Farm Maintenance Manager / Groundskeeper

Farm Maintenance Manager / Groundskeeper (6380)

Location: El Dorado Hills, California

Job Number: 6380

We are building a 100-acre biodiverse farm from ground-zero. The farm will be a place of beauty and inspiration in El Dorado County. We are looking for our very first employee to support us with the transformation process and continue to be part of the team for many years to come. The Groundskeeper will maintain the land and facilities.
Responsibilities (included, but not limited to):
• Extensive forestry maintenance, including clearing a substantial amount of deadwood, forest floor liter, and downed trees with chainsaws and axes. Deadwood to be leveraged and hauled to a central, safe burn pile site for controlled burns throughout the year. Knowledge of safe chainsaw practices, maintenance and use of personal protective gear is essential.
• Extensive field and pasture maintenance, including mowing, trimming pathway edges, applying seed, organic fertilizer and weed control, and other general maintenance work such as weed whackers, hedge trimmers, and leaf blowers. Knowledge of fire safe practices is essential.
• Extensive fence maintenance and installation, including carpentry of metal tubing, wire and wood panels, establish and dig post hole positions, alignment using plumb bobs or levels, gate assembly, build retaining walls and trellises. Knowledge of safe practices using power-driven augers is essential.
• Extensive irrigation installation, repairs and maintenance, including the operations of three water well pumping stations, installation of time clocks, adjustment to systems to ensure health of fields, pastures and landscape, inventory management of parts, supplies and equipment.
• Ditch and pond maintenance to ensure an easy passage of water and to prevent flow blockages, including removal of sediment, silt, vegetation and debris, routine inspections and repair of pump screens and weirs, irrigation and drainage pumps, and the monitoring of water control structures.
Facility maintenance, including troubleshoot and repair of lighting issues, plumbing problems, broken locks, water and flooding issues, ceilings and roof issues, painting, replacing doors, trash removal, filter replacements, maintenance of electrical connections, demolition and light construction, maintenance of sewage treatment, maintenance of gutters and down pipes and other seasonal cleaning tasks.
• Comfortable with the daily use and care of power and hand tools, including portable tools, saws, hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches, circular saws, drills, motor winch and high-pressure cleaners.
• Equipment maintenance, including replacing or repairing safety guards, sharpening or replacing machines’ cutting blades, regular maintenance of engines, cooling systems, lubrication, oil changes, filter changes, clearing blockages, light metal machining and welding, operations with compressed air/tires, maintenance of hydraulic systems.
• Fleet maintenance, including oil and filter changes, battery management, checking brakes, clutches and drives, checking and filling fluid levels (hydraulic fluid, coolants, oil), checking tires and wheels.

Qualifications/Requirements:
• Ability to communicate effectively in English (basic level)-orally and in writing.
• Ability to train and supervisor temporary workers.
• Resourceful and flexible with changes and tasks.
• Dependable, hardworking, and honest.
• Maintain a clean work and property environment.
Physical requirements:
• Ability to work outdoors, on uneven, slippery terrain in varying weather conditions with dust and allergens.
• Ability to work long, labor intensive hours, if necessary
• Ability to walk distances, twist, bend, kneel, and climb.
• Ability to routinely lift 50 pounds.

Benefits:
Full-time, to start immediately. Pay will depend on skills and/or qualifications. Must leave within 30 minutes of farm. Housing assistance is available. Paid time off.