Salary: $36,796.20 AnnuallyLocation : Hickory, NCJob Type: Full TimeJob Number: 200-01122Department: PS Parks and Public PropertiesOpening Date: 12/20/2024Closing Date: 1/3/2025 11:59 PM EasternSalary Depends on Qualifications: YesDescriptionFor doers and makers seeking a well-rounded community, Hickory is a bridge between Asheville and Charlotte at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains along Interstate 40, where a collective spirit of craftsmanship strengthens any endeavor with detail, artistry and quality.Hickory, North Carolina, is a three-time All-America City on the Catawba River approximately one hour east of Asheville and one hour north of Charlotte. More than 40,000 residents call Hickory their home and Hickory is the hub of a 350,000 metropolitan area. Hickory has outstanding school systems, seven recreation facilities, two libraries, several golf courses, theaters, art museums, and eighteen gorgeous parks. Beautiful Lake Hickory is over 4,000 acres and has many public access areas. Please check out Hickory at or for a web portal all about Hickory and the surrounding areas and what makes Hickory a Well Crafted City.Qualified applicants are considered for positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetics, or the presence of a non-job related medical condition or disability. U.S. Law requires all applicants to furnish proof of identity and right to work in the U.S.All offers of employment are contingent on the successful completion of a post-offer functional prework screen and a drug screen. This examination process is designed to determine if applicants are able to efficiently perform the essential functions of the job without physical harm to themselves, or others. All applicants are subject to a background check.An employee in this position will mow grass, trim shrubbery, clean right-of-ways, and perform work and maintenance in municipal parks, cemeteries and public grounds. Must be able to do strenuous manual labor possibly in inclement weather, possess knowledge of grounds maintenance, plant care maintenance such as flowers, shrubs and grass and be able to do a minimum amount of maintenance on small equipment. The preferred applicant will possess previous experience in grounds maintenance and be able to operate a variety of small motorized equipment such as lawn mowers, weed eaters, chainsaws and tractors. The employee will work out of the Landscape Services Division. Minimum age of 18; must possess a valid Class C driver's license from N.C. and have a high school diploma or GED.Salary Depends on Qualifications Major Duties Trim hedges; removes flowers; picks up debris. Plants trees, shrubs and flowers; waters and fertilizes trees, shrubs, and flowers. Seeds, plants, and fertilizes grass; adds lime as needed. Operates mowers, tractors, front end loader, backhoe, stump grinder, bucket truck, bobcat, dump truck, and street sweeper. Spreads mulch. Mows grass; weed-eats; trims curbs. Performs leaf removal duties in the fall. Assists with sports field maintenance and preparations (dragging, lining, and painting). Assists with snow removal duties. Assists with Parks Maintenance duties. Provides janitorial duties within Public Parks (litter pickup, restroom cleaning and stocking). Prunes trees and removes limbs. Performs minor equipment maintenance. Performs cemetery maintenance duties; straightens grave stones, blows leaves, and packs dirt. Performs irrigation system maintenance; performs system checks, repairs broken lines, and replaces old heads. Performs other related duties as assigned. After-hours work is required as necessary during emergencies, inclement weather, special events and other times as necessary.Knowledge and QualificationsKnowledge of lawn and landscape care and maintenance.Knowledge of city and department policies and procedures.Skill in management and supervision.Ability to read, write and perform basic mathematical calculations at a level commonly associated with the completion of high school or equivalent.Possession of or ability to readily obtain a valid driver's license issued by the State of North Carolina for the type of vehicle or equipment operated.Skill in the operation of lawn mowers, weed-eater, leaf blowers, and other tools.Skill in oral and written communication.Supplemental InformationPHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee in this position to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently/repeatedly required to stand; walk; use hands and exert forces needed to handle various types and sizes of tools, equipment and objects; reach with hands and arms and perform elevated work for periods of time; climb ladders and balance; climb into vehicles and equipment; stoop; kneel; half-kneel; squat; crouch; or crawl; and talk; or hear. The employee is occasionally required to sit. The employee must frequently lift, push, pull and/or move more than 100 pounds. An employee in this position will have successfully passed a Functional Prework Screen administered by a professional and impartial third party specialist.SAFETY SENSITIVE: This position has been identified as safety-sensitive. The employee in this position will be part of a random drug testing pool. The methodology for choosing the random test subjects is handled by an outside, impartial, third party vendor. WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work is typically performed outdoors, occasionally in cold or inclement weather. The employee may be exposed to noise, dust, dirt, machinery with moving parts, and may require the use of protective devices.The City of Hickory provides a generous benefit package, in addition to salary:
- 11 paid holidays
- 12 paid sick leave days per year
- Paid vacation
- City-paid individual health insurance (H.S.A.)
- Low-cost dental and vision insurance
- Employee Assistance Program - 5 FREE visits
- 13.6% contribution per employee to the NC Local Government Retirement System
- Up to 5% matching contribution to 401k
- Free Life insurance of 1.5 times salary up to ($125,000)
- Tuition Assistance Program
- On-site Wellness Clinic
- A selection of voluntary benefits such as additional life insurance, dependent life, Short-term disability insurance, accident, and critical illness insurance; All at very competitive rates.
- Benefits package valued at over ($12,500) annually.
*Employees working in seasonal/part-time positions are not eligible for benefits.*01 Do you have a minimum of a high school diploma or a high school equivalency certificate (such as GED, Task, HiSet etc.)?
02 Do you have a valid North Carolina Driver's License?
- Yes
- No
- No, I have driver's license from another state.
03 Describe your landscape experience. 04 I acknowledge an offer for employment is contingent on the successful completion of a post-offer pre-work screen and drug screen. This examination process is designed to determine if applicants are able to efficiently perform the essential functions of the job without physical harm to themselves or others. The testing will be based on the physical demands of the job. While performing the test, the blood pressure must be within the American Heart Association guidelines of no greater than 159/99 and the heart rate must be within the American College of Sports Medicine guide of 220-age x 90%.
05 I acknowledge this position has been identified as safety-sensitive. The employee in this position will be part of a random drug testing pool. The methodology for choosing the random test subjects is handled by an outside, impartial, third party vendor.
06 Do you have any relatives currently employed by the City of Hickory?Two members of a family (relatives as defined below) shall not be employed if such employment will result in an employee directly or indirectly supervising a member of his/her family, or if one member occupies a position which has influence over the other's employment, promotion, salary administration or other management or personnel consideration. Relative is defined as spouse, parent, child, sibling, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, first cousin, grandchild, grandparent, (including corresponding half, step, in-law, and adopted relationships), or any member of the employee's household. The term also includes domestic partners (a person with whom the employee's life is interdependent and who shares a common residence), and, a daughter or son of an employee's domestic partner.)
Required Question