Turf Care Groundskeeper I or II - Ballfield

Turf Care Groundskeeper I or II - Ballfield

Job Description

Reports to: Manager-Turf Care

Department: Landscape Management

Status Full-time Non-exempt

About the Park and Central Park Conservancy

Central Park is one of the world's most famous and beloved public spaces. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1858, the 843-acre Park was the country's first purpose-built public park and is a National Historic Landmark and a New York Scenic Landmark. The Central Park Conservancy, a private, not-for-profit organization, was founded in 1980 to rescue the Park, which had fallen into serious disrepair. Since then, the Conservancy has overseen the investment of over $1.6 billion in the restoration of the Park, which now hosts over 40 million visitors a year.

The Conservancy is one of the largest and most successful public private partnerships in New York City and is considered a major civic institution given its impact on the health and vibrancy of both the Park and the City.  The Conservancy’s mission is to preserve and celebrate Central Park as a sanctuary from urban life. The City of New York has formally entrusted the care of the Park to the Conservancy which is responsible for every aspect of its care, including landscape maintenance, capital improvements, and the visitor experience. The Conservancy employs roughly 400 people and has an annual operating budget of $100 million. 

Position Summary
The Ballfield Groundskeeper in the Turf Care Management Department is responsible for the care and maintenance of the North Meadow Ballfields, ensuring high-quality playing conditions through specialized turf and infield maintenance practices. Working under the supervision of the Turf Care leadership team, the Ballfield Groundskeeper will focus primarily on baseball and softball field maintenance while supporting broader turf care initiatives as needed.

Summary of Essential Job Functions

Ballfield Maintenance:

• Perform daily infield maintenance, including dragging, rolling, and leveling playing surfaces.
• Conduct edging, painting, and preparation of pitching mounds, and home plates.
• Apply infield mix, topdressing, and conditioners as needed to maintain safe and playable surfaces.
• Perform all string trimming needed in and around the fields
• Set up and break down field layouts between baseball/softball and soccer season
• Assist in seasonal field renovations, including laser grading and sod installation.
• Assess field conditions during inclement weather for safety and communicate field status updates

Technical Operation:

• Assist in mowing and trimming turf areas parkwide.
• Perform aeration, overseeding, and fertilization in accordance to Turf Care Management Plan.
• Operate utility vehicles, mowers, tractors, drags, and field-specific grooming equipment.
• Support irrigation maintenance, troubleshooting, and repairs as needed.
• Assist in chemical applications, including calibration, handling, and application of fertilizers and other treatments per regulations.
• Perform material additions, grading and leveling of soft surface areas and operation of associated equipment
• Safely operate heavy machinery such as front-end loaders, skid steer and trucks when required.
• Advanced knowledge of preventative maintenance on all machinery used in Turf Care parkwide operations
• Perform snow removal and ice mitigation on park drives, park perimeter and other hard surfaces with machines and physical labor to provide appropriate levels of access as per established organizational standards
• Maintain all plant beds in assigned sections, including weeding, mulching, raking and pruning, according to an established schedule to organizational standards
• Support waste management operation by picking up and performing proper disposal of trash/debris in the landscape and fence line.

Collaboration & Communication:

• Cooperate with other staff within Landscape Management and across departments to complete assigned tasks.
• Work alongside volunteers and interns, assisting with training as needed.
• Assist in the preparation of special events as needed
• Display the necessary initiative and dependability to work alone or in groups
• Interact with Park patrons and colleagues in a courteous and professional manner

Related Work:

• Operate various types of equipment including utility vehicles, loaders, lifts, trucks and tractors (including implements) as directed
• Maintain tools and equipment in good working order and report items that require repair
• Participat