Human Resources

Allegheny College, a selective national liberal arts college, invites applications for the position of General Grounds Technician/Landscaper.  The position is a full-time non-exempt position reporting to the Technology and Grounds Supervisor. The Physical Plant Department is responsible for the operations and maintenance, renovations, and construction of all buildings, grounds, and utilities of the College. These services are provided to develop and maintain a functional, attractive, healthy, and safe educational environment for the campus community conducive to learning and to support the College’s mission and tradition of excellence. The Department has dedicated, professional staff trained in every principle trade required to provide these services and/or to oversee contracted services that the Department does not directly provide.  Salary range begins at 30,160 annually.

The General Grounds Technician / Landscaper is required to perform grounds, trucking, composting, set ups, moving, snow and ice removal operations, and related tasks supporting the landscaping master plan for Allegheny College’s 74 facilities and 565 acre campuses.

Responsibilities:

• Performs composting, set-ups, moving and delivery tasks, snow and ice removal operations, and routine care and maintenance on all grounds, cultivated areas, and trees.
• Collects, delivers, and cleans compost bins and conducts composting operations to include equipment operation and coordination.
• Performs set-ups to support campus activities to include athletic, admission, conference and event and student life activities.
• Provides moving, delivery, and logistical support for campus needs of college owned assets.
• Performs mowing, aerating, rolling, trimming, pruning, weeding, mulching, seeding, planting and, as necessary, herbicide and pesticide applications. Manages fertilization, irrigation, identification and treatment of improved areas.
• Erects and relocates athletic equipment, fences, posts, traffic, parking, and directory signs. Paint traffic and athletic field lines.
• Operates machinery and tools that are required to perform duties (i.e. Skid steer, Mini-Excavator, Tractors, Plow Truck, Trimmers, Chainsaws, etc.).
• Assists pavement installation and repairs; mix, pour, and finish concrete for patchwork and minor masonry repairs to curbs, walks, catch basins, etc.; lay asphalt material for patching roadways, walks, parking areas, etc.
• Performs vehicle and equipment checks; adjust, clean, oil, grease, inspect tire pressure, water, and anti-freeze levels; assist maintenance mechanic as directed. Remove brush, leaves, grass clippings, paper, spoil, and rubbish from walks, roads, curbs, parking lots, lawns, and other college property.
• Remove paint and other materials defacing college property.
• Remove snow and ice from walks, roads, and parking lots; apply anti-skid materials.
• Provides responsible and reliable coverage; shift work and overtime/weekend work will be required and must occasionally be available for off-hour emergencies

Minimum Qualifications include:

• High School Diploma with minimum of one to three years of experience tree, shrub, or turf management.
• Possess basic carpentry, painting, plumbing, electrical, masonry and equipment operating skills.
• Ability to work from ladders.
• Must have proven skills in the safe use of hand and power tools used in buildings and grounds maintenance.
• Ability to operate snow removal and other powered and non-powered grounds equipment.
• Accurately and effectively, read and follow plans, layouts, schematics and written materials
• Excellent organizational, customer service and time management skills are a must.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven ability to analyze, plan and execute multiple projects and meet deadlines is critical.
• Ability to apply budgetary and fiscal planning techniques within financial constraints.

Preferred Qualifications include:

• Associate’s degree from an accredited institution or four to seven years of experience in Golf Course Management, Arboriculture, Horticulture, Forestry, Botany, Turf Grass Management, or Groundskeeping.
• Familiarity with the construction industry, including and understanding of construction contract administration, terminology and processes preferred.
• Proficiency in Google and MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint), Adobe Acrobat, Building Automation software, Fire Alarm Systems, database structures, Internet and web-based applications.
• Ability to interact well with all levels of the college and external parties.
• General knowledge of PA Procurement Code, Federal, State, and Local Building Codes.
• Ability to organize work effectively, conceptualize and prioritize objectives and exercise independent judgment based on an understanding of organizational policies and activities
• Ability to integrate resources, policies, and information for the determination of procedures, solutions and other outcomes

Please submit a resume and provide contact information for three references to the Office of Human Resources, Allegheny College, 520 N. Main Street, Meadville, PA  16335 or by e-mail to employment@allegheny.edu.  Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. An offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check.

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Allegheny students and employees are committed to creating an inclusive, respectful and safe residential learning community that will actively confront and challenge racism, sexism, heterosexism, religious bigotry, and other forms of harassment and discrimination. We encourage individual growth by promoting a free exchange of ideas in a setting that values diversity, trust and equality. So that the right of all to participate in a shared learning experience is upheld, Allegheny affirms its commitment to the principles of freedom of speech and inquiry, while at the same time fostering responsibility and accountability in the exercise of these freedoms. This statement does not replace existing personnel policies and codes of conduct.

As one of the nation’s oldest liberal arts colleges, Allegheny College celebrated its bicentennial in 2015. A selective residential college in Meadville, Pennsylvania, north of Pittsburgh near Lake Erie, Allegheny is one of 40 colleges featured in Loren Pope’s “Colleges That Change Lives.” Allegheny also is one of the few colleges in the country that requires students to choose both a major and a minor, helping to cultivate intellectual growth and the creative, big-picture thinking desired by employers and graduate schools. In its 2020 rankings, U.S. News & World Report recognized Allegheny in the top 20 among all national liberal arts colleges for best undergraduate teaching.

The Chronicle of Higher Education ranks Allegheny as one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, specifically in the areas of compensation and benefits.  Allegheny has a total undergraduate enrollment of approximately 1,800 with students from 47 states (plus AE, DC, PR, and VI) and 70 countries. The College’s picturesque location is ideal for outdoor recreation, with eight freshwater lakes, ski areas and recreational opportunities all within easy reach.

Allegheny College is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity. Women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and members of other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Allegheny does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, or national origin.

Visit the Allegheny College Web Site at www.allegheny.edu

posted 11/02/2023