Seasonal Grounds Maintenance Laborer

Job Description:

Seasonal Grounds Maintenance Laborer

Description

Position Description

The City of Tacoma, Public Works department is seeking highly motivated people devoted to public service to join our team in providing exceptional service to the citizens and rate payers of Tacoma. Seasonal Ground Maintenance Laborers are hired on a temporary basis (normally employed for a period of one hundred twenty (120) calendar days or less) to perform heavy manual labor and can work with different Departments at the City of Tacoma and Tacoma Public Utilities. This is a great opportunity to join the City of Tacoma and acquire valuable work skills and gain relevant municipal experience. This is also a very good job for those seeking short-term employment.

There are currently two openings for 6-month temporary positions in Public Works.

Examples of job responsibilities:

• Sweeps streets, gutters and alleys, loads dirt from streets into a truck; removes snow from sidewalks and stairs, and spreads sand or salt on icy streets
• Performs Grounds Maintenance duties in parks, public rights of ways, business districts, and trails and city facilities
• Cut grass and remove weeds on parking strips; rakes and loads grass and brush; mows lawns and cleans grounds; cuts trees and brush along rights-of-way; plants, waters and assists in care of shrubs, flowers and grass
• Performs manual tree watering from tanker truck
• Removes graffiti, litter and debris from right of way
• Digs ditches, trenches, and post holes and loads dirt and construction materials
• Pours concrete and fills pavement cracks with asphalt and shovels asphalt paving mix in repairs of streets
• Uses a pressure washer
• Uses manual and power tools
• Performs traffic control for job sites
• Performs light to medium manual labor and related duties as assigned

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:

• Outdoor and indoor environment; subject to noise and fumes from equipment operation and adverse weather conditions.
• Position requires heavy lifting, climbing, hoisting and pulling
• Some positions may require working weekend, holidays and flexible hours

Qualifications

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
Some experience in performing heavy manual work; completion of the eighth grade; or any equivalent combination of experience and training.

Some experience providing customer service preferred

LICENSES, CERTIFICATES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
Valid Washington State Driver License required at time of appointment and maintenance thereafter
Appointment is subject to passing a background check, pre-employment medical exam and drug screen

Knowledge & Skills

KNOWLEDGE OF:

• Applicable occupational hazards and safety precautions

SKILLS:

• Ability to understand and follow specific oral instructions
• Ability to perform heavy manual labor for extended periods, often under adverse climate conditions
• Maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others
• Operate motor vehicles in a safe manner
• Perform heavy manual labor
• Excellent customer service skills

Selection Process & Supplemental Information

A Commitment to Equity & Diversity

At the City of Tacoma, we're on a mission to make our workforce as diverse and inclusive as the community we serve. We actively seek out candidates from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. Join our team at the City of Tacoma and help us build a more vibrant, inclusive, and equitable community for all.

If you have a less traditional background, we want to hear about your transferrable skills and experience. We value a variety of perspectives and are excited to see what you bring to the table.

The Community

Tacoma is centrally located just 32 miles south of the city of Seattle and 31 miles north of the state capital, Olympia. The City of Tacoma is also home to the Port of Tacoma, which is among the largest container ports in the United States. Like most cities in the northwest, Tacoma is surrounded by beautiful nature, offering residents many opportunities for outdoor adventures.

Largely suburban in nature with a small, but dense, urban core, Tacoma is home to numerous institutes of higher learning that attract students from across the country. The University of Washington Tacoma, Pacific Lutheran University, University of Puget Sound, a satellite campus of the Evergreen State College, three community/technical colleges, and several trade and business schools are within Tacoma's geographic area. Downtown's Cultural District is the site of the Washington State History Museum, Museum of Glass, the Tacoma Art Museum, and America's Car Museum.

With its affordable housing and distinctive neighborhoods and business districts, the city has been recognized numerous times as a best city to live in the nation. To see a few of the great things Tacoma has to offer, view this YouTube Video!

View this exciting video to learn more about the City of Tacoma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n5MWl8KFvI

Apply

Interested individuals should apply online by completing the application and attaching a resume and cover letter by the closing date and time listed on the job announcement. Applications received without attaching the required materials may not progress in the selection process.
Supplemental Questions
This is a competitive selection process. Applicants will be required to respond to written questions outlining their experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the essential functions of this position. Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will have their responses to Supplemental Questions #9 through #10 reviewed and scored by a committee of subject matter experts. These questions will be scored based on the information provided. It is the responsibility of the applicants to adequately describe all pertinent experience and training. Please make sure you read the questions and provide complete informative answers, including your roles in the position and key activities. DO NOT respond with ‘see resume’ in lieu of answering these questions; this will result in a failing score. Providing false information will result in disqualification.

Accommodations: We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation during this process, please contact Human Resources at (253) 591-5400.

Get Assistance

For assistance with the application process or questions regarding this job announcement please contact the Human Resources office at (253) 591-5400 by 4:00 p.m. of the closing date of the job announcement.

For technical difficulties using the Neogov system, call the applicant support line at 1-855-524-5627 between 6:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. This will allow us to assist you before the job announcement closes.

Communication from the City of Tacoma:

We primarily communicate via e-mail during the application process. E-mails from tacoma.gov and/or governmentjobs.com must be placed on your safe domain list to ensure that you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk e-mail folders.

Compensation & Benefits

Pay Details:

Hourly Rate: $21.04 - $23.21

Annual Salary: $43,763.20 - $48,276.80

Employee Benefits | City of Tacoma

The City of Tacoma provides excellent medical, dental and vision plans for the whole family; paid holidays and paid leave; participation in the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System (alternate plan for Police/Fire); continuing education and advancement opportunities and a growing variety of City-sponsored health and wellness opportunities and incentives.

Medical Coverage: For eligible employees and their families, including domestic partners and dependent children age26 or younger.

Dental Coverage: For eligible employees and their families, including domestic partners and dependent children age26 or younger.

Vision Coverage: For eligible employees and their eligible dependents.

Paid Leave: City employees are entitled to received paid holidays, sick/vacation leave or personal time off (PTO), depending upon union affiliation and appointment type.

Insurance Plans: Employees are covered by a long-term disability plan. Short-term and expanded long-term disability insurance plans are also available to employees. The State Industrial Insurance Act also covers employees.

Deferred Compensation: Income can be set aside on a pretax basis and invested for supplementation of normal retirement income.

Retirement: All employees of the City, except members of the Police and Fire services, Tacoma Rail and certain project employees, are included in the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System. Information on the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System can be found at www.cityoftacoma.org or by calling (253) 502-8200.

Other Employment Information

Direct Deposit: Employees are paid on a bi-weekly schedule by direct deposit.

Salary Increases: Based on satisfactory job performance, the City provides for a regular progression of salary increases for most classifications according to the salary schedule.

Union Affiliation: Many job classifications are covered by union security provisions which require union membership, dues, or payment of equivalent service fees.

Note: The provisions of this job announcement do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provision contained herein may be modified and/or revoked without notice.

Closing Date/Time: 2/9/2026 5:00 PM Pacific

Salary:

$21.04 - $23.21 Hourly