Irrigation Technician - Full-time

The Ideal Candidate:

Are you passionate about creating and maintaining beautiful, green public spaces for our community? Do you have a talent for installing, troubleshooting, and maintaining irrigation systems? If so, we want you to join our city team!

As an Irrigation Technician, you'll play a vital role in enhancing the beauty and functionality of our city parks, sports fields, and public gardens. You'll have the opportunity to operate equipment such as tractors and trenchers to install and repair irrigation lines with precision and care. Your strong leadership abilities will be essential as you oversee projects, guide a dedicated team, and ensure tasks are completed seamlessly.

The ideal candidate for the Irrigation Technician role demonstrates strong expertise in irrigation system installation, troubleshooting, and maintenance to ensure reliable and efficient water distribution across diverse landscapes. They bring hands-on experience operating equipment such as tractors, trenchers, and related machinery to install, repair, and maintain irrigation lines with precision. Effective leadership skills are essential, as this position oversees project workflows, supports team members, and ensures all tasks are completed safely, accurately, and on schedule.

1. Maintains, adjusts and repairs irrigation systems using appropriate tools and equipment by laying, removing, replacing or repairing pipes, valves, sprinkler heads and time clocks.
2. Reads blueprints, uses probes and digs areas to locate, lay or repair irrigation lines.
3. Locates, replaces, and repairs low voltage, underground irrigation wiring.
4. Builds forms, mixes and pours concrete to establish, repair, and/or secure close base structures.
5. Orders, stores and maintains parts, tools, supplies and equipment.
6. Observes and enforces safety practices and procedures.
7. Performs Senior Groundsworker duties when circumstances require it.
8. Maintains routine records related to vehicle and/or equipment maintenance and operation, work orders and other maintenance activities.
9. Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualification Guidelines:

A typical way to obtain the requisite qualifications to perform the duties of this class is as follows:

Education and/or Experience: 

Graduation from high school or GED and three (3) years of full-time, paid experience in skilled-level grounds maintenance experience including one (1) year of full-time experience maintaining and repairing irrigation systems.  Experience and/or education in a related field may be substituted on a year for year basis.

Knowledge of:

• Irrigation systems, components, maintenance and repair.
• Plumbing and pipe fitting technique.
• Hand and power tool use and operation.
• Methods, equipment, tools and materials used in grounds maintenance work.
• Characteristics of plants, trees and grass common to the area.
• Types and techniques for the control of plant diseases and pests.
• Principles and practices of training and providing work direction.
• Appropriate safety practices and procedures.
• Maintenance of tools and/or equipment.
• Applicable sections of the California Vehicle Code.
• Routine record-keeping techniques.

• Read blueprints.
• Repair and trouble shoot irrigation systems.
• Identify common plants and trees.
• Perform semi-skilled to skilled grounds maintenance work; assist in training and provide work direction and supervision to others.
• Operate a variety of grounds maintenance tools, equipment, and machines safely and efficiently.
• Maintain tools, equipment and/or vehicles in clean and proper working condition.
• Lift objects weighing from 75-100 pounds.
• Observe and enforce safety practices and procedures.
• Understand and follow oral and written directions.
• Maintain routine records and reports.
• Observe legal and defensive driving practices.
• Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others.
• Perform medium to heavy manual labor.

License and/or Certificate:

Possession of a valid California Class C driver's license.  Employees in this classification will be enrolled in the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Government Employer Pull Notice Program which confirms possession of valid driver's license and reflects driving record.

Physical Requirements & Working Conditions:

Employee accommodations for physical or mental disabilities will be considered on a case by-case basis. Positions in this class normally:

• Require the mobility to stand, stoop, reach and bend.
• Require mobility of arms to reach and dexterity of hands to grasp and manipulate small objects.
• May be required to stand for long periods.
• Perform work which involves the frequent lifting, pushing and/or pulling of objects which may approximate 75 pounds and may occasionally weigh up to 100 pounds.
• Are subject to outside environmental conditions and/or inclement weather.
• May be required to work with harsh and/or hazardous materials.
• May be required to wear protective apparel including, but not limited to goggles, face protectors, aprons, shoes and oxygen breathing apparatus.
• May be required to work around loud noise, moving mechanical parts, and/or around electrical current.
• May be required to respond to emergency situations.
• May be required to drive City and/or personal vehicle in the scope of employment.
   

• Supplemental Questionnaire, no weight 
• Written exam, weighted at 100%
• Final Selection Interview

The Human Resources Department reserves the right to adjust, modify, delete and/or change the above exam types and/or weights.   Supplemental questionnaires are used to evaluate applicant’s indicated abilities with the ideal candidate profile. The Human Resources Department reserves the right to invite those amongst the highest scoring to the next phase of the recruitment. 

Appointment:  

Any offer of employment, or acceptance of an employment offer, is contingent upon passing live scan, background check and other required tests. All new employees are required to take a loyalty oath.

Other Information:

The City of Carson is an Equal Opportunity Employer, dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We believe in the strength that comes from different perspectives and experiences, and we are committed to building a workforce that reflects the vibrant diversity of our community. This commitment is embraced at all levels of our organization, from our management staff to our policymakers. We partner with our staff and community organizations to ensure our policies and practices remain transparent and equitable. As part of this commitment, we regularly publish updated demographic information on our workforce, including data on diversity and pay equity by race and gender.
  
In accordance with the California Fair Chance Act, the City of Carson will consider all qualified applicants, including those with a criminal history. Applicants are not required to disclose their criminal history or undergo a background check until receiving a conditional job offer. If any concerns arise from a background check, and the conviction is directly related to the role, applicants will have the opportunity to provide context, present mitigating evidence, or dispute the report's accuracy. For more information about the Fair Chance Act, please visit . 
 
The City of Carson intends to provide reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. If you need a special accommodation during the recruitment process or would like this information in an alternative format, please contact Human Resources at (310) 952-1736.