to maintain competitiveness while being cost effective. In addition, YSU offers tuition remission, 403(b) and 457 retirement planning options, as well as state pension programs and optional voluntary life insurance benefits.
Medical Mutual of Ohio Medical plans
Dental Benefits
Vision Benefits
Group Life Insurance (University Sponsored and Voluntary)
Group Long Term Disability (University Sponsored and Voluntary)
Flexible Spending Account
Health Savings Account
Tuition remission
Employee Assistance Program
Wellness Initiatives
Sick Leave
Vacation Accrual
Paid Holidays
State Retirement Programs
403b and 457b Voluntary Retirement Options
01


Do you have a high school diploma or GED and two years of experience in grounds maintenance?

• Yes
• No

02


Do you have a valid US driver's license?

• Yes
• No

03


Are you able to obtain a pesticide license in 6A (Ornamental Pests) and 8 (Turf Pests) within 4 months of employment?

• Yes
• No

04


What is the highest level of education that you have attained?

• Did not complete high school.
• High school diploma/GED or equivalent
• Some college
• Associate's degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree
• Doctoral degree
• Post doctoral degree
• Juris doctor degree

05


Please describe your related experience, including information describing how you meet the minimum qualifications for this position.
Required Question