Seasonal Grounds Maintenance Laborer

Overview

The City of Tacoma, Public Works department is seeking highly motivated people devoted to public service to join our team in providing exceptional service to the citizens and ratepayers of Tacoma. Seasonal Ground Maintenance Laborers are hired on a temporary basis (normally employed for a period of one hundred twenty (120) calendar days or less) to perform heavy manual labor and can work with different Departments at the City of Tacoma and Tacoma Public Utilities.

This is a great opportunity to join the City of Tacoma and acquire valuable work skills and gain relevant municipal experience. This is also a very good job for those seeking short-term employment. There are currently two openings for 6-month temporary positions in Public Works.

• Sweeps streets, gutters and alleys, loads dirt from streets into a truck; removes snow from sidewalks and stairs, and spreads sand or salt on icy streets
• Performs Grounds Maintenance duties in parks, public rights of ways, business districts, and trails and city facilities
• Cut grass and remove weeds on parking strips; rakes and loads grass and brush; mows lawns and cleans grounds; cuts trees and brush along rights-of-way; plants, waters and assists in care of shrubs, flowers and grass
• Performs manual tree watering from tanker truck
• Removes graffiti, litter and debris from right of way
• Digs ditches, trenches, and post holes and loads dirt and construction materials
• Pours concrete and fills pavement cracks with asphalt and shovels asphalt paving mix in repairs of streets
• Uses a pressure washer
• Uses manual and power tools
• Performs traffic control for job sites
• Performs light to medium manual labor and related duties as assigned

• Outdoor and indoor environment; subject to noise and fumes from equipment operation and adverse weather conditions.
• Position requires heavy lifting, climbing, hoisting and pulling
• Some positions may require working weekends, holidays and flexible hours

Some experience in performing heavy manual work; completion of the eighth grade; or any equivalent combination of experience and training.

Some experience providing customer service preferred

• Valid Washington State Driver License required at time of appointment and maintenance thereafter
• Appointment is subject to passing a background check, pre-employment medical exam and drug screen

• Knowledge of: Applicable occupational hazards and safety precautions

• Skills: Ability to understand and follow specific oral instructions
• Ability to perform heavy manual labor for extended periods, often under adverse climate conditions
• Maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others
• Operate motor vehicles in a safe manner
• Perform heavy manual labor
• Excellent customer service skills

At the City of Tacoma, we're on a mission to make our workforce as diverse and inclusive as the community we serve. 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.

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.

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  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.

View this exciting video to learn more about the City of Tacoma:

Interested individuals should apply online by completing the application and attaching 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.

This is a competitive selection process. Applicants will be required to respond to…