Position Description & Application

General Information

Organizational Position: Lawn Technician

Appointed by & Accountable to: Lawn Care Manager

Primary Functions

1. Service and maintain each customer’s lawn/landscape, including scheduled treatments and timely Service Calls.
2. Effectively communicate with customers, over the telephone and in person, to answer questions and provide suggestions which will result in a satisfied customer.
3. Learn and understand Valley Green’s policies, philosophies and lawn care programs.
4. Meet or exceed required daily/weekly production stops and Service Calls as determined by your Manager.

Major Responsibilities

1. Handling all products, equipment and application techniques in a safe manner as outlined by company procedures, EPA regulations, and Federal, State and Local laws.
2. To retain agronomic/horticulture knowledge as presented during training as well as to seek out additional information available for self-education and training.
3. To professionally provide a quality service to our customers. This includes applying the right products in the right manner at the right time and performing all Service Calls within 48 hours.

Positional Requirements

1. A safe driving history. Ability to drive a heavy-duty vehicle, operate spray equipment and a ride on spreader. To be a safe driver on and off the road.
2. Provide a quality service to meet and exceed the production goal as set by the Manager on a daily basis.
3. Perform Service Calls, as requested, above the production goals set each week.
4. Maintain a safe and proper operation vehicle and its add-on equipment. Be willing and able to properly lift bags of products of 50 pounds or more during loading and unloading. Be able to load, mix, and calculate liquid fill of product. Be able to load, calibrate dry product in a spreader.
5. Attend all required training sessions. Observe, learn, and ask questions to increase agronomic/horticulture knowledge. Be able to identify turf grass problems and offer solutions regarding diseases, insects and weeds. This includes directing unresolved questions or problems to the Operations Manager.
6. Ability to read a road map, map book, and GPS to locate customers in a specific route.
7. Be familiar with all safety policies and procedures, including action to be taken in the event of an accident, emergency or chemical spill.
8. Perform a Daily Safety Circle each day. Inform management of needed repairs immediately.
9. Complete all paperwork as required. Properly document all appropriate notes, services, and treatment information on office copy of invoice.
10. Cleaning of vehicles, including interior, daily. This includes spray equipment, spreader and any other add-on equipment.
11. Return all messages within 24 hours.
12. Maintain the warehouse and office area as directed to ensure a safe, clean working environment.
13. Be able to perform a lawn analysis, which includes accurately measuring a lawn/landscape and determining the appropriate price for potential customers interested in the Valley Green program.
14. Be constantly looking for opportunities to sell new customers the Valley Green program and any applicable additional services.
15. Depending on the time of year and specific weather conditions, promote the appropriate additional service to your customer.
16. Be able to perform all the requirements without direct supervision.
17. Be able to work beyond an eight hour day. Accept flexible work schedules depending on weather. Be able to work Saturdays as required.
18. Be able to become a licensed applicator as required by Minnesota state law.

Pre-Production

6:30 AM Check in with Ops Manager
Finish loading vehicle as required
Perform Daily Safety Circle
Check paper and product inventory

Production

Must be on the 1st lawn by 7:00 am (depending on start time and drive time).
Think Safety
Use The Professional Approach

Post-Production

Clean vehicle/equipment
Load vehicle as required
Complete Daily Production Report
Complete Maintenance tasks
Complete other forms from daily route
Return messages
Check out with Manager

All Valley Green Lawn Technicians will:

1. Stop the vehicle and put emergency flashers on.
2. Turn vehicle off.
3. Set the emergency brake.
4. Review Work order and Customer notes/address.
5. Knock on the door and communicate with customer.
6. Walk around yard to make sure all toys, hoses, gates are unlocked, and other items are out of the applicating area.
7. Perform the treatment beginning with the back yard.
8. Use blower to remove product from driveway and sidewalks (if dry product is applied).
9. Fill out Invoice, writing any pertinent notes on the left side that comes back to the office.
10. Flag the property on the wide side of the driveway next within 2’ of the road and driveway. Flags must be filled out and bent a 90° angle before placing in the lawn.
11. Take the Invoice, special instruction sheet, newsletter and other literature in a bag to customer’s front door. If a customer asks you a question you cannot answer, tell them you will get back to them, then follow through to get the answer from management and call the customer back.
12. Go to the next stop and repeat the above steps.

Opportunities are available at Valley Green. If you master your job, demonstrate your ability to handle a more difficult job, and meet the qualifications for the specific job you are interested in, you will be considered for promotion when openings become available within the company. Promotions will be made based on ability, qualifications, and demonstrated potential for increased responsibility, and in accordance with applicable regulations regarding non-discrimination. Your work is appraised informally on a continuing basis. Your supervisor may suggest ways that you can improve the quality of your work or how you may qualify for a promotion.

Newly hired employees will be in a job orientation and evaluation program for their first 60 days of employment. Employees retained after 60 days will be eligible to receive company benefits including insurance and paid holidays.

For all personnel, Valley Green has adopted the Regular time and Time and ½ methods. Regular time is figured on any hours worked to 40 hours in a week. Time and ½ is figured on any hours worked over 40 hours in a week. Bi-weekly pay periods begin on Monday and end on Sunday. Paychecks are issued every other Thursday after 3:00 p.m. direct deposit of paychecks into your personal bank or credit union account is available for $4.00 / pay period.

Production Pay Scale

The Salary range is reviewed annually based on the cost of living index and company profitability by department. We will continue to pay our employees at the top of the local industry pay scale when we remain profitable as a company.

Lawn Care Technicians will receive additional production bonuses up to $4 an hour more. All requirements must be met to receive this bonus. It will be on a weekly basis and be on the regular bi-weekly pay checks.

Sales bonuses are also available for technicians upselling our customers or obtaining new customers. These will be paid weekly.

Please read carefully and certify below:

I certify all information on this application to be truthful and complete statements of fact, and understand that falsification or misrepresentation in this or any personnel record may result in my immediate discharge. I authorize Valley Green to make such investigations and inquiries of my personal and employment history, and other matters as may be necessary in arriving at an employment decision. I have a right to make a written request within a reasonable period of time for a complete and accurate disclosure of additional information concerning the nature and scope of the investigation.

I hereby authorize my former employers, school and references to furnish records, transcripts and other information concerning me, and I release them from any and all liability or damages because of furnishing such information.

In consideration of my employment, I agree to conform to the rules and regulations of Valley Green and my employment and compensation can be terminated, with or without notice, at anytime, at the option of either the Company or myself. I understand that this agreement may be modified only in writing, by the president or vice-president of Valley Green, and that no other manager or representative of the Company has any authority to enter into an agreement for employment for any specified period of time, or to make any agreement contrary to the foregoing. Valley Green Companies and its employees and applicants recognize their mutual right to end their employment relationship at any time and acknowledge that such relationship is one of employment at will.