Field Maintenance Worker I

Role overview

This position involves hands-on work to support the upkeep, repair, construction, landscaping, and general care of city parks and recreation spaces.

Core duties

• Keep public parks and athletic surfaces in good condition, including softball, soccer, and football fields.
• Carry out landscaping, grounds maintenance, irrigation support, and related park upkeep tasks.
• Help prepare for special events, activities, and tournaments by setting up tents, collecting trash, emptying bins, and cleaning and restocking restrooms.
• Use department vehicles, machinery, and tools such as dump trucks, front-end loaders, backhoes, tractors, tillers, bush hogs, mowers, weed eaters, edgers, blowers, jackhammers, chainsaws, saws, axes, shovels, rakes, spray equipment, and mechanic tools.
• Mark athletic fields by dragging surfaces and applying chalk or paint lines before events.
• Move, load, and unload materials and equipment needed for projects.
• Perform routine upkeep to keep tools, machinery, and equipment operating properly.
• Respond to emergency call-outs during hurricanes, severe weather, and other urgent situations.
• Use required safety gear and stay alert to environmental conditions to protect workers and the public.
• Complete forms, reports, time cards, maintenance logs, spray records, correspondence, and other required records.
• Review, process, forward, or retain documents such as work orders, diagrams, maps, manuals, chemical data sheets, and reference materials.
• Coordinate with supervisors, coworkers, other departments, the public, and others to exchange information, track work status, and resolve issues.
• Use telephone and two-way radio communication to share information, relay messages, and direct calls as needed.
• Handle other duties related to the role as assigned.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

• Understanding of basic arithmetic.
• Ability to operate and control equipment, machinery, tools, and materials used in the job.
• Ability to collect, assemble, copy, record, and transcribe information in a structured format.
• Ability to exchange information clearly within established procedures and standards.
• Ability to use reference, descriptive, and advisory information effectively.
• Ability to work with decimals, percentages, fractions, and graphs.
• Ability to follow written, verbal, and diagram-based instructions.
• Ability to make sound decisions in structured work situations with changing tasks and some independent judgment.

Minimum qualifications

A high school diploma or equivalent is required. Candidates should also have at least 1 year of prior experience and/or training in landscaping, groundskeeping, athletic field maintenance, or a similar area, or an equivalent mix of education, training, and experience that provides the needed knowledge and skills.

A valid State of Alabama driver’s license is required.

Additional information

This is moderate physical work and may require exerting up to 50 pounds of force. The role involves regular physical activity such as climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, and crawling, along with lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling moderately heavy materials. Some duties may also require distinguishing colors, sounds, depth, texture, and other visual cues, as well as speaking clearly.

The work is performed outdoors and may expose the employee to dirt, dust, pollen, odors, wet conditions, humidity, rain, fumes, temperature extremes, noise, machinery, vibration, electric currents, traffic hazards, toxic substances, disease, or other harmful agents.