Job Overview

To assist the landscaping team leader in the production work and to ensure the work is completed to the company's quality standards.

Responsibilities and Duties

1. Safety
• At the end of every day, return home safely to your family. :)
• As our job is inherently dangerous, ensure work is performed safely, minimizing dangers, and in accordance to policies.
• Receive training on ALL tools, and demonstrate proficiency throughout.
• Ensure all equipment is secured for multiple reasons.
• Be willing to remind others: personal protection equipment (PPE) worn by teammates.
• Abide by all Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations while driving; place safety cones beside the truck and trailer when parking.
• Follow ALL laws and regulations concerning equipment, stop equipment before adjusting.
• Maintain a clean and safe work environment, including worksite and equipment.
• Clean up the jobsite at the end of each day, to the best of your abilities.
2. Understands landscaping blueprints, reviews plan(s) with team leader and implements the landscape construction plan.
3. Operates alongside of a variety of mechanical equipment including but not limited to mowers, line trimmers, edgers, hedge trimmers, chainsaws, trucks, shovels, rakes, axes, picks, skid steers, mini skid steers, tillers, augers, concrete saws, lopping shears, chippers and drills.
4. With a CDL, operate vehicles such as an F-350 dump truck and/or dump trailer. As a proficient, licensed driver, safely handle truck and trailer combinations.
5. Assist the team leader in interacting with clients by way of introductions at the beginning of a job, answering questions, responding to client's requests, making reasonable suggestions to the plan, and assists on a walk-through upon the job's completion.
6. Assist the team leader in completing the necessary paperwork including checking in (at start of work day) and out (upon leaving 971 Michigan Ave at the end of the work day), work orders, change orders, material orders, and client job sheets.
7. Assist the team leader in planning and organizing the job, ensuring that sufficient resources and materials are loaded & available. Also, demonstrate that jobs are completed in the most time-efficient manner.
8. Brief team leader and makes recommendations on job status, personnel issues, client concerns, and possibly how to streamline the process for the best end result.
   
9. Work as a member of the team.
   
   • Stay proactive, looking for things to help get the job done.
   • Be willing to ask questions, if you don't know how to do something.
   • Remain productive, even if not expressly instructed to do every
   • Be a critical thinker and a problem-solver.
10. Help, as necessary, if on call, with the ice & snow maintenance, and /or arbor work, during the winter months.
11. Maintain assigned equipment and notify the team leader of needed repairs.
12. Applies or assists with chemicals under the direction of a licensed custom applicator.

Qualifications

Education: High School diploma or GED

Experience: One year's experience in the landscaping field is preferred but not required.

Skills: Candidate must be able to read well, write clearly, and communicate effectively. Knowledge of standard horticultural practices, including but not limited to planting, pruning, and fertilization.

Certifications: Driver's license.

Reliable Transportation & Dependability: It's generally much better, and more professional, to arrive a few minutes early as opposed to a few minutes late.

Physical Demands: Employee is regularly required to stand, walk, crouch, stoop, bend, or kneel; reach with hands and arms; talk, and hear. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 75 pounds.

Job Site Conditions: Employee is regularly exposed to wet/and or humid conditions, outside weather (both heat or cold), and moving mechanical equipment. Must be able to withstand inclement weather conditions, uneven terrain, etc.

Notes: The employee will work closely with members of the team, landscape designers, team leaders, and clients.

Work Hours: We are flexible; hours based on the amount of daylight, seasons and weather, but as an average, we shoot for the following:

7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (occasionally working later than 5 pm if the job logically requires it, or if the forecast for upcoming days looks ominous.)

Makeup or additional work on Saturdays are likely scheduled, if multiple rained-out days occurred in the Mon - Fri work week. (We do our very best to get in a minimum of 36 hours, even if there's a strong chance of having a few rainy days during the Mon-Sat week.)

We do not require working on Sundays, except for snow / ice services. If you work with snow and ice you generally cannot wait 24 hours!

Lunch - 20 minutes, w. two 5 minute breaks additional.

Competitive Compensation: Starting BASE pay AVERAGE is $14.00 - $15.00 per hour. Pay raises reflect proficiency in abilities, growth in knowledge and skills with operating machinery and tools. (If an incoming worker is very advanced in skill, proficient in multiple aspects of the job, requiring very little hands-on training, exceptional work ethic from very early on, etc. beginning pay will likely be higher from the onset. This will be demonstrated, and at the team leader's and owner's discretion-and will be in writing to the employee.)

After 30 days; with zero (0) NO SHOWS: +$.25 to +.50 / hour to agreed upon rate of pay as MPL values clear communication, dependability and reliability.

After 60 days; with zero (0) NO SHOWS, demonstrating significant growth in some of the 30 outlined skills development, including fostering a positive work culture: +$.25 to +.50 / hour to agreed upon rate of pay.

After the early-July (or first full three months / quarter of the year that employee has worked for MPL), pay is based on continued reliability (zero (0) NO SHOWS), demonstrating significant, ongoing skill development, including fostering a positive work culture: +$.25 to +.50 / hour to agreed upon rate of pay. All of this is charted and accessible to employees.

Every 6 months afterwards, provided you continue working for MPL, Inc. (even if at times, it's "only" part time or seasonal), you could potentially have additional raises between $.50 / hr and $1 / hr added onto your previous rate per hour based on mastery of 30 outlined skills.

Once you reach $18 / hr, pay raises will, most likely, be annual; usually occurring in the early July evaluation, and will be up to $1/hr additional to the prior pay rate.