Grounds Maintenance Specialist

Civil Service Status

This is a Civil Service position

Hours of Work

Normal working hours are 7:30am to 4:00pm Monday through Friday.

Working hours/days may vary during the construction and winter seasons. There are times when it will be necessary to work night shifts, weekends, and be on call and/or work alternating 12-hour shifts.

Overtime and weekend work as required

Tentative Start Date

February/March 2026

Job Summary

The City of West Des Moines Public Services Department is seeking a full-time Grounds Maintenance Specialist to develop, maintain, and protect City parks and open spaces, trails, recreation facilities, cemeteries, municipal building grounds and public parking lots, street medians, aquatics facilities and water features, Valley Junction business district, and park equipment and assets. This position will operate light and heavy equipment and perform manual labor, semi-skilled, and skilled work tasks. Duties include mowing, snow removal, playground inspections, tree maintenance, etc.

Deadline to Apply

January 2, 2026 at 11:59 pm

Job Description

Grounds Maintenance Specialist

Requires high school diploma or equivalent; a minimum of 12 months of related work experience (i.e. laboring work including the use of tools and light equipment common to general construction, maintenance and repair work); ability to obtain an Iowa Class B commercial driver's license with air brake and tanker endorsement within 6 months of employment; ability to obtain pesticide certification (3OT) within 6 months of employment; ability to obtain Playground Safety Inspector Certification within 12 months of employment; a good driving record; and the ability to operate equipment such as end loaders, dump trucks, snow plows, etc.

Steps to Apply

1. Profile : You MUST complete an online Applicant Profile. A link is provided below to our Online Application System.

2. Attachments : You must attach the following documents to your profile under the Apply For Job section (attachments are job specific, once you click Finish & Apply you will not be able to add any additional documents):

a) Written Questionnaire - You must attach the completed questionnaire to your profile prior to clicking Finish & Apply. Link provided below

A completed written questionnaire must be attached to your application by the deadline date, January 2, 2026 by 11:59 pm CDT to be considered for this position.

1. Qualifications/Certifications/Licenses : Under the Resume & Qualifications section, make sure to list any certifications or licenses you currently hold.

NOTE: Commercial Driver's License (CDL): If applicable, please provide your CDL (Commercial Driver's License) information including endorsements on the Certification/License section of the online profile.

1. Applying for Position : Once you have completed your profile, you MUST apply for the position (The link to Finish & Apply is located on the Apply For Job section after you have completed your profile. Once you have applied, it will be listed under your My Applications tab. Any applications marked as Status: Incomplete, have not been submitted.)

All steps MUST be completed before the posted deadline to be considered for this position. We will not accept incomplete profiles. Communication throughout this process (including invitations to any examinations and/or interviews) will be made via the email supplied through the City's on-line application system. It is recommended to check your email "Junk" or "Spam" folder for emails from the City of West Des Moines. If you have any questions during the application process, please contact Human Resources at

Physical/Drug Testing

Post offer, pre-employment physical and drug test are required.

Civil Service Exam

A Civil Service Examination will be administered for this position. The Top 15 applicants meeting the minimum qualifications for the position, submitting all required application materials, and receiving a passing score on the written questionnaire will be invited to participate in the remainder of the Civil Service Examination, which will include an oral board interview and an equipment knowledge test.

Oral board interviews and the equipment knowledge testing are tentatively scheduled for the week of January 26, 2026. All dates are tentative and subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances.