Horticulture Technician

Parks And Recreation Department Manual Labor Position

This position is a skilled manual labor position that requires candidate to perform duties within the Parks and Recreation Department primarily related to turf and ornamental plant maintenance to ensure an overall high-quality of the parks and facility turf and ornamentals.

Examples Of Duties

• Performs athletic field maintenance activities such as fertilizing, planting, spraying, inspecting, and applying herbicides and pesticides.
• Performs maintenance activities on athletic field turf, parks, and other city properties to include but not limited to, irrigation, verticutting, aerating, top dressing, and installation of clay fill-in materials.
• Determines appropriate time and schedule for spraying, based on growing season, and condition of surrounding areas including water and soil conditions, weather conditions, and other variables
• Selects appropriate chemical agents for the control of specific diseases, insects, and weeds considering type, infestation, environment, and vegetation.
• Calculates fertilizer rates and calibrates spreaders and sprayers for proper application rates in accordance with product labels.
• Operates motorized equipment such as mowers, sprayers, tractors, front-end loaders, backhoes, trucks, dump trucks, and trailers used to transport materials and equipment to maintain parks, grounds, athletic fields, and other green spaces.
• Evaluates weed and pest control conditions and establishes preventative maintenance procedures to be performed to minimize or mitigate turf and plant damage.
• Performs routine inspection and preventive maintenance on assigned equipment and refers defects or needed repairs to supervisor; cleans equipment.
• Maintains a variety of records relating to inspections and maintenance activity.
• Performs all duties in conformance to appropriate safety and security standards.
• This position may require working a variety of schedules, including evenings and weekends and may be subject to work beyond normal scheduled hours including emergency calls.
• Other duties as assigned

Typical Qualifications

• Must maintain a valid Florida Driver's License.
• A valid Florida Class A CDL Driver's License or the ability to obtain within six (6) months of employment.
• High school diploma or GED equivalent or degree in related field.
• Advanced education or training in the field of horticultural sciences preferred.
• Experience in laboring work, including the use of hand and power tools and motorized equipment, including trucks, trailers, mowers and tractors, equipment and maintenance, repair and construction work; or an equivalent combination of training and experience that provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities.
• Experience with public chemical spraying experience of two (2) or more years is preferred and has or can obtain Agriculture Restricted Use Pesticide License, specializing in Ornamental and Turf, Right Of Way (ROW), Aquatics or Certified Pest Control Operator (CPO) categories through the Department of Agriculture.
• Experience in maintaining athletic fields and turf is a plus, but City will provide training.
• Florida Green Industries Best Management Practices Certificate or completion within six (6) months of hire.
• Must possess the ability to perform heavy manual tasks for extended periods of time.
• Must possess the ability to work safely.
• Must possess the ability to communicate effectively verbally and written.
• Must possess the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, other departments and the public.
• Must possess the ability to understand and carry out written and oral instructions.

Benefits

City employees with Full-time status receive 100% paid Health Insurance. Dental/Vision, Life/AD&D benefits, Dependent coverage, and/or Supplemental Insurances are also available at the employee's expense through payroll deduction of which some fall under Section 125 pre-tax eligibility. The City of Wildwood participates in the Florida Retirement System (FRS) and contributions follow current Florida Legislative requirements. Additional benefits include Paid Vacation tenure based; Sick Leave, FMLA, Tuition Reimbursement (degree specific), 9 Paid Holidays + 2 Paid Half Day Holidays. The City of Wildwood is an EEO/AA/V/H/M/F/Drug-Free Workplace.