Grounds Maintenance Worker

Position Description

The City of Tacoma is seeking highly motivated people devoted to public service to join our team in providing exceptional service to the citizens and rate payers of Tacoma. Grounds Maintenance Workers are primarily responsible for the cultivation and care for lawns, flowers, plants, trees, and ornamental shrubbery.

If the below list of personal traits sounds like you, then you are just the type of person we are looking for to join our team as a Grounds Maintenance Worker.

• Excellent attendance
• Enjoy working both indoors and outdoors, in all types of weather conditions
• Great customer service
• Enjoy working as part of a team
• Enjoys physically demanding and variety of job tasks

Examples of job duties:

• Landscape construction and right of way maintenance
• Operate and maintain a variety of tools, equipment and vehicles
• Properly use and dispose of pesticides
• Graffiti removal within the right of way

Grounds Maintenance Workers may also perform street maintenance duties including but not limited to crack pouring, flagging, pothole patching and related duties. Positions may be located at Tacoma Power, Environmental Services, or Public Works.

This is an open recruitment to establish an eligibility list. The eligibility list will be used to fill vacancies including both temporary and permanent positions. There are currently open vacant positions.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:

• Heavy manual labor may include lifting up to 50 lbs. without assistance and/or over 75 lbs. with assistance, digging, climbing and walking long distances with equipment or tools.
• Outdoor environment; subject to adverse weather conditions.
• Exposed to noise, chemicals and dangers of working in the vicinity of energized objects such as high voltage lines, transformers and generators.
• May be required to operate grounds maintenance equipment over steep and rugged banks, in canyons and in the vicinity of heavily traveled roads.
• May work a variety of shifts including graveyard, swing, weekends and holidays.

Qualifications

An equivalent combination of two (2) years of education, training or experience, which provides the background required to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to perform the essential duties of the classification in the care of plants, flowers, shrubs, trees, lawns, including the care and maintenance of gardening tools, equipment and facilities.

LICENSES, CERTIFICATES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Possess a valid Washington State Driver's License at the time of appointment with maintenance thereafter.
• A valid Washington State Commercial Driver’s License, Class A with Tanker endorsement and air brake restrictions removed, must be obtained prior to the completion of probation with maintenance thereafter (this does not apply to employees in this classification prior to 1/1/2010).
• Required to obtain and maintain a Public Pesticide Operator License before the completion of the probationary period with maintenance thereafter.
• Traffic Control Flagging, CPR and first-aid certificates will be required prior to the completion of the probationary period with maintenance thereafter.

Knowledge & Skills

• Grounds maintenance, gardening and landscaping techniques
• Proper handling and disposal of chemicals as required by the Material Safety and Data Sheets (MSDS) program
• Standard practices, materials, methods and tools utilized in caring for plants, flowers, shrubs, trees and lawns
• Symptoms and methods of control of plant disease and insect pests
• Installation and maintenance of lawn sprinkling systems and other facilities pertinent to grounds maintenance
• Plant species and planting techniques
• Maintain routine records and prepare routine reports
• Operate vehicles and equipment while performing grounds and street maintenance duties
• Calibrate and operate spray equipment safely
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing
• Explain and enforce safety rules and regulations
• Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others
• Meet schedules and timelines

Selection Process & Supplemental Information

Application Process

Interested individual should complete the online application and attach a resume and cover letter by the closing date and time listed on the job announcement. Applications received without attaching the required materials may not progress in the selection process.

Applicants who are eligible for veterans scoring criteria (Veterans Preference) MUST attach a copy of their DD-214 member copy 4 (proof of military discharge form) at time of application to be eligible for review for Veteran's Preference points.

Examination Process

This is a competitive selection process. Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will have their responses to the Supplemental Questions #9-15 reviewed and scored by a committee of subject matter experts, as the Experience and Training Test. It is the responsibility of the applicants to adequately describe all pertinent experience and training. Please make sure you read the questions and provide complete informative answers. DO NOT respond with see resume in lieu of answering these questions; this will result in a failing score.

Applicants who pass the test will be placed on an Eligible List for potential interview and hiring consideration. The Eligible List established for this position will be used to fill vacancies and provide set-ups for one year.

Get Assistance

For assistance with the application process or questions regarding this job announcement please contact the Human Resources office at (253) 591-5400 by 4:00 p.m. of the closing date of the job announcement.

For technical difficulties using the Neogov system, call the applicant support line at 1-855-524-5627 between 6:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. This will allow us to assist you before the job announcement closes.

Communication with the City of Tacoma

We primarily communicate via email during the application process. Emails from Tacoma.gov and/or governmentjobs.com should be placed on your safe domain list to ensure that you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk email folders.

City of Tacoma’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At the City of Tacoma, we're on a mission to make our workforce as diverse and inclusive as the community we serve. We're committed to eliminating racial and other disparities, and we actively seek out candidates from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. Join our team at the City of Tacoma and help us build a more vibrant, inclusive, and equitable community for all.

The City of Tacoma believes that diversity of thought, background, and experience contributes to our success and innovation. If you’re passionate about this role and our mission, we encourage you to apply. If you have a less traditional background, we want to hear about your transferrable skills and experience. We value a variety of perspectives and are excited to see what you bring to the table.

The Community

Tacoma is centrally located just 32 miles south of the city of Seattle and 31 miles north of the state capital, Olympia. The City of Tacoma is also home to the Port of Tacoma, which is among the largest container ports in the United States. Like most cities in the northwest, Tacoma is surrounded by beautiful nature, offering residents many opportunities for outdoor adventures.

Largely suburban in nature with a small, but dense, urban core, Tacoma is home to numerous institutes of higher learning that attract students from across the country. The University of Washington Tacoma, Pacific Lutheran University, University of Puget Sound, a satellite campus of the Evergreen State College, three community/technical colleges, and several trade and business schools are within Tacoma's geographic area. Downtown's Cultural District is the site of the Washington State History Museum, Museum of Glass, the Tacoma Art Museum, and America's Car Museum.

With its affordable housing and distinctive neighborhoods and business districts, the city has been recognized numerous times as a best city to live in the nation. To see a few of the great things Tacoma has to offer, view this YouTube Video!

View this exciting video to learn more about the City of Tacoma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n5MWl8KFvI

Compensation & Benefits

Pay Details:

Hourly Rate: $32.00 - $37.05

Annual Salary: $66,560.00 - $77,064.00

Employee Benefits | City of Tacoma

The City of Tacoma provides excellent medical, dental and vision plans for the whole family; paid holidays and paid leave; participation in the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System (alternate plan for Police/Fire); continuing education and advancement opportunities and a growing variety of City-sponsored health and wellness opportunities and incentives.

Medical Coverage: For eligible employees and their families, including domestic partners and dependent children age26 or younger.

Dental Coverage: For eligible employees and their families, including domestic partners and dependent children age26 or younger.

Vision Coverage: For eligible employees and their eligible dependents.

Paid Leave: City employees are entitled to received paid holidays, sick/vacation leave or personal time off (PTO), depending upon union affiliation and appointment type.

Insurance Plans: Employees are covered by a long-term disability plan. Short-term and expanded long-term disability insurance plans are also available to employees. The State Industrial Insurance Act also covers employees.

Deferred Compensation: Income can be set aside on a pretax basis and invested for supplementation of normal retirement income.

Retirement: All employees of the City, except members of the Police and Fire services, Tacoma Rail and certain project employees, are included in the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System. Information on the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System can be found at www.cityoftacoma.org or by calling (253) 502-8200.

Other Employment Information

Direct Deposit: Employees are paid on a bi-weekly schedule by direct deposit.

Salary Increases: Based on satisfactory job performance, the City provides for a regular progression of salary increases for most classifications according to the salary schedule.

Union Affiliation: Many job classifications are covered by union security provisions which require union membership, dues, or payment of equivalent service fees.

Note: The provisions of this job announcement do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provision contained herein may be modified and/or revoked without notice.

Closing Date/Time: 11/20/2025 4:00 PM Pacific

• 

• City of Tacoma

• 253-591-5400

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