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Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

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At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career. 

Job Description Summary

The Landscape Technologist is responsible for the maintenance of all hard/soft outdoor surfaces for the Athletics and Recreation department at the University of British Columbia Point Grey Campus. The Landscape Technologist performs Sports Field maintenance tasks, horticultural tasks as well as skilled soft/hard landscape practices such as design, construction, pruning, nursery work, propagation, pesticide and chemical application, asphalt and concrete repair.

Organizational Status

Athletics & Recreation (A&R) is a department within the VP Students portfolio, with a strong focus on creating an exceptional UBC student experience. The A&R Department has a team of approximately 125 employees, and is led by a strong cross-unit management team. It services over 60,000 students through recreational programming, 26 varsity teams, 13 competitive club teams, along with thousands of members of the UBC community.

This role will support the Athletics Head Groundskeeper in maintaining the Thunderbird Park and Stadium fields.

Work Performed
 

·Performs routine maintenance in all types of horticultural situations or in a specific field of expertise, such as irrigation, playing field maintenance, landscape construction, tree maintenance.

·Performs most or all specialized grounds keeping tasks, such as, design, soft/hard landscape construction on a small or large scale, pruning of trees and shrubs, propagation of plant material, pesticide and chemical applications, turf installations, asphalt and concrete paver installation and maintenance, and the maintenance of accession records and inventories.

·Performs repair and maintenance on a variety of synthetic turf surfaces.

·Assigns work to labourers, apprentices, and supervises the quality of their work.

·Participates in the training of apprentices and labourers.

·Evaluates planting beds, trees, lawns, specialty plantings and soil conditions to determine plant health, soil fertility and the general condition of the campus landscape; reports findings to supervisory staff and makes a joint determination of the correct course of action for proper care; initiates input into the plant accession system to endure the correct identification and labeling of plants in the gardens' plant collections.

·Operates standard power equipment, such as walk behind mowers, line trimmers, blowers, hedge trimmers, and lawn-edgers to perform soft/hard landscape activities; carries out routine minor maintenance on small equipment and reports faulty equipment to the appropriate staff.

·May be required to drive a truck and use specialty equipment, such as large chain saws, power-spraying equipment, riding mowers, tractors, bobcat, high lift, tree climbing equipment, asphalt roller and other equipment needed for specialized tasks.

·May design, install and maintain landscape drainage, sprinkling and irrigation systems excluding piping from the main water line to the backflow prevention device.

·Acquires materials and equipment as required for the job in coordination with the Head Groundsperson.

·Keeps written records of fertilizer and pesticide use as necessary for documentation for the government, department and the University and for future reference.

·Communicates to the clients about work intentions and considers client needs in order to establish a good working environment and to provide knowledge wherever possible.

·Works in a correct and safe manner and follows established policies and procedures.

·Acts upon trouble calls as directed by supervisory staff.

·Carries out any other related duties as required in keeping with the qualifications and requirements of positions in this classification.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

Determines the sequence of work, safe work methods and equipment to be employed and how best to complete the work based on technical knowledge of the work and related departmental guidelines and policies; inappropriate decisions may result in minor service delays and/or costs.

Supervision Received

Reports to the Manager, Facilities - South Campus. Works under general supervision from the Head Groundskeeper and from written or oral instructions, blue prints, drawings and work orders.

Supervision Given

Assigns and monitors the work of labourers as the need arises.

Minimum Qualifications
 

· Valid BC trade certification to a journeyperson level as a Landscape Technologist and/or Red Seal, or a Diploma in Turf Maintenance, Management or Sports Field Maintenance and Management. 

· Valid BC Pesticide Applicator Certificate 

· Valid Class 5 Driver's License with a satisfactory driving record

· Minimum of 5 years related experience

· Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

· Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications
 

· Must be flexible in their work and demonstrate an ability to adapt to new departmental processes and procedures.

· Ability to communicate in a clear, attentive, and polite manner.

· Ability to make thoughtful, informed, and thorough decisions.

· Excellent customer service skills with the ability to effectively resolve client complaints in a calm, non-confrontational manner, and by exercising sound judgment.

· Ability to work in a team environment and develop and maintain cooperative and productive working relationships with supervisors and peers.

· Supervisory experience an asset with the ability to train and motivate employees.

· Able to lift or move heavy objects of approximately 50lbs.

· Ability to independently plan work, complete assigned work and meet requirements without ongoing direction.

· Ability to work under pressure and prioritize to meet deadlines.