The City of Johnson City, Tennessee is accepting online applications for a Public Service Worker in the Parks & Recreation department. This position is responsible for the mowing crew. The employee performs responsible infrequent skilled and semiskilled or unskilled manual work tasks requiring no special training and minimal experience; does related work as required. This is manual labor in the performance of infrequent skilled and limited semiskilled or unskilled tasks of a physically demanding nature. The work involves performing heavy manual labor which does not require a high degree of manipulative skill or previous experience in order to do an effective job. This position is required to be monitored, trained in task requirements and scheduling of these personnel is to be oversight by a supervisor. As work experience is gained, employees in this class may be assigned to somewhat more difficult and responsible tasks. Employees in this class work with and around and may operate various pieces of light automotive and mechanical equipment during a minor portion of their time while monitored. The work normally is performed under close supervision; however, constant supervision is not always for routine and repetitive tasks which can be carried on without difficulty once they are learned. Position is responsible for the maintenance of indoor and outdoor facilities, open green space, outdoor areas, and athletic fields and mowing and landscaping.

Essential Functions of Position:

• building and park maintenance: buildings, pavilions, structures, offices, bathrooms, hallways, shops, grounds, shoreline, docks and garbage collection;
• programs and rentals: assist with set-up and clean up of programs, events and special events, as required;
• general horticulture practices: weeding, weed-eating mowing grass, pruning, fertilization/other chemical applications, trimming, edging and snow removal;
• sweeps streets, sidewalks, shops and alleys, and picks up refuse and brush on streets;
• loads dirt and construction materials from or onto a truck;
• performs various street maintenance duties such as cleaning gutters, spreading rock, sand and salt, and shoveling snow;
• digs and backfill ditches by hand;
• assists in the installation of water services, mains and hydrants, and in the repair of water mains;
• paint meters, valves and pipe fittings;
• digs and backfill trenches, and assists in laying pipe;
• unstops sewers by using rods, buckets, specialized sewer cleaning and flushing equipment, or by hand;
• as a member of the construction and maintenance crew, does such jobs as breaking pavement, pouring and shoveling asphalt and concrete, raking, tamping and smoothing asphalt, and operating a manual and automatic compactor;
• works as a member of a crew operating maintenance equipment and power mowers;
• does simple repair work on buildings and facilities;
• cleans grounds, playing fields, ponds, pools, paths, playground equipment, walks, and park facilities;
• maintains play fields and maintains by wetting down, laying out and lining playing areas;
• waters, fertilizes, cultivates and trims lawns, shrubs, flowers and trees;
• assists skilled staff in maintenance and repair of buildings, grounds and equipment;
• loads and unloads stone, gravel, asphalt, dirt, timber, leaves, sweepings, salt, sand and other materials;
• loads garbage;
• replaces cans and lids in proper places;
• assists with repairing and maintaining garbage and recycling totes;
• washes and maintains service trucks and vehicles;
• feeds brush into chipper machine;
• cuts brush and hedges in alleys;
• rakes and collects leaves with leaf machine;
• thaws frozen water lines and meters;
• mows and trims golf course and changes cups;
• rakes sand traps;
• manicures greens;
• sprays garbage cans, dumpster and standing water for mosquitoes and flies;
• prepares and places bait for rodents;
• erects fences;
• assists on television unit inspecting and sealing sewer lines;
• paints guard rails, street lines and curbs; positions traffic cones and barricades;
• assists in erecting street signs and meter posts;
• fills and positions traffic safety lanterns; washes off old paint from sign plates, straightens and refinishes sign plates, paints sign posts;
• assists in equipment maintenance and repair;
• assists in servicing emergency calls such as removing snow from streets, repairing broken water mains and sewer lines, and in similar situations;
• proficient in operation of all golf course maintenance equipment;
• proficient in adjustment and required daily maintenance of all golf course equipment;
• knowledgeable of irrigation repairs on turf areas;
• proficient in pesticide and chemical applications to turf (as supervised by a licensed applicator);
• performs related tasks as required.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Some knowledge of the types and uses of common hand tools and standard equipment used in construction and maintenance work particularly as applied to specialized work to which assigned; general mechanical ability and ability to perform unskilled or semiskilled tasks in construction and maintenance activities; ability to understand and follow specific oral and written instructions; physical strength and agility sufficient to do strenuous manual labor for extended periods, under varying weather conditions.

Acceptable Experience and Training: Completion of high school or GED and some experience in performing general manual work; or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. Possession of a valid motor vehicle operator's license issued by the State of Tennessee. Pre-employment physical, drug screening and background check required.

EEO/AA