How to hire a grounds/maintenance specialist

How to hire a grounds/maintenance specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step grounds/maintenance specialist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a grounds/maintenance specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new grounds/maintenance specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a grounds/maintenance specialist, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A grounds/maintenance specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, grounds/maintenance specialists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of grounds/maintenance specialist salaries for various roles:

   Type of Grounds/Maintenance Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Grounds/Maintenance Specialist	Grounds maintenance workers ensure that the grounds of houses, businesses, and parks are attractive, orderly, and healthy in order to provide a pleasant outdoor environment.	$11-19
   Yard Worker	A yard worker provides landscape maintenance services to homes and establishments. Their responsibilities typically include meeting with clients to identify their needs and landscape preferences, mowing lawns, growing plants and trees, applying pesticides and fertilizers, operating irrigation systems, and maintaining grounds clean and presentable... Show more	$12-18
   Lawn Care Worker	A lawn care worker specializes in enhancing and maintaining the cleanliness of gardens and landscapes. Most of the responsibilities will require manual work and attention to detail, along with time management... Show more	$11-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • GRASS
   • Snow Blowers
   • Blowers
   • OSHA
   • Flower Beds
   • Mowers
   • Grounds Maintenance
   • Mowing
   • Hand Tools
   • Lawn Care
   • Snow Removal
   • Building Maintenance
   • MOW
   • Plumbing

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage clients and run all landscape operations including groundskeeping, seasonal cleaning, and pressure washing
   • Seed, place grass sod, mow, irrigate, fertilize and maintain lawns.
   • Mow and landscape when need.
   • Golf course maintenance, mowing, trimming, landscape, bunkers, etc.
   • Learned the ways of specific techniques of raking bunkers, cutting grass, and working with precision tools.
   • Maintain airport grounds using commercial mowing and construction equipment.

   More grounds/maintenance specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the grounds/maintenance specialist job description is a good way to get more applicants. A grounds/maintenance specialist salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a grounds/maintenance specialist in Alabama may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level grounds/maintenance specialist. Additionally, a grounds/maintenance specialist with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average grounds/maintenance specialist salary

   $15.27hourly

   $31,752 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level grounds/maintenance specialist salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average grounds/maintenance specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Minnesota	$37,754	$18
   2	Connecticut	$35,961	$17
   3	New York	$35,879	$17
   4	New Jersey	$33,417	$16
   5	Colorado	$32,853	$16
   6	Illinois	$32,254	$16
   7	Wyoming	$31,616	$15
   8	Pennsylvania	$30,582	$15
   9	Maryland	$30,366	$15
   10	Ohio	$30,186	$15
   11	Kansas	$28,622	$14
   12	Missouri	$27,322	$13
   13	Indiana	$27,176	$13
   14	Virginia	$24,484	$12
   15	Louisiana	$24,243	$12
   16	North Carolina	$23,934	$12
   17	Florida	$23,827	$11
   18	Alabama	$23,791	$11
   19	South Carolina	$21,445	$10

   Average grounds/maintenance specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Lakeland Electric	$47,882	$23.02
   2	Rawhide	$38,294	$18.41
   3	Lifesteps	$37,526	$18.04	6
   4	Leidos	$37,456	$18.01	2
   5	Medical University of South Carolina	$36,582	$17.59
   6	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	$35,371	$17.01	2
   7	Valmont Industries	$35,246	$16.95
   8	Irvine Valley College	$34,101	$16.39
   9	Service Corporation International	$33,905	$16.30	30
   10	Mayer Brothers	$33,769	$16.24
   11	TEAM Industries	$33,255	$15.99	1
   12	The Summit	$32,999	$15.86	5
   13	Landscape Services	$32,999	$15.86	1
   14	Private Inc	$32,998	$15.86
   15	Lasting Impressions	$32,970	$15.85
   16	Brevard Achievement Center	$32,954	$15.84
   17	Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority	$32,905	$15.82
   18	SFP	$32,770	$15.75
   19	Temp1	$32,551	$15.65	1
   20	Garden View Landscape	$32,363	$15.56

4. Writing a grounds/maintenance specialist job description

   A job description for a grounds/maintenance specialist role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a grounds/maintenance specialist job description:

   Grounds/maintenance specialist job description example

   * Locate, identify, and control weeds
   * Use of power tools required for drilling or cutting into buildings to access infestations and install physical barriers for treatment and exclusions of infested areas
   * Update service logs and communicate with facility staff as necessary
   * Maintain accountability of tools, equipment, and supplies assigned
   * Procure necessary equipment and materials to ensure completion of projects in a timely manner
   * Take initiative in identifying and resolving various repair problems to ensure job completion
   * Ability to follow specific directions and guidelines regarding mixing and formulations of chemicals
   * Maintain accurate records for completion of work orders including but not limited to labor and material costs
   * Communicate with principals, department heads, and others in scheduling weed control treatments and/or maintenance repair needs
   * Report unresolved maintenance problems or issues to immediate supervisor
   * Must have experience in applying pre-emergent and post-emergent Herbicides
   * Comply with District policies and procedures
   * Perform other tasks and duties as assigned
   * All federally funded incumbents of this position must comply with time and effort reporting requirements through personnel activity reports or periodic certification, as appropriate
   * Accredited High School Diploma or USA equivalency
   * Must hold a Structural Pest Control Service/TDA state license in the category of "Weed"
   * Knowledge of "Integrated Pest Management" procedures and laws
   * Current on state-required CEU credits
   * Two (2) years experience as a certified applicator
   * Must maintain a valid Texas Driver's License with a driving record that meets district driver standards
   * Demonstrate ability to perform responsibilities under general supervision
   * Demonstrate basic skills in math, chemistry, and writing
   * Demonstrate proof of technical knowledge and skills related to specific craft
   * Demonstrate knowledge of the tools and equipment related to the craft
   * Demonstrate organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills required to achieve the goals of the position
   * Knowledge of the types of Herbicides used for Weed control, such as general use and restricted use chemicals

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find grounds/maintenance specialists for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any grounds/maintenance specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level grounds/maintenance specialists with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your grounds/maintenance specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit grounds/maintenance specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with grounds/maintenance specialist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new grounds/maintenance specialist

   Once you've selected the best grounds/maintenance specialist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new grounds/maintenance specialist first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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