Gardener

Gardener

The Gardener is responsible for creating, improving, and maintaining landscape beds on campus. Reporting to the Maintenance Supervisor, this individual will be passionate about landscaping and have an artistic eye when it comes to bed design, while taking ownership of all aspects of decorative landscaping including soil management, chemical applications, and pest control.

Essential Functions

• Plants, fertilizes, weeds, prunes, repots, waters, and mulches plants, shrubs, and trees in the campus landscape beds using hand and gardening tools.
• Inspects plants to assess quality and health and to identify signs of disease or pests.
• Ensures plants are healthy and properly cared for.
• Operates a variety of maintenance equipment such as shovels, rakes, or saws to complete assignments.
• Operates power equipment and other vehicles such as tractors, mowers, chainsaws, electric clippers, or other similar machines.
• Ensures proper hydration of lawns, trees, and plants using sprinkler systems, hoses, watering cans, or irrigation systems.
• Trims trees and vegetation and maintains flower beds.
• Delivers and spreads topsoil and/or straw over newly seeded areas.
• Prepares chemicals as needed for application by mixing according to directions.
• Applies fertilizers, herbicides, or insecticides onto grass, shrubs or trees by spraying or spreading.
• Maintains clean work areas, grounds, and landscaping.
• Performs other related duties as assigned, including providing assistance during large projects, event set-ups, major moves, etc.

Other Functions

• This position will be capable of self-direction and must be able to effectively oversee up to two staff members when additional help is required.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

Required

• Previous experience in gardening, landscaping, or a related field.
• Knowledge of various plants, trees, shrubs, and flowers suitable for the local climate.
• Proficiency in planting, pruning, and maintaining a wide range of plants, ideally those commonly used in the east TN, N. GA, W. NC areas.
• Understanding of soil types, fertilization, weed & pest control, and irrigation.
• Understanding of seasonal planting and being able to produce and adhere to a bed maintenance schedule.
• Thorough knowledge of chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers, etc. and the knowledge of how to safely mix and apply them.
• Familiarity with gardening tools and equipment which include common hand tools and ideally, would extend to power edgers & trims, chain saws, zero turn mowers, walk-behind mowers, etc.

Position Type / Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time non-exempt position with working hours Monday through Friday. Some overtime, holiday, or weekends may be required.

Travel

No travel required for this position

Supervisory Responsibilities

No supervisory responsibilities are required for this position

Work Environment / Physical Demands

This job operates in an outdoor environment that will require working in both hot and cold weather. Must be able to work in hazardous conditions while maintaining safety standards. Must be willing to work outdoors in adverse weather conditions, industrial settings, and constructions sites.

• Essential functions of this position require: manual dexterity, large motor skills, ability to communicate, lifting, kneeling, squatting, standing, walking, climbing (including but not limited to ladders), crawling, stooping, turning/twisting, balancing, reaching with varying frequencies.
• Heavy work: Occasional lifting and carrying objects up to 75 pounds, Frequent lifting and carrying, pushing, or pulling objects weighing up to 50 pounds; and/or continuous lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling 10-20 pounds.
• Mental Application: Utilizes memory for details, verbal instructions, critical thinking, adaptability, and creative problem-solving skills are important.
• The employee is regularly required to talk or listen effectively.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

EEO Statement

TKC Management Services provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics.