Lead Parks Worker - Mow Crew

Lead Parks Worker - Mow Crew Salary $19.18 - $24.76 Hourly

Location: City of Thornton; Municipal Shops Complex, CO

Job Type: Seasonal Full-Time

Job Number: 26051

Department: Parks, Recreation, & Community Programs

Division: Parks

Temporary Opening Date: 02/03/2026

Closing Date: 2/17/2026 5:00 PM Mountain

FLSA: Non-Exempt

WORK HOURS HOURS VARY

STATUS: 2 FLSA NON-EXEMPT

Description Benefits Questions

Works Hours/Days: 40 Hours per week Monday-Friday; Weekends, Holidays and Overtime as required. (Start and end times will adjust with daylight hours throughout the season.)

Under general supervision, oversees the park, mowing, or golf operation of a specific crew within the city for the Community Services Department.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS (Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following tasks, knowledge, skills and other characteristics. The list of tasks is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY, and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by positions in this class.)

Performs in a lead position to oversee park, mowing, or golf operations of specific properties to ensure the proper service levels are met.

Trains new staff on the proper operation of required maintenance equipment and tasks.

Reports to supervisor throughout the day on schedule progress and quality control of service levels.

Operates, monitors, and maintains equipment such as trucks, trailers, tractors, utility vehicles, small backhoes, loaders, aerators, wood chippers, flail and rotary mowers, a variety of riding mowers from 16 feet in width to 6 feet in width, walk-behind mowers, push mowers, string trimmers, backpack blowers and sprayers, edgers, bunker rakes, chain saws, pruning equipment, and various hand tools.

Assists with various maintenance duties, including but not limited to, mowing, weeding, trimming and removal of grass clippings as needed.

Must be able to perform all functions of a Parks Worker I/II.

Responsible for tracking crew schedules, hours worked and completion of timesheets and work orders.

Clears snow and leaves from designated areas as needed.

Inspects, maintains, and performs minor repairs on equipment and facilities.

May assist with picking up trash and policing areas.

May be required to be on 24-hour on-call status for snow removal and other emergency situations.

May be required to work overtime.

Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education/Experience: At least one season as a Parks Worker II with the City of Thornton.

Some lead experience overseeing parks, mowing, or golf operations of at least one crew. Equivalent combinations of experience may be considered.

Licensing/Certification Requirements: Valid Colorado drivers license with a safe driving record.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to Parks Worker I/II requirements:

Knowledge of the policies, procedures and goals of the City of Thornton and the department.

Knowledge of the operation of landscape equipment such as, but not limited to pickup trucks, tractors, trailers, a variety of sizes of riding mowers, 52-inch and smaller walk-behind, push mowers, string trimmers, edgers, backpack blowers and various hand tools.

Knowledge of scheduling and overseeing work crews to accomplish assigned tasks.

Skill in the safe operation of tractors, trucks, trailers, and a variety of landscape and mowing equipment mentioned above.

Skill in dealing tactfully and effectively with the public.

Ability to work well with the public and others.

Ability to work evenings, weekends and holidays, or flexible schedules.

Physical and Mental Requirements: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to lift more than 40 pounds on a frequent basis, sit, stand, walk, kneel, squat, stoop, bend, reach, turn, climb, crawl, repeatedly twist the upper body, talk, hear, see, grasp, demonstrate manual dexterity and perform repetitive body movement. The employee must demonstrate the ability to remain calm during routine and stressful conditions. The employee is also required to work outdoors in all weather conditions. Materials and chemicals used may expose the employee to fumes, dust and air contaminants.

TESTING PROCEDURES Examinations may include but are not limited to application screening beyond minimum qualifications; written, oral, practical exercise or any combination thereof or other job related assessment deemed appropriate by Human Resources. Your application will be used as a screening tool. Completeness and accuracy are important! Any false or untrue statements or material omissions in the application and related paperwork or during the selection process could disqualify you from consideration. As a condition of employment, the city of Thornton conducts background investigations for all positions which may also include a review of credit report and/or driving record. A drug screen, physical, and/or psychological examination administered by a city-designated provider will be required for pre-determined positions.

The City of Thornton is an equal opportunity employer. The City of Thornton offers employees an outstanding benefits package. Benefit eligibility is based on the status of the position. Please email Jobs@thorntonco.gov to receive a copy of our 2025 Benefits Guide.

Benefits offered may include the following depending on the job type/status of the position:

Health Insurance Dental Insurance Vision Insurance Life, Dependent Life & Supplemental Life Insurance Options Voluntary Accidental Death & Dismemberment Policy Flexible Spending Plan Retiree Health Savings Plan Pension Plan & Deferred Compensation Plans Short & Long-term Disability Plans Paid Holidays Vacation & Sick Leave Multilingual Incentive Pay Recreation Pass Wellness Program - Learn more here In-House Training Opportunities Tuition Reimbursement Employee Assistance Program

ARE YOU ELIGIBLE FOR THIS POSITION?

1. Are you at least 18 years of age? Yes No

2. Do you have some lead experience overseeing mowing operations of at least one crew, and one year of mowing operations experience with more complex mowing equipment such as zero turn radius riding mowers, 6 foot to 16 foot hydrostatic riding mowers, 60 hp tractors, etc.? Your answer must be substantiated in your application or resume. Yes No

3. Have you previously worked for the city of Thornton as a seasonal Mow Crew Operator or Lead Mow Crew Operator? Yes No

4. Do you have a valid drivers license? Yes No

5. In regard to your driving history, have you had a restricted license or any suspensions, cancellations, denials, revocations, or any other loss of license in the last 3 years? Yes No

6. In regard to your driving history: Have you been convicted of a DWAI or DUI in the last 3 years? Yes No

7. In regard to your driving history, have you been convicted of reckless driving in the last 3 years? Yes No

8. If you answered "yes" to the previous questions, please list conviction(s) type, nature of offense(s), and date(s) of conviction(s); otherwise, enter "N/A" (Not Applicable) in the space below.

9. Do you have a reliable source of transportation that can get you to and from work at the required time? Yes No

10. Have you been fired or asked to resign from any previous job in the last 5 years? This is NOT to include a "lay off" of "reduction in force" that was outside your control. Yes No

11. If you answered "Yes" to the question above, please explain. If you answered "No", please enter "N/A".

12. Can you commit to working on the Mow Crew through the end of October? Yes No

13. Are there any days of the week or hours in the day that you are unavailable to work due to other commitments? Yes No

14. If you answered yes to the previous question, please give specific details of time you are unavailable to work due to other commitments.

15. Are you willing to work outdoors in all types of weather conditions and temperatures? Yes No

16. Our mowing season is extremely busy, and it is imperative that all staff report to work as scheduled. (barring family emergencies or illness). Any other requested time off must be submitted with two weeks notice to your supervisor for review. Approval of your request would be a the discretion of the supervisor. Any personal appointments must be scheduled outside of work hours, this includes doctor and dental appointments, etc. Would you have any issues or concerns with this process? Yes No

17. If you answered "Yes" to the previous question, please explain. If you answered "No", please enter "N/A".

18. During the season, we have weather conditions that dictate that we must work overtime. This may include staying late or coming in early as well as coming in on weekends to work. Are you willing to stay late, come in early or work on weekends when your supervisor deems it necessary? Yes No

19. The mow crew is made up of a diverse group of people. Do you prefer to work with others or do you prefer to work by yourself? I prefer to work with others. No, I prefer to work by myself.

20. Please select equipment from the list below that you would consider yourself as an experienced operator of: (NOTE: To select more than one answer, hold down the Control (Ctrl) key while making selections) ¾ Ton and larger Utility Trucks 1 Ton and larger Dump Trucks Tractors Front Loaders Backhoes Skid Loaders Chain Saws Lawn Aerators Lawn Seeders Sidewalk Edgers Fertilizer Spreaders Pesticide Sprayers Tree and Branch Chippers Ballfield G