Parks Services Technician

Parks Services Technician

Salary

$37,529.17 - $42,000.00 Annually

Location

1800 Sandy Hook Road, Goochland, VA

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

202400286

Department

Parks & Recreation

Opening Date

09/18/2026

Closing Date

11/19/2026 11:00 PM Eastern

FLSA

Non-Exempt

Goochland County is located in the heart of Central Virginia. Just over 289 square miles of rural countryside, our County is home to just over 26,000 residents and is ideally located within a short drive to beaches or mountain tops. We have great proximity to major cities including Charlottesville and Richmond. Our quality of life is unsurpassed, and our active community welcomes one and all. A community rich in history, the Goochland County Courthouse is widely considered to be the most well-maintained Jeffersonian courthouse in Virginia. Goochland County is the smallest county in the United States to have earned the highest rating from all three credit rating agencies which reflects the County's exceptional financial resilience and is home to an award-winning public-school system.

Description

The Parks Services Technician performs a wide variety of manual, operational, and technical tasks to ensure that county parks, athletic complexes, green spaces, and recreational facilities are clean, safe, fully functional, and visually appealing. This hands-on role is responsible for daily grounds maintenance, athletic field preparation, turf management, facility waste collection, general facility upkeep, and seasonal emergency response operations.

Essential Functions

• Grounds & Turf Maintenance

• Operate commercial riding mowers, tractors, string trimmers, edgers, blowers, and hedge trimmers and other necessary equipment to maintain parks, trails, sport fields, and rights-of-way.

• Perform turf care practices including seeding, aerating, fertilizing, and weed control.

• Maintain clean planting beds through weeding, mulching, planting, and pruning of shrubs and trees.

• Athletic Field Preparation

• Prepare and maintain rectangular fields (soccer, football, lacrosse) and ball diamonds (baseball, softball) to high playability standards.

• Mow athletic turf at designated sport heights, apply field marking paint/chalk, drag infields, and maintain base paths and home plate areas.

• Inspect and maintain sports infrastructure, including goalposts, fencing, dugouts, and batting cages.

• Sanitation & Facility Upkeep

• Perform routine trash and recycling collection across parks, playgrounds, pavilions, and parking lots; empty and line trash receptacles regularly.

• Clean, sanitize, restock public restrooms and park shelters on a daily or scheduled basis.

• Perform minor routine repairs on park amenities such as picnic tables, benches, trash cans, signs, and playground equipment.

• Special Events & Community Operations

• Assist with county and department sponsored community events, tournaments, and facility rentals, including event setup (tents, tables, barricades), day-of operational support, and post-event breakdown and cleanup.

• Emergency Response & Winter Weather Operations

• Participate in departmental and county-wide winter weather response operations, including shoveling, snowplowing, and salting/brining sidewalks, walkways, building entrances, parking lots, and parking facilities during winter storms.

• Assist with clearing downed trees, branches, and storm debris from trails, roadways, and county properties following severe weather events.

• Safety, Operations & Equipment Care

• Conduct routine safety inspections of public areas, playgrounds, and trails, immediately reporting or mitigating hazards, vandalism, or safety concerns.

• Perform routine pre- and post-operation checks, cleaning, fueling, and basic minor maintenance on assigned tools, mowers, and vehicles.

• Safely load and secure equipment, materials, and debris onto trailers and trucks.

• Perform other related duties and special project support assigned by department leadership.

• Strictly adhere to all county safety policies, standard operating procedures, and OSHA regulations.

• Correctly wear and maintain all required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including but not limited to safety glasses, hearing protection, high-visibility vests, steel-toed boots, gloves, and dust masks while performing tasks.

• Operational Standards, Emergency Response & Departmental Support

• Embody the department's core value of operational excellence by taking pride in the details, delivering exceptional customer service, treating residents and visitors like family, maintaining clean and welcoming spaces, following up promptly on communications, and ensuring tools and equipment are properly maintained.

• Actively support departmental flagship events, co-sponsored community events, and joint initiatives with other county departments as assigned, assisting with setup, operational support, customer service, or breakdown.

• Participate in county-wide and departmental emergencies, disaster, and severe weather response operations at the level of training received. Duties may include assisting with emergency shelter operations, debris clearing, snow/ice operations, and public safety support during emergency declarations.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Working knowledge of the safe operation and basic maintenance of small engines, commercial mowers, power tools, and light utility vehicles.
• Understanding of basic athletic field maintenance practices and turf management principles preferred.
• Ability to perform manual labor in various outdoor weather conditions (heat, cold, rain, snow).
• Strong customer service mindset, representing the department professionally when interacting with the public, sports leagues, and park visitors.
• Ability to follow verbal and written instructions and work effectively independently or as part of a team.

Education, Experience and Training

• High school diploma or equivalent (GED) is required.
• Minimum of 1 to 2 years of experience in groundskeeping, landscaping, athletic field maintenance, general construction, trades, or municipal public works, or equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Valid State of Virginia Driver's License with a driving record that meets HR Policy requirements.
• CDL and registration as a Commercial Pesticide Applicator is preferred.
• Ability to obtain CPR/First Aid certification and relevant pesticide/chemical application licenses within a specified probationary period, if required by the department.

Other Necessary Requirements

SCHEDULE FLEXIBILITY:

Standard working hours are established, but this position requires flexibility to work non-standard hours, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, and occasional holidays, to support special events, high-volume seasonal operations, emergency response, or community meetings inherent to parks and recreation services.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Work is heavy work, which requires exerting up to 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Tasks may require the ability to walk or stand for prolonged periods of time. Additionally, the following physical abilities may be required: climbing, bending, stooping, reaching, handling, and grasping.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Work is primarily performed outdoors where exposure to various weather conditions, dust, dirt, pollen, odors, wetness, humidity, temperature and noise extremes, toxic agents, disease, pathogenic substances, animal/wildlife attacks, animal/human bites, or rude/hostile citizens may be encountered during performance of regular duties.

As part of employment with Goochland County, all employees are required to complete Emergency preparedness and incident management training courses as directed or requested.

Goochland County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to age, color, national origin, citizenship, physical or mental disability, family medical history or genetic information, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic or status that is protected by federal, state or local laws.

Employer Goochland County

Address 1800 Sandy Hook Road

P.O. Box 10

Goochland, Virginia, 23063

Phone 804-556-5831

Website http://www.goochlandva.us