Groundskeeper/Equipment Operator

Job Purpose & Position Overview 

This position is located in the Maintenance Department of the Winnebago Comprehensive Healthcare System Hospital, Winnebago, NE.  This position requires significant manual skill, prior work experience, and heavy physical effort.  The incumbent will perform maintenance duties supporting the campus landscaping & hardscape systems by operating large, complex riding & walk-behind machines, and heavy equipment such as skid loaders, tractors, and excavators/back-hoes.  General duties include the maintenance of the campus grounds and external facility systems, upkeep of asphalt road/parking surfaces, and operation of motorized grounds-keeping and heavy construction equipment. Duties also include preventive maintenance and repair of motorized grounds-keeping and construction equipment, and specifying gardening and grounds maintenance supplies to ensure stocks are maintained.  Other duties include assisting other Maintenance department staff with repairs or preventative maintenance tasks as required. Must be available for call-back duty, alone or to assist, in response to alarms or repairs related to the safe operation of campus facilities. 

Specific Job Duties/Responsibilities: 

Groundskeeper Duties 

• Preventative maintenance of sidewalks, patios, stairs, parking lots, and roads.  This shall be accomplished by the installation and maintenance of parking and directional signs, repairing pot holes, filling asphalt cracks, patching concrete, and cleaning culverts and drainage ditches by removal of blockages and debris. 

• Performs preventative maintenance of exterior facility systems.  This includes but not limited to, trash, debris and weed removal, painting, removing of snow from sidewalks, streets, parking lot, and applying ice melt and/or sand. 

• Setup and take-down barricades and establish traffic control for events or special operations. 

• Fertilizes, aerates, and mows lawn areas, plants seeds and transplants nursery stock in prepared seedbeds, prunes and trims trees and shrubs.   

• Considers the suitability of the weather, the degree of moisture in the soil, and stage of plant growth before deciding when and how work will be accomplished.   

• Calculates quantities of plants, seeds, fertilizers, and other materials needed for specific areas, and starts nursery and cold frame beds, as needed.   

• Selects the proper pre-mixed fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides for the control of common plant diseases, insects, and weeds.   

• Consults gardening books, other Service Units, local nurseries and the County Extension Agent, as required. 

• Operates and maintains the landscaping irrigation system, to include backflow preventer, for proper operation.  Sets master timer, performs spring startup and fall shutdown of system, cleaning or replacement of components (including sprinkler heads, valves, reducers, and main piping, etc.) and weekly inspection to insure performance.  

• Inspects the exterior daily by visual inspection of the facility’s systems, including but not limited to the walls and penetrations for damage, grass, trees, and shrubs for healthy appearance, weeds in hardscape cracks and expansion joints, and over watering by irrigation system.  Submits inspection results to the Maintenance Supervisor for follow-up action on deficiencies.  

Equipment Operation Duties 

• Operate, maintains, and repairs equipment powered by internal combustion; includes medium to heavy-duty construction equipment, skid loaders, backhoes, brushes, excavators, and trucks/plows.  

• Changes out attachments and implements for tractors and powered industrial equipment.  

• Loads and unloads heavy loads using fork attachments on skid loader. 

• Conducts preventive maintenance and repair of equipment, in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations.   

• Ability to follow operation and maintenance manuals, simple drawings, and preventive maintenance and repair work orders.   

• Replaces worn out or broken parts, and then cleans, lubricates, and ensures preservation of equipment. 

• Ensures readiness of equipment bench stock, replacement parts, and petroleum, oil, and lubricant (POL) supplies.  

•  Monitors diesel and gasoline fuel supplies.   

• Submits supply requests to Maintenance Supervisor for parts, POL, and fuel, as necessary.  

• Responsible for organization and cleanliness of Facility 00N15 (“Old Shop”).   

• Ensures bench stock, supplies, and equipment are stored in a manner that is safe, orderly, and quickly and easily assessable by Maintenance staff.   

• Inspects stored items and annually and disposes of unnecessary, damaged, or expired items thru the proper channels. 

Maintenance Duties 

• Performs preventative maintenance on various plumbing systems, as required.  This includes but not limited to, clearing stoppages, repairing/replacing pipes, valves, and fixtures, and cleaning system components.  

• Performs preventative maintenance of interior facility systems, as required.  This includes but not limited to assisting maintenance workers, moving or assembling furniture, room inspections, and cleaning system components.  

• Other duties as assigned. 

Qualifications/Skills: 

• High school diploma or equivalent.  

• Must demonstrate manual skill to lift and move heavy objects.    

• Three (3) years’ experience in general maintenance trades preferred. 

• Prefer experience in safely operating large, complex mobile equipment and similar types of specialized equipment such as tractors, skid loaders, snow plows, excavators, man-lifts, chainsaws, vacuums, and pressure washers, etc.   

• Equipment is typically operated in areas that require constant attention to working space and environment.    

• Must have ability to use hand and power tools.    

• Must be able to read, write, and understand in order to follow written and verbal instructions and interpret simple drawings.  

• Must have valid driver’s license and be insurable under the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska’s current policy.  

Responsibilities: 

• Works under the supervision of a work leader or supervisor.   

• Receives general oral and written instructions identifying an area of responsibility and is directed as to the nature of the work to be done.   

• Incumbent is expected to perform routine tasks independently in accordance with general policy, past practice, or simple drawings or specifications.   

• Special projects are accomplished with periodic review by the supervisor.   

• Incumbent is responsible for selecting the most appropriate types of equipment to accomplish assignments in the most productive and cost effective manner. 

• Incumbent must perform duties in the safest possible manner to avoid creation of hazardous situations that may result in personal injuries or property damage.  

• Must demonstrate safe and efficient operating techniques in the operation of specialized equipment; equipment is operated in areas that require constant attention to working space and environment.   

• Must regularly exercise judgment to accomplish work using equipment.   

• Incumbent is responsible for checking and performing simple maintenance on the equipment operated such as cleaning, changing bags, belts, filters, and adjusting settings.  

• Completes minor repairs but complex repairs shall be reported to the supervisor.   

• Work is reviewed by supervisor upon completion for overall accomplishment, quality, care of equipment, and fulfillment of project requirements. 

• Maintaining an organized scheduling and tracking system, usually on a computer, to effectively complete all maintenance requests in a timely manner and in the order by which they were received or by level of urgency. 

Physical Requirements: 

• Incumbent regularly exerts very heavy physical effort in operating large, riding mowers on grades and in areas with bushes, trees, and other visible obstacles that require significant maneuvering and lever control and doing such tasks as frequently lifts and moves equipment and components weighing over 50 pounds; and frequently pushes heavy furniture on pallet jacks, dollies, loaded carts, and skids. 

• Employee is frequently exposed to weather and temperature extremes, drafts, noise, dust and dirt.  Employee works both inside and outside.  When working outside, employee is exposed to weather conditions.  Inside work is performed in quarter units, field clinics, or the hospital areas which are lighted, heated, and ventilated.   

• The equipment, tools, and tasks involved at this level frequently require extreme care and use of safety gloves, ear plugs, safety glasses, or respirators to avoid sever injuries.   

• Employee shall follow safety procedures and use standard safety equipment such as gloves, ear protectors, safety glasses and steel-toe shoes. 

Training Requirements: 

• The incumbent is required to attend yearly safety training, and follow and uphold all hospital policies and procedures.  

• Knowledge and understanding of HIPAA. 

• Completion of facility required Health Stream training within the required deadlines.   

WCHS is an equal opportunity employer. Employment practices are free of discrimination. As provided by Federal Law, all qualified Native American applicants shall receive preference over Non-Native American applicants. In the absence of qualified Native American applicants, consideration will be given to all other applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, veteran status, genetic information, disability or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits. 

Please note the position description duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.