Plant Health Care Technician: This position serves as a tree and plant health care technician with the primary responsibility of monitoring, evaluating, and providing plant health care needs on clients’ properties.

· Must have a valid driver’s license with a clean driving record

· Ability to obtain and maintain first-aid certification

· Ability to obtain and maintain a pesticide license

· Work outdoors under varying and sometimes adverse weather conditions

· Possess professionalism- assuring customer service, respect and satisfaction

· Must be able to mix, load, and apply pesticides and fertilizers

· Must be able to perform moderately strenuous tasks while wearing a respirator

Responsibilities:

· Loads and unloads spray hose, 5-gallon pesticide cans, 50lbs fertilizer bags, etc.; may have to drag up to 300 feet of spray hose

· Uses spray gun, fertilization equipment, backpack sprayers, hand sprayers and related equipment

· Keeps work area clean and orderly; may have to cover pools, birdbaths, flower beds, plant or other contaminated objects after spraying

· Carries, lays out and stows other materials, tools, and equipment at the work site

· Drives or operates trucks and other equipment as assigned

· Services trucks and equipment; keeps truck and other assigned equipment in a neat and orderly fashion; reports need for repairs to truck and equipment to supervisor

· Maintains sprayers, spreaders and tools in a good working order

· Safeguards employees and public from hazards in and around the work area

· Helps enforce on-the-job safety practices

Chemical/Application Knowledge:

· Reads and understands purpose for chemical application

· Reads labels and understands approved method for handling, storage, loading and mixing chemicals

· Aware of and utilizes compatible chemical mixtures

· Keeps up-to-date on latest revisions with EPA or Dept. of Agriculture in local jurisdiction

· Knows current company policy

· Knowledgeable of and proficient in techniques to apply the following types of chemicals:

- Pre-emergent/bare ground and planted areas

Post-emergent/bare ground and planted areas

o Insect/disease control

o Growth regulator

o Foliar/root injections fertilization

· Assures that tank labeling is accurate and labeling is changed as chemical mixes are changed

· Surveys area prior to spraying to determine that:

o Chemical request meets current job needs

o Chemical rate requested is within standards for work to be performed

o Awareness of obstacles, water hazards, job conditions, people in the same area or any other adverse conditions that should be investigated before any chemicals are dispensed

o Determines boundaries and scope of area to be sprayed and mixes only enough chemicals to complete the assigned job

· Surveys spray equipment for any leaks, bubbles in spray hose, contaminants on the bed of the truck or any other deficiency that may cause injury to operator, the public or damage to the client’s or neighboring properties

· Knows how to use and transport materials and chemicals to avoid waste, loss and hazards

Client Relations:

· Is aware of and follows company guidelines on service management

· When approached by client or tenant on a project, acts in a cooperative manner to help answer any questions that pertain to the chemical application at that specific location

· Refers any other client inquiry to job supervisor

Quality Control:

· Insures cleanliness of chemical vehicles before leaving yard to avoid any unintentional contamination at field site

· Follows up to insure that the chemical application has met the intended purpose. If application does not meet standard, investigates to identify cause

Documentation of Work:

· Maintains daily log of work performed, chemical materials used, location and wind conditions, application technique used, total gallons used, disposal of leftover material, originator of request and other comments

· Maintains timecard daily

· Completes and turns in all spray work request forms daily

Equipment Maintenance:

· Starts equipment before leaving the yard to test for problems

· Checks oil in spray engine daily

· Checks oil level after every fueling

· Washes truck weekly in yard

· Maintains clean and neat chemical storage area

· Follows company policy on truck maintenance, daily checks and monthly truck inspection reports

· Advises supervisor immediately of any mechanical deficiencies

· Understands cleaning and decontamination of spray equipment and safety gear

Safety:

· Checks three times a day all areas of spray vehicle for possible leaks or safety violations

· Knows and follows all applicable company safety rules

· Reports any incidents to immediate supervisor within 30 minutes of occurrence

· Keeps supervisor informed daily of any schedule changes that would alter operator’s location by more than one hour

· Maintains and prominently displays map of nearest medical facility

· Knows actions to follow to contain a chemical leak or chemical spill

· Maintains and updates SDS sheets as required by law (located in office)

· Does not leave vehicle unattended unless all is secured

· Does not operate in certain adverse weather conditions

· Does not load, mix or apply chemicals if public is within 50 feet of work area, except in supervisor approved situations

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: $18.00 - $22.00 per hour

Expected hours: 30 – 50 per week

Schedule:

8 hour shift
Day shift
Monday to Friday
Overtime

Ability to commute/relocate:

Fairfield County, CT: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Experience:

Landscape maintenance: 1 year (Preferred)
Plant management: 1 year (Preferred)

License/Certification:

Driver's License (Required)
Pesticide Applicator’s License (Required)

Work Location: In person

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