Closing Date:  Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Required Test:  Friday, September 13, 2013; 2:30 - 4:30 pm; rooms 3103 and 3104

POSITIONS AVAILABLE:  Two regular positions:

1) 40 hours per week, 12 months per year; work schedule normally Tuesday through Friday, 5:30 am to 4:00 pm; based primarily on the Oceanside Campus.

2) 32 hours per week, 12 months per year; work schedule normally Monday through Thursday, 6:00 am to 2:30 pm; based primarily at the Community Learning Center on Mission Avenue in Oceanside, and scheduled at the Oceanside and San Elijo Campuses as needed.

The persons selected for these positions will be subject to assignment to any district or authorized facility during any hours of operation.

SALARY & BENEFITS:  

For 40 hour/week position, salary starting at $3,974.25 per month; for 32 hour/week position, starting at $3,179.40 per month. Sick leave, vacation, and holiday pay.  Full benefit package which includes employee and dependent medical, dental and vision plans; $100,000 life insurance; income protection insurance; and membership in the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS).

BASIC FUNCTION:  

Under the direction of the Grounds Supervisor or the Lead Groundskeeper, perform a variety of gardening and grounds maintenance duties; provide safe and appropriate environs, facilities and outdoor classrooms for the use and enjoyment of students, faculty, staff and visitors; plan, design, install, and maintain landscapes; apply pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals to vegetation; operate a wide variety of power equipment and machinery.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES:

(E = essential job function) 

1) Irrigate, trim, edge, aerate, mow, fertilize and renovate lawns and turfed areas; irrigate, feed, spray and cultivate around trees, shrubs and hedges; trim and prune trees, shrubs and hedges. (E)

2) Plant new lawns, trees, shrubs, hedges and flowers; evaluate soil and other relevant conditions and assist in selection of vegetation types. (E)

3) Coordinate with the Lead Groundskeeper and diagnose disease and pest conditions; spray landscaped areas with toxic herbicides, pesticides, fungicides and rodenticides; prepare chemical mixtures in proper proportions; locate, trap and bait rodents; maintain accurate pesticide use records; all according to federal, state and county regulations. (E)

4) Provide other regular maintenance to grounds such as weeding, raking and maintaining assigned areas in a clean, safe and orderly condition; assist with refuse abatement. (E)

5) Maintain outside athletic fields and equipment such as baseball and soccer fields and tennis courts; prepare, line, mark and drag areas for athletic events; install athletic equipment as directed. (E)

6) Construct, repair, resurface and maintain concrete and asphalt walkways, curbs, and ramps; mix and pour concrete; and assist in the planning, preparation and maintenance of overflow parking areas. (E)

7) Provide a variety of general maintenance to campus grounds; blow, sweep and wash sidewalks, roadways, parking lots, tennis courts, and other hardscapes to maintain them in a clean, safe and orderly condition; provide assistance to the Recycling Program; pick up and deliver grounds related materials. (E)

8) Inspect, repair and replace automatic and manual sprinkler valves, irrigation lines and sprinkler heads; inspect functioning of controllers and repair as necessary to provide proper irrigation.

9) Assist in routine maintenance and repair of tools, small power equipment, large construction and maintenance equipment and machinery.

10) Maintain daily work records, hazardous materials records and restricted pesticide use records; maintain fuel consumption records, parts and materials inventory and work orders.

11) Provide work direction and guidance to student groundskeeping crews as assigned.

12) Perform general duties such as installing traffic control sign posts, setting up for campus events and outdoor classrooms as needed.

13) Perform related duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE OF:

1)  District organization, operations, policies and objectives.

2)  Methods, materials, tools and equipment used in grounds maintenance and gardening and landscaping duties.

3)  Operation and use of large and small power grounds equipment and machinery.

4)  Cultivating, watering, fertilizing and spraying of trees, lawns, shrubs and flowers.

5)  Appropriate health and safety precautions and procedures related to grounds maintenance activities including use of chemicals.

6)  Basic recordkeeping techniques. 

7)  Interpersonal skills using tact, patience and courtesy.

ABILITY TO:

1)  Learn to interpret, apply and explain rules, regulations, policies and procedures and apply them in a variety of procedural situations.

2)  Understand and follow oral and written directions.

3)  Operate a variety of office equipment, including computer and appropriate software.

4)  Safely operate a variety of grounds maintenance equipment including tractors, tractor-towed mower, skip loader, scraper, grader, ditcher, power edger, chipper, power sweeper, turf vacuum, man lift and forklift, van, electric carts, riding mower, aerator, sprayers, trencher, saws, drills and a wide variety of small power and hand tools, backhoes, trenchers, skid steers, boom trucks, dump truck.

5)  Observe legal and defensive driving practices.

6)  Meet schedules and timelines.

7)  Work as a member of a team.

8)  Work independently with little direction.

9)  Work from blueprints, shop drawings and sketches.

10)  Maintain routine records.

11)  Demonstrate sensitivity to and understanding of diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic and disability issues.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

To be eligible for these positions, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:

1) Passing score on the MiraCosta College Gardener/Groundskeeper multiple-choice test.

2) Education equivalent to graduation from high school.

3) One year of closely related work experience. (NOTE: for work experience, “one year” is defined as equivalent to 40 hours per week for 12 months, or at least 2,080 hours.)

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATION:  

Possession of certificates in backhoe safety training and forklift safety training.

LICENSES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS:  

Valid California driver license; District-approved DMV driving record; possession of or ability to obtain certificates in backhoe safety training and forklift safety training.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

Apply and submit application materials online at http://apptrkr.com/380850. Once you are in the online application system, we strongly advise you to read the information on “How to Apply” and the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) before starting the application process.

In order to be considered for these positions, you must:

1) Complete the Application for Classified Employment.  All work experience relevant to this position must be listed on the application form and must add up to at least one year, where “one year” is defined as equivalent to 40 hours per week for 12 months, or at least 2,080 hours.

2) Pass the mandatory MiraCosta College Gardener/Groundskeeper multiple-choice test. If you did not previously pass the Gardener/Groundskeeper test in August 2010, you are expected to be present on Friday, September 13, 2013, 2:30 - 4:30 p.m., to take the test.  The test will not be given at any other time.  Failure to take the test at the appointed time and place will eliminate you from the applicant pool.  The test will be held in Rooms 3103 and 3104 on the Oceanside campus at One Barnard Drive, Oceanside, CA, 92056. A visitor parking permit is required and can be obtained at the Parking Office, Bldg. 1100.  The test will begin promptly at 2:30 p.m.  No one arriving after 2:30 p.m. will be admitted.  Please call (760) 795-6860 if you have any questions.

The screening and interview committee will review application materials two to four weeks following the closing date.  Interviews are anticipated to take place in early November 2013.  Applicants selected for interview will be contacted by phone; those not selected for interview will be notified by e-mail once interview candidates have been scheduled.

Offer of employment to the persons selected for these positions is contingent upon 1) successful completion of a pre-placement physical exam at district expense; 2) submission of a current tuberculosis (TB) test clearance; 3) proof of eligibility to work in the United States; and 4) fingerprint clearance. 

Individuals with qualified disabilities who need accommodation with any aspect of the application and/or interview process should contact Human Resources at (760)795-6854 at least five days prior to the first screening date. 

MiraCosta College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing an educational environment which affirms and supports diversity in its faculty, staff, and administration, and promoting an environment of inclusion.  

Retired STRS members are not eligible for these positions.

PHYSICAL EFFORT OF THE POSITION:

Heavy physical labor with constant standing and walking for extended periods of time; walking over rough or uneven surfaces; frequent pushing, pulling, lifting and carrying of heavy objects weighing up to 75 pounds; frequent bending, stooping and kneeling; manual dexterity to operate power equipment in a safe manner; operating motorized equipment and vehicles; ability to operate electric cart to travel and/or to pick-up/deliver supplies to a variety of locations on campus; subject to travel to other district locations to work as needed.

EMOTIONAL EFFORT OF THE POSITION:

Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with other individuals from diverse backgrounds; ability to personally interact and communicate appropriately with students, staff and/or faculty on a regular, on-going basis; ability to effectively work alone or as a crew member on a variety of assigned tasks while meeting established deadlines and changing priorities.

WORKING CONDITIONS OF THE POSITION:

Outside environment in all weather conditions including rain and extreme heat; exposure to sun for extended periods of time; work on slippery or uneven surfaces; work while wearing personal protection equipment including respirators, protective gloves, protective footwear, face shields, goggles, spray suits and rain suits; subject to exposure to dust, dirt, oil/grease, gasoline, diesel fuel, smoke and pollen; subject to exposure to hazardous materials such as pesticides, herbicides, solvents and other toxic chemicals and fumes; exposure to extreme noise and fumes/exhaust from equipment and vehicle operation; exposed to working with or around extremely dangerous equipment and machinery with moving parts.  May be required to work at any district location during day and/or evening hours with occasional evenings, holidays and/or weekends on an as-needed basis; occasional local travel may be requested.

MISSION STATEMENT AND INSTITUTIONAL GOALS:

The MiraCosta Community College District mission is to provide educational opportunities and student-support services to a diverse population of learners with a focus on their success.  MiraCosta offers associate degrees, university-transfer courses, career-and-technical education, certificate programs, basic-skills education, and lifelong-learning opportunities that strengthen the economic, cultural, social, and educational well-being of the communities it serves.

Goal I. MiraCosta Community College District will become a vanguard educational institution committed to innovation and researched best practices, broad access to higher education, and environmental sustainability. 

Goal II. MiraCosta Community College District will become the institution where each student has a high probability of achieving academic success. 

Goal III. MiraCosta Community College District will institutionalize effective planning processes through the systematic use of data to make decisions. 

Goal IV. MiraCosta Community College District will demonstrate high standards of stewardship and fiscal prudence. 

Goal V. MiraCosta Community College District will be a conscientious community partner. 

THE DISTRICT, STAFF AND STUDENTS:

The MiraCosta Community College District is one of California's 112 public community colleges.  The district includes the communities of Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Cardiff, Olivenhain, Leucadia, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Del Mar, and parts of Carmel Valley.  The single college district is governed by a seven-member Board of Trustees who are elected at large from each of the district’s seven communities.

MiraCosta offers associate degrees, university-transfer courses, career-and-technical education, certificate programs, basic-skills education, and lifelong-learning opportunities.  

The college’s fee-based Community Education program provides a wide variety of classes, workshops, and excursions.  Tuition-free, noncredit classes also present a variety of learning opportunities at the Community Learning Center and throughout the community.

MiraCosta College partners with the North San Diego Small Business Development Center, which provides service to all of North San Diego and Imperial Counties.

MiraCosta College employs 172 full-time faculty, 261 regular classified staff, and 14 academic administrators.  An additional 500 associate faculty teach in the credit and noncredit programs, and about 150 educators or contract staff provide community service activities.  MiraCosta students are diverse, including representation from all of California’s major racial/ethnic groups and ages.  Diversity is also evidenced by student-veterans, re-entry students, individuals with disabilities, and international students.  The district boasts a long history of commitment to collegiality, civility, and mutual respect.

THE SITES:

The district consists of three campus sites, and robust online education offerings.  The Oceanside Campus, serving about 14,500 credit students It has been located since 1964 on a panoramic, 121-acre hilltop site with views of the ocean and mountains.

The San Elijo Campus is located in Cardiff, 17 miles south of Oceanside, on 48 acres below the bluffs overlooking the San Elijo Lagoon Reserve.  The San Elijo Campus opened in September 1988, and now attracts about 3,000 credit students.

The Community Learning Center in downtown Oceanside hosts about 3,000 students in the college’s noncredit classes, including English as a Second Language, the Adult High School Diploma Program, and other tuition-free, noncredit classes as well as some college credit classes.

MiraCosta College began offering online courses in 1995.  The district typically offers approximately 200 fully online class sections each semester, with another 100 sections offered partially online, serving about 6,000 students.

ACCREDITATION:

MiraCosta College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, 10 Commercial Boulevard, Suite 204, Novato, CA 94949, 415.506.0234, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education and approved by the California State Department of Education Office of Private Post-Secondary Education for training veterans and other eligible persons under the provisions of the GI Bill. The University of California, California State Universities, and private universities of high rank give credit for transfer courses completed at MiraCosta College.

MiraCosta College is approved by the following: Association of Surgical Technologists, California Board of Registered Nursing, California State Colleges and Universities, California State Department of Education, Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, State Board of Vocational Nurse and Psychiatric Technician Examiners, University of California.

THE AREA:

Situated between San Diego and Los Angeles, MiraCosta College benefits from multicultural influences and cultural opportunities.  Interstate 5, Amtrak, and Carlsbad regional airport provide easy access to either metropolis and to Mexico.  The district, which extends 25 miles along the Pacific Ocean from Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base to the city of San Diego, attracts diverse ethnic and socioeconomic populations who live in urban and suburban communities.  The intellectual environment is enhanced by the college’s proximity to the University of California San Diego, California State University San Marcos, and other institutions of higher education.  Along with numerous theaters, galleries, and museums, residents enjoy a moderate, year-round climate, which provides many opportunities for outdoor activities.

CAMPUS SAFETY:

As per the Clery Act of 1998, the campus security report can be found at

http://www.miracosta.edu/studentservices/police/downloads/safety_report.pdf

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