Landscape Gardener

About the Position:

The Landscape Gardner has the responsibility for assisting in the care of the University’s gardens, lawns, and sports fields with other members of the Grounds Staff. Typically, we expect the successful candidate to one year of related landscaping/grounds keeping experience.

About the Work Unit:

Vanderbilt Maintenance & Operations (VUMO) provides facilities support for all construction, renovation, and routine maintenance of University Central space and facilities; housekeeping services for approximately 5.8 million square feet of academic, administrative, residential, and recreational space; grounds care for 330 acres that are a registered arboretum; turf care for athletic fields; and utilities for the University Central and the Medical Center. 

VUMO’s annual budget exceeds $100 million in operating expenses and includes over 400 employees.  VUMO manages major capital project expenditures totaling ~$125 million annually and facility renewal, replacement and large maintenance project expenditures totaling ~$20 million annually.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Mixing and application of herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, and fungicides
• Minor repair of irrigation systems
• Litter policing
• Pull weeds in shrubs/flower/groundcover beds
• Rake leaves and pickup
• Pickup trash receptacles and cleanup dumpster site
• Pickup recycling
• Mow lawns operating reel, push, walk behind, and zero turn radius mowers
• Pressure washing
• Hand watering of plants
• Clean stairwells, gutters, storm drains
• Snow removal
• Plant trees, shrubs, groundcovers, flowers
• Mulch landscape beds
• Sport and recreational fields lining
• Roundup herbicide spraying
• Special events support
• Assist arborist crew with storm damage clean-up
• Outdoor patio furnishings placing and removal
• Lawn maintenance: core aerating, slit seeding, over seeding & fertilizing
• Apply pre-emergent in shrub, flower & groundcover beds
• Occasionally remove bikes
• Operate and perform operator level maintenance on landscape truck
• Operate the following equipment
  • Weed Eater
  • Vacuum
  • Backpack Blower
  • Edger
  • Push Blower
  • Front-end loader
  • Steer Loader
  • Tractor
  • Turf Roller
  • 100-gallon sprayer
  • snowplow
  • woodchipper
  • stump grinder
• Operate trucker vehicle & golf cart
• Other duties related to classification

Working Hours: Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM

Education and Certifications:

• High School Diploma or GED is required

• Bachelor’s degree is preferred

• Valid Driver License is required; must have and maintain a valid driver's license and a satisfactory driving record. Vanderbilt University engages a third party to provide up-to-date notifications regarding negative changes to motor vehicle records.

Experience and Skills:

• Working in Higher Ed is preferred

• Push, pull, lift, and carry at least 50 pounds.

• Able to work in various weather conditions

• One year of previous experience is preferred.

• High work ethic