Grounds Laborer

Position Overview

Under the direct supervision of the Facilities and Grounds Manager, maintain campus lawns, athletics fields and trees/shrubs, conduct snow removal, and clear trash and debris. The shift for this position is Sunday-Thursday, 6:30am-3:00pm.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Maintain campus lawns by irrigating, mowing, edging, hand trimming, fertilizing and using weed control methods. Prepare areas for seed or sod, lay sod and sow seed.
• Operate riding mowers, rot-tillers, lawn sweepers, hydraulic sprayers, aerators as needed.
• Operate snow removal equipment to remove snow and ice from walks, drives and parking lots. Use hand tools to remove snow and ice from stairs, walks and ramps.
• Maintain campus trees and shrubs. Operate brush chippers, water tanker with pumps, hydraulic sprayers as needed.
• Plant, maintain, trim, prune hedges and remove litter and other debris which is left on campus.
• Sweep up dirt and debris, clean around trash compactors, and collect trash left on campus.
• Make minor sidewalk and parking lot repairs using hot and cold patch.
• Daily operate dump truck or skid steer vehicle to get to and from assigned areas on campus.
• Maintain athletic fields using appropriate lawn/turf care procedures and equipment.
• Maintain surface drainage.
• Will be required to properly and safely use cleaning chemicals per manufacturer, and applicable Merrimack College standards.
• Follow applicable legal, professional, and departmental safety policies and regulations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• High School graduate or equivalent. 
• Valid driver’s license. 
• Valid hydraulics and hoisting license strongly preferred or willingness to train upon hire.
• Five years landscaping experience or equivalent operating heavy equipment such as trucks, tractors, forklifts. Experience driving manual shift-type equipment.
• Ability to read, write and follow oral and written instructions and schedule.
• Knowledge of and ability to use different hand tools such as shovels, rakes, lawn rollers, saws, pruners, hoses, hand trowels, tamps, hammers, pliers, spading forks and brooms.
• Knowledge of and ability to operate tractors, forklifts, bobcats, hand jacks, brush chippers, rot-tillers, water tanker with pumps, hydraulic sprayers, aerators, lawn sweepers, and dump trucks with plows and salt spreaders.

Application Materials Should Include:

• Resume
• Cover letter stating motivation and interest in the position, citing experience relevant to the qualifications and including experience with, and commitment to, our Catholic Augustinian mission, our values, and our desire to be a more diverse, equitable and inclusive institution of higher learning.

This position is subject to the successful completion of a criminal background check.

Vaccinations and Work Location

This is an on-campus position as employees are essential in order to provide a fully on-campus, residential college experience for our students and the community.

The COVID-19 vaccine and booster for which an individual may be eligible are highly recommended for students, faculty and staff. Merrimack College does not require proof of COVID vaccination for enrollment, employment or to be a guest on our campus. 

Statement on Our Mission

Merrimack College is a Catholic Augustinian institution of higher education committed to building a culturally and racially diverse community. Our mission is to enlighten minds, engage hearts and empower lives and is inspired by our Catholic faith and the Augustinian tradition of seeking truth through inquiry and dialogue.

Merrimack College seeks candidates who understand, respect and can contribute to Merrimack’s Catholic and Augustinian mission and values and advance our work in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion. We strongly encourage applications from members of underrepresented groups. All candidates should describe in their application previous experience related to equity, diversity, and inclusion, as well as how they will engage in fostering a culture that supports our Catholic and Augustinian mission and our values of diversity, equity and inclusion.

About Merrimack College

The only Catholic, Augustinian institution of higher education in New England, Merrimack College is a private, independent, coeducational institution with more than 4,000 undergraduate and 1,400 graduate students from 32 states and 37 countries. The College features more than 100 career-focused undergraduate, professional and graduate programs, all taught by exceptional faculty who are passionate about their subject and student success. The College has five schools: arts and sciences, engineering and computational sciences, nursing and health sciences, the Winston school of education and social policy and the Girard school of business. The College’s suburban 240-acre campus is approximately 25 miles north of Boston in the towns of North Andover and Andover, Massachusetts. Merrimack is a Master’s Colleges and Universities/Larger Programs (M1) institution in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Merrimack is one of the fastest growing educational institutions in the country and has steadily climbed up in the U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of Best Colleges, ranking 33rd in the Regional Universities North category in 2024. Merrimack is a NCAA Division I athletic institution.

Merrimack College is an Equal Opportunity Employer.