About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Summary

Provides the care and maintenance of lawns, trees, shrubs, flowerbeds, walks, roadways, and parking lots.

Essential Functions

• Practices and promotes excellent customer service in the workplace. Meets routinely with customers and Customer Service Representatives to determine their needs. Implements new approaches to promote and assure quality improvements and exhibits a clear commitment to the diverse needs of customers.
• Operates multi-purpose vehicles with large, complex attachments, including edgers, sod cutters, riding mowers, tractor-mounted flails/brush hogs, hydraulic tree spades, tractor-mounted spreaders/sprayers, and high-speed chipper grinders.
• Switches and installs attachments such as mowers, plow blades, forks, leaf catcher buckets, and vacuum cleaners to tractors, trucks, and other multi-purpose vehicles in order to equip vehicles for grass cutting, roadway cleaning, snow removal, and other grounds operations.
• Organizes tasks and disseminates work assignments for various grounds operations.
• Implements horticultural and landscape designs for special events and campus plant displays.
• Identifies repair and replacement needs by observing and evaluating equipment, sprinkler systems, parking areas, fields, and various grounds and landscape areas.
• Ensures that adequate materials are available to complete assignments in a timely manner by requesting materials, supplies, and equipment.
• Attends meetings and trainings in order to receive and/or convey information.
• Identifies and troubleshoots problems related to plants, shrubs, turf, and trees.
• Trims, prunes, cuts, and/or plants flowers, bushes, and trees as part of grounds keeping activities.
• Seeds, waters, weeds, and/or fertilizes lawns, flowerbeds, shrubs, etc.
• Sprays lawns, flowerbeds, and shrubs with fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides.
• Assists in designing floral beds and planning plant placement for grounds beautification.
• Cuts lawns using hand mower or power mower. Uses string trimmers and edgers for lawn maintenance.
• Performs related duties such as emptying rubbish barrels; sweeping walks; picking up litter; cleaning ditches, drains and catch basins on grounds or roadways; shoveling snow; and raking leaves.
• Operates lawn and grounds equipment such as power saws, power brooms, backpack blowers, and bucket loaders and other similar power equipment for landscape maintenance.
• Operates light trucks to transport tools and equipment and to travel to the worksite; uses light to moderate heavy equipment to move soil, dig holes, relocate trees, and re-sod lawns for landscape maintenance.
• Performs snow removal operations by operating light trucks, snow blowers, power shovels, shovels, etc.
• Assists in the backfilling and grading of various materials on slopes and level grades, paying attention to detail and working in a neat and orderly manner.
• Operates small bucket truck or person lift to hang banners from roadway or sidewalk light poles.
• Supports campus events (Commencement, Founder’s Day, Move-In) and approved student activities as needed.
• Uses hand tools for raking, pruning, and weeding.
• Ensures tools are maintained and stored properly.
• Uses power washer in the removal of graffiti from sidewalks and other landscape elements.
• May be required to assist pest control section.
• Ensures safe work area and uses safe work practices.
• Adjusts, cleans, and performs minor mechanical work on landscape equipment.
• Performs job duties in an environmentally compliant and reasonable manner reflective of Physical Plant policies, procedures, and goals relative to environmental compliance and stewardship.
• Provides functional supervision to employees of an equal or lesser grade.

Other Functions

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Massachusetts Class 2B Hoisting License.
• Minimum Class D Driver’s License.
• Must possess at least one year of work experience in landscape maintenance.
• Must possess at least one year of full-time or equivalent part-time experience in operating multi-purpose vehicles with large, complex attachments and/or in organizing tasks and implementing designs for horticultural and other grounds projects.
• Ability to functionally supervise other employees.
• Ability to work effectively in the identification, planting, care, maintenance, and trimming of plant materials, including annuals, perennials, vines, shrubs, and trees.
• Ability to transplant plant material.
• Ability to perform complex landscape operations.
• Working knowledge of types and uses of common hand tools.
• Ability to perform manual labor of a semi-skilled nature.
• Ability to use and make minor repairs to small tools and simple mechanical equipment.
• Ability to operate tools used in landscape maintenance, including chain saws, string trimmers, etc.
• Ability to operate light dump trucks and related equipment.
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to perform manual labor for extended periods and under varying climatic conditions.
• Ability to operate landscaping equipment.
• Ability to dig, climb ladders, and perform repeated heavy lifting.

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Massachusetts Pesticide Applicator’s License.
• CDL Class B with Air Brake Endorsement.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

Ability to dig, climb ladders, and perform repeated heavy lifting. Ability to perform manual labor for extended periods and under varying climatic conditions.

Additional Details

• Requires the ability to balance, carry, push, pull, stand, bend, drive, reach, sit, twist, lift and perform repetitive movements.
• This position is essential. This includes the obligation to work overtime, to return to work between scheduled shifts when directed, and to report to work during any delays, early departures, and closures.  Incumbent is responsible for updating the service desk with current phone number. 

Work Schedule

40 hours per week. Tuesday-Saturday;7am-3pm 

Salary Information

AFSCME Non-Exempt Grade 12.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Please complete the application in full and provide a résumé and cover letter. Three professional references will be required.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University.  To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans.  It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.