Athletic Fields Specialist (Entry-Level!)

Department:

Parks Recreation and Natural Resources

Start Here. Grow Here. Stay Here.

Are you a sports enthusiast with experience in maintenance? Join our Parks, Recreation & Natural Resources team as an Athletic Fields Specialist! In this active, physically engaging role, you’ll help keep our athletic fields and facilities in top-tier condition. From turf care to game-day prep, you’ll play a key part in delivering safe, high-quality spaces for athletes and visitors. As a vital member of our sports tourism, facilities, and programs team, you’ll handle a wide range of maintenance tasks while providing excellent customer service to everyone who uses our facilities.

The pay starts at $18.21 (Step 1), benefits begin within 60 days of hire, and we offer both development and advancement opportunities to all county employees. Apply today and have the chance to work in an ever-growing industry, impacting both our community and sports alike!

About the Position

As a member of the athletics team you are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of athletic fields and adjunct facilities. No two days are the same!

Job responsibilities can include field turf restoration, event and game day preparation, inspections to ensure safe and playable athletic facilities, as well as providing customer service to patrons of facilities. For more information, please see below:

• Perform general grounds maintenance, repair, and janitorial duties of fields, fencing, common areas, amenities, parking lots, and other areas
• Provide polite, friendly, and accurate customer service   
• Conduct park patrols and general inspections of athletic facilities to ensure the safety of the public
• Contribute to the decision making process on the feasibility of playing on field, depending upon weather and field conditions
• Assist with set-up and clean-up of facilities for practices, games, tournaments, and events
• Maintain daily upkeep of athletic fields and adjunct facilities, including painting/marking the fields, settings bases, and pitching mounds under applicable rules/specified dimensions
• Report potential safety hazards or maintenance issues to supervisor for follow up as necessary
• Ensure proper maintenance, watering, mowing, edging, trimming, and painting and marks of athletic grounds
• Exercise a high degree of initiative and decision making to ensure customer satisfaction
• Safely operate and fuel a variety of athletic field and/or landscape equipment, including but not limited to: mowers, field groomer, painter, gas-powered string trimmers, pressure washer, edgers, pole saws, backpack blowers, commercial grade pick-up trucks, trailers, utility carts, and other miscellaneous small hand-operated landscape maintenance tools

         

                   

                                                                                                      

About the Schedule

• Operating Days: Sunday - Saturday
• Work Full-Time, 40 hours per week
• Work Hours: 6:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
• Enjoy a flexible, rotating schedule that supports park operations and special events
• Be ready to jump in for occasional evening or weekend shifts during exciting community events

About You

Minimum Qualifications:  

• High School Diploma or its equivalent
• One (1) year of experience as a semi-skilled laborer in the care and maintenance of parks, landscapes, athletic fields, or other similar grounds
• Valid Florida driver's license by time of hire

The ideal candidate has the following: 
Please note that these are not requirements but bonuses to your consideration.

• Working knowledge of the maintenance of sports fields; understanding of how turf grass cultural practices effect turf performance
• Experience in maintaining higher level sports field playing surfaces

Physical Demands:

• Employees in this role must occasionally lift and/or move more than 50 lbs.
• Examples include fertilizer bags and other various items, throughout the year
• Employees can use handling devices (dolly, cart, etc.) or work with another team member to lift and/or move excessive poundage of 50-plus pounds
• However, if equipment or another team member is unavailable, this position will require lifting by hand

Subject to Passing Substance Screening:  This position is subject to passing a pre-employment substance screening.  An applicant who fails to pass a required drug screening test shall be disqualified from employment in any class for a period of five (5) years.

 

About Everything Else

Starting Pay Rate: $18.21 (Step 1)

Our interview process could include phone interview(s), Microsoft Teams video interview(s), and/or in-person interview(s).

If you are selected to join our team, please click on this link to review the Required First Day Documents. You will need to present the following items on your first day:

1. I-9 Acceptable Documents to show your identity and authorization to work. Use this link to learn more and review the different document options: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents

• If your position requires a Florida Driver’s License, this must be one of your documents. (Your Florida Driver’s License can serve as one of your documents listed in link above – List B Documents.)  

2. U.S. Social Security Card (signed, physical card). This is a requirement of our Payroll Department and failure to provide this document could jeopardize timely compensation. (Your U.S. Social Security Card can serve as one of your documents listed in link above – List C Documents.)  

Benefits:

• Enjoy great benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance, Short-Term and Long-Term Disability, Flexible Spending Accounts, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Florida Retirement System (FRS) and many, many more! Choose one of three great medical plans, including one with a $0 premium option, with completed preventative visits!
• For more information about employee benefits, please click this link or visit SCGov.net for additional information.
• Utilize our award-winning wellness program including free gyms at multiple Sarasota County Government locations. 
• Enjoy 11 paid holidays, 3 personal days and 16 paid vacation days in the first year of full-time employment with increasing accrual rates with years of service. (That adds up to a possible 30 days off in your 1st year!)​​

A different blend of voices prompt better conversations, choices and results for everyone. Sarasota County – Many Voices, One Team.

We celebrate and value the experiences, backgrounds, perspectives, talents and strengths that make us different.

Our vision is to attract, develop, retain and engage a talented workforce broadly representative of the citizens and communities we serve. To further value creativity, innovation, collaboration and great customer service – internally and externally. 

A job applicant with a disability who requires reasonable accommodation to participate in the application/selection process is requested to make known the need for an accommodation to Human Resources or appropriate county staff members. For assistance with the application, please call 941-861-5353.

Sarasota County prohibits discrimination in all services, programs or activities. View the complete policy at scgov.net (keywords: ADA Compliance).

Sarasota County Government is a Tobacco-Free/Drug-Free Workplace.