Technical Lead - Horticulture Specialist

Status:  Full-time regular position, non-exempt

Pay: $41.43 (Merit BB 2024 Rate)

Benefits: Qualifies for full-time benefits date of hire

Location: Maintenance Building

Hours:  Standard business hours (7am-3:30pm); must respond in emergency situations

Reporting Relationship: Reports to Parks Maintenance Supervisor

Parks & Natural Resources

The Parks and Natural Resources Division is responsible for providing and maintaining the comprehensive park and open space system. Wildlife management, forestry management and maintenance of the park and trail properties are a top priority.

Position Responsibilities

The Technical Lead - Horticulture Specialist performs floral grounds maintenance functions, including: planning, ordering, planting, fertilizing, and spraying of park floral gardens, which would include annual and perennial flower beds. The primary position responsibilities and areas of impact are:

• Performs turf and landscape grounds maintenance functions, including: refuse pickup, seeding, sodding, fertilizing, mowing, tree and shrub trimming, spraying and related tasks consistent with established horticulture and City park maintenance standards. Assist with winter maintenance including snow removal.
• Responsible for designing and planting new landscape sites, as well as updating existing landscape beds. Must stay current with new horticultural trends to ensure long term success of landscape areas.
• Drafts annual or seasonal schedule of work to be completed in specialty area for supervisor approval; takes responsibility for assigning work and related resources/equipment; provides work direction to regular and seasonal staff in technical area; keeps supervisor informed for progress relative to the work plan.
• Trains regular and seasonal staff on technical skills; monitors work of regular and seasonal staff to ensure standards are being met; notifies supervisor of any performance issues.
• Ensures that current policies and procedures are understood and followed; develops written policies and procedures for specialty area for supervisor approval; maintains related records.
• Makes budget recommendations related to specialty area for supervisor approval; monitors budget expenses; obtains and evaluates price quotes for outside services or materials; seeks approval for budget deviations.
• Serves as a direct liaison to customers in specialty area; responds to and resolves customer issues and complaints; may represent the City to outside organizations.
• Maintains an excellent driving record and a Commercial Driver’s License.

While these areas are the primary focus of the position, we believe strongly in teamwork and employees will be called upon to perform a variety of duties as a part of their role with the City.

Position Requirements

Education: Two year technical degree in related field required; Bachelor degree in horticulture or related field preferred; a valid driver’s license with excellent driving record required; Commercial Driver’s License (CDL-Class A) with air brakes and tanker endorsement preferred; must obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL-Class A) with air brakes and tanker endorsement within six months of employment.

Work Experience: Must be a current Level E employee or have a minimum of five years of related field experience.

Physical Requirements: Occasionally exertion of force in excess of 50 and/or up to 100 pounds to move objects or equipment accessories is required.  Must be able to exert 20-50 pounds of force frequently to move objects. 

Working Conditions: Most work is performed in a field environment involving working inside and outside of vehicles.  Seasonal conditions can include excessive heat or cold.  Conditions can include working in wet, muddy, slippery, dusty, icy and windy conditions. At these times there may be intermittent exposure to very disagreeable working conditions.  Some assignments involve exposure to pesticides and fertilizer/chemicals.  Most work is performed off of publicly traveled areas but workers must pay attention to the public using the parks and trail system. There is considerable attention to detail when handling equipment in tight quarters or around people. Occasionally there is exposure to traffic and moving equipment. 

City of Eden Prairie Values

We are a service organization. We take pride in what we do. We cultivate a supportive, encouraging and productive culture with a strong customer focus. We promote wellness and plan work/life balance into our goals. We value differences and foster inclusion. We achieve success by exhibiting our core values: collaboration, innovation, integrity, performance and relationships.

Position Specific Expectations

Accountability: Follows through on commitments; focuses on appropriate tasks throughout the shift; takes responsibilities for actions both as an individual and on behalf of the organization; actions and words are in sync; follows all policies and procedures; maintains confidentiality; is prepared and punctual to all scheduled shifts.

Organization: Ability to coordinate several activities, responsibilities, and tasks simultaneously in a polite and professional manner; prioritizes what needs to get done; keeps things neat and orderly; utilizes tools for efficiency; factors several considerations when planning; establishes methods to ensure routine tasks are completed.

Decision Making: Makes good decisions based upon a mixture of analysis, experience and judgment in a timely manner; determines a course of action after weighing and analyzing different options; seeks out additional information when necessary; presents solutions and suggestions within the appropriate channels.

Process Management: Knows how to separate and combine tasks into efficient work flow; can see opportunities for synergy and integration; can simplify processes and design practices, processes, and procedures which allow managing from a distance.

  City of Eden Prairie Pre-employment Process

The City of Eden Prairie conducts the following pre-employment checks for the Park Maintenance Technician position.

• Professional Reference Checks and work history verification
• Education verification
• Background Check
• Driver’s License Check (must have a valid driver’s license and excellent driving record)
• Pre-employment Physical
• Drug, Alcohol and Cannabis Test
• CDL Process

All final candidates must successfully complete and pass the City’s evaluation of the pre-employment process before their first day of employment.  

City of Eden Prairie Application Timeline

Post Position: January 23rd, 2024

Close Position: February 5^th, 2024, by 12pm (central time)

First Round Interviews: Week of February 5^th, 2024

Second Round Interviews: Week of February 12^th, 2024

Pre-Employment Process: February 2024

Anticipated Start Date: March 2024