Natural Areas Crew Member- Gateway (Seasonal Hourly - 6 Months)

POSITION TITLE: Natural Areas Crew Member- Gateway (Seasonal Hourly - 6 Months) (Hourly)

REQUISITION #: req7525

DEPARTMENT: Natural Areas

LOCATION: NIX SITE MAINTENANCE BLDG

BENEFIT CATEGORY: Variable Hourly View Classifications & Benefits

EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Part-Time Hourly

HOURLY RATE: $16.00 - 21.00 per hour (based on relevant experience)

SELECTION PROCESS: Application deadline is 3:00 p.m. MT on 5/4/2024.

The City of Fort Collins is a bias-conscious employer. We ask that you please avoid the use of photos when submitting a resume and/or an application for employment. You will receive an email acknowledgment when you have successfully submitted an application. Your completed application will be forwarded to the hiring manager. You will be notified if you are selected for further testing or interviews. Please keep your contact information up-to-date. The status of your application will be updated in your applicant profile. Post-offer background check and Motor Vehicle Report (MVR) required.

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they can perform every job description task. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may come from a less traditional background. The City may consider an equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education, and experience to meet minimum qualifications. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role.

To learn more about The City of Fort Collins and Our Community, please read Our Community and Our Organization Brochure

SUMMARY: This is approximately a 6-month (mid-April to mid-October) seasonal position that is a full-time (40 hr/week) position with the City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department. Under the supervision of the Sr. Coordinator, the Seasonal Maintenance crew members will primarily work closely with the Natural Areas Rangers and Facility Operations staff, to perform a variety of semi-skilled tasks related to park maintenance including mostly trash and litter cleanup, emptying grills, vault toilet cleaning, turf maintenance, providing visitor information, and visitor use management measures at Gateway and Picnic Rock Natural Areas, which are located approximately 5 miles west of Ted's Place on State Highway 14. The employees will report to Nix Farm and then use a city vehicle to travel to Gateway Natural Area.

The employee may perform a variety of skilled and semi-skilled tasks to maintain the Natural Areas 18 office and shop buildings, 7 residences, one meeting facility, and our 20 plus historic structures, as well as the grounds, tools, supplies and equipment at various facilities. These activities can include but are not limited to: trash and litter removal; vault toilet cleaning; installation of signs; mowing, fertilizing, and aerating; planting and seeding; weed control; installation and repair of irrigation systems; maintaining native plant exhibition gardens; maintaining inventories of tools and supplies, procurement of tools and supplies, minor repairs of tools and facility infrastructure, cleaning the facility and equipment, maintaining the grounds of the facility, and assisting other staff with their duties as needed.

The employee is expected to work up to 40 hours per week from and is paid time-and-a-half for hours worked beyond 40 each week. Hiring for three positions, one employee is expected normally to work Sunday through Wednesday (10-hour workdays), one is expected to work Wednesday through Saturday (10-hour workdays) and one is expected to work Friday through Monday (10-hour workdays), however working holidays is required and as determined by the employee's supervisor.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The following duties and responsibilities are illustrative of the primary functions of this position and are not intended to be all inclusive.

• Remove trash and litter, clean shelters, and grills, and perform restroom maintenance at Gateway Natural Area and Picnic Rock Recreational Area.

• Educate the public through field contacts, handing out brochures, and other communications.

• Traffic control and parking lot management

• Greet visitors, assist with pay station question, and answer annual pass questions to visitors.

• Answer visitors' questions about the natural area and surrounding area.

• Advise visitors of Gateway's and other agencies' rules and regulations.

• Drive a pick-up truck to various locations for errands and to perform maintenance duties.

• Turf management to include mowing at times and other management measures such as fertilizer applications and weed trimming.

• Communicate with the on-duty Ranger and other Natural Area staff using a two-way radio to request assistance or report an incident.

• Prepare and maintain records and reports.

• On occasion, operate, maintain, and perform minor repairs on power tools, vehicles, and equipment such as weed whips and mowers.

• On occasion, install, and repair signs, fences, and other structures.

• On occasion, paint buildings and other park amenities.

• On occasion, repair irrigation systems.

• On occasion, perform hiking trail maintenance.

• On occasion, water and provide other aftercare of turf, trees, and plants.

• Take basic first aid and CPR class and call appropriate people for emergencies.

• Work with integrity and maintain a safe work environment.

• Perform other related work as assigned.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED: Receives general supervision from the Natural Areas Crew Chief.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED: This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

City Competencies

• Demonstrated cultural competence to effectively interact, work, and develop meaningful relationships with people of diverse identities, perspectives, and cultural backgrounds.

• Strong learning orientation. Leverages all resources and is creative in ways of learning for self to continue adapting to changing issues and trends.

• A desire and ability to understand the diverse needs of internal and external customers, and to create experiences and deliver services that exceed their expectations.

• A desire and ability to utilize digital tools for organizational information, individual, and teamwork.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Excellent communication skills.

• Able to work unsupervised.

• Confident and self-motivated.

• Desire for a career in park management, natural resources, and/or park maintenance.

• Ability to use basic hand and power tools.

• Ability to operate and maintain irrigation systems.

• Ability to operate a wide variety of automotive and power equipment used for natural areas restoration and maintenance.

• Ability to perform mathematical calculations.

• Ability to communicate both verbally and in writing.

• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with other employees, outside professionals, and the general public.

• Ability to work a variety of weekday, evenings, weekend, and holiday hours.

• Ability to work additional hours required for special events and emergency situations.

• Ability to successfully complete additional training.

• Ability to guide volunteer groups.

• Ability to use computers and other standard office equipment.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: High School or general education degree (GED); college-level course work in natural resources, turf management, park management, or related field preferred. Six months to one-year related experience in natural areas or turf management or closely related field preferred. College course work and volunteer experience may substitute for work experience. Three months of front deck mowing and irrigation experience highly desirable, but not necessary as training will be provided. Must be at least at least 18 years of age.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.

• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.

• Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or fellow employees.

• Ability to contact visitors violating natural area rules and gain voluntary compliance by educating.

REASONING ABILITY:

• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

Current Colorado Driver's License and be at least 18 years old.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee is frequently required to sit, reach with hands and arms, carry, talk, hear, and traverse uneven surfaces and terrain. The employee is occasionally required to climb, balance, twist, push, and pull. The employee must have manual dexterity to operate tools and motor and manual vehicles. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds.

Work Environment: While performing the duties of the job, the employee is regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts and outside weather conditions, sometimes severe in nature. The employee will be expected to work on natural areas sites inhabited by rattlesnakes and other wildlife. The employee is frequently exposed to fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.

The City of Fort Collins will make reasonable accommodations for access to City services, programs and activities and will make special communication arrangements for persons with disabilities. Please call (970) 221-6535 for assistance.

Notice Regarding Medical and/or Recreational Marijuana Use:

Because the possession and use of marijuana, whether for medical use or otherwise, constitutes a federal offense and because the City is a drug free workplace, the City will not accommodate the medical use of marijuana and enforces written policy prohibiting working for the City while marijuana is in the body. The fact that state law recognizes medical marijuana as a prescribed, or otherwise permitted, medication does not alter or otherwise change this policy.

The City of Fort Collins is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants are considered for positions for which they have applied without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, sex, sexual orientation (including perceived sexual orientation), gender identity and expression, disability, age 40 years or older, pregnancy or related condition, genetic information, and, in certain specific circumstances, marriage to a coworker or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.

POST OFFER BACKGROUND CHECK AND MOTOR VEHICLE REPORT (MVR) REQUIRED.

Note: Some information in your application may be public information under the Colorado Open Records Act.