Grounds Technician

The City of Clemson provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Under general supervision, performs a variety of semi‑skilled and skilled tasks in the preventative maintenance, repair and improvement of City buildings and grounds, using a variety of machines, tools and equipment. Work may involve supervising a small crew of workers in the maintenance and improvement of City buildings and grounds. Reports to the Urban Forester/Horticulturist.

• Paid Annual and Sick Leave
• 12 paid holidays per year
• Access to FREE acute medical care for employee, spouse and children under the age of 26
• PEBA Retirement
• 401K and 457 Retirement Plan Options
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental and Vision Plans
• Life Insurance
• Medical Flexible Spending Plan

• Assembles tools, equipment, and materials and performs specific work tasks on city‑owned grounds.
• Supervises a small crew of workers in the maintenance and improvement of City grounds.
• Receives written work orders or verbal instructions from supervisor.
• Has general knowledge of plant and tree varieties and their proper maintenance requirements, including the ability to perform proper pruning techniques on trees and shrubs in accordance with ANSI standards.
• Mows and maintains parks, streetscapes, beautification areas, public building grounds and highway right‑of‑ways; cleans and maintains tennis courts, parking lots, playgrounds, sidewalks and boardwalks.
• Carriers out the seeding, fertilizing, top‑dressing, soil conditioning, watering, pest and weed control of parks and open spaces.
• Sprays shrub beds, trees, shrubs, flowers, and lawns using a variety of sprayers and chemicals in accordance with the Department of Pesticide Regulation and maintains application records.
• Installs turf, trees, shrubs, and flowers.
• Installs and maintains benches, picnic tables, signs and other amenities in parks and beautification areas.
• Maintains and adjusts specialized turf‑care equipment and tools including electric motors, pumps, sprinklers, tractors, mowers, and irrigation systems.
• Picks up and disposes of litter, paper, and rubbish from parks, playgrounds, public building grounds, streetscapes, highway right‑of‑ways, sidewalks and beautification areas.
• Constructs decorative flower‑garden borders and retaining walls from wood, bricks and concrete using hand tools.
• Prunes, fertilizes, and sprays trees, shrubs, flowers, and lawns using hand tools and power sprayers.
• Repairs and paints benches and assists in repair of roads, walks, buildings, and mechanical equipment using hand tools.
• Assists Horticulturist with scheduling tasks, plant selection and installation, fertilizer application, irrigation repair and installation, and light equipment repair and upkeep; serves as site manager of the Community Garden, plants and maintains the “Vandals Plot,” tills garden plots as needed, maintains Garden Shed and supplies, and assists with setting up programs and activities for gardeners, communicating with gardeners about issues and monitoring activities to ensure that guidelines are adhered to.
• Operates skid steer, front‑end loader, backhoe, trencher, dump truck, etc., for grading, landscape installation, irrigation, brush cutting/bush hogging right‑of‑ways and detention ponds.

• High school diploma or GED equivalent with two years of experience in building and grounds maintenance and repair work, or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Valid South Carolina driver’s license or the ability to obtain one.
• Pesticide or herbicide applicator’s license desirable.

Applications accepted online yofclemson.org. Applications accepted until 2/25/2026.