Backhoe Operator Part Time Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Salary: $27.09 - $33.58 Hourly
Location : Gilroy Campus
Job Type: Part-Time
Job Number: 202500145
Department: Grounds
Opening Date: 08/21/2026
Closing Date: 9/4/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Bargaining Unit: CS
Definition
Please note that internal candidates who meet all lateral transfer eligibility requirements and submit their application by the internal deadline of 11:59 p.m. on August 28, 2026, will receive priority consideration over external candidates.
Part-Time Position (0.5 FTE)
Under general supervision, to perform a variety of tasks involving the maintenance, repair and improvement of grounds, athletic fields and courts, and other college facilities; and to perform related duties as assigned.
Distinguishing Characteristics
This job is distinguished from other maintenance jobs by its focus on grounds and related exterior maintenance.
Ideal Candidate:
We are seeking a dedicated and experienced Gardener to maintain our campus grounds. The ideal candidate has a strong background in landscaping, plant care, irrigation systems, and outdoor maintenance. They should be skilled in using gardening tools, pruning, and seasonal planting to ensure a safe, healthy, and welcoming environment for all. The ideal candidate will perform a variety of landscaping and grounds keeping duties on the college grounds/facilities; and perform related duties as assigned.
The ideal candidate understands the mission and purpose of the Grounds Department and Facilities Services and demonstrates a commitment to student centered practices, effective cross campus collaboration, purposeful service to the community and culturally responsive practices.
Essential Duties
The following duties are typical of those performed by employees in this job title; however, employees may perform other related duties, and not all duties listed are necessarily performed by each employee in the job title.

• Seeds, installs sod, fertilizes, mows, edges, and aerates lawns, athletic fields, and other turf using edgers and walk-behind and riding mowers;
• Irrigates grounds and installs, adjusts and maintains irrigation systems piping, wiring and controls;
• Sweeps, repairs and maintains paved court areas including patching, painting surfaces;
• Picks up/sweeps/blows trash and debris on grounds, walkways and other surfaces; empties and cleans waste receptacles; disposes of waste and debris;
• Prepares athletic fields according to specifications: cut lines, chalk, prepare base areas, and pitchers mounds;
• Prunes, trims, and shapes shrubs, and small trees; clears brush and removes trees;
• Weeds grounds, prepares soil, and plants trees, shrubs and plants; • Mixes and applies insecticides, herbicides and other pesticides;
• Operates tractors, trenchers, trucks, backhoe and front loader to dig trenches, clear grounds and grade dirt, and load and haul soil, trimmings and debris;
• Builds and maintains fences, outdoor handrails, and other basic facility maintenance incidental to landscape maintenance;
• Prepares forms, sets rebar, pours and finishes concrete; lays and patches asphalt; • Ensures safety of worksites, uses safety equipment, traffic barriers and related safe work practices; corrects or notifies others of safety issues, needed repairs, etc.;
• Maintains supply inventory and initiates replacement and restocking; maintains logs and records of work performed;
• Assists in loading and unloading of furniture, equipment and supplies;
• May supervise and train student workers, and others;
• May assist with construction, remodeling and other repair and maintenance of facilities.

Minimum Qualifications, Education, and Experience
Knowledge of:
Methods, materials, tools and equipment used in grounds maintenance.
Methods, materials, tools and equipment used in the installation and maintenance of automatic sprinkler systems, and water piping.
Plants, trees, turf and landscaping materials; water and nutrient requirements; pesticides, and fertilizers.
Preparation and maintenance of ball fields and related athletic fields and courts.
Operation of motorized equipment, hydraulic apparatus, and power tools.
Safe working practices.
Skill in:
Mowing, pruning, planting, irrigation, ball field makeup and other grounds work.
Identification and management of basic turf, plant, tree and shrub nutrient, irrigation and disease requirements.
Installing, operating and maintaining irrigation and water supply plumbing, wiring and controls.
Using and performing minor maintenance on landscaping and grounds maintenance tools and equipment.
Reading and interpreting label instructions, lay out diagrams, maps and specifications.
Safety and safe working practices related to chemicals, tools and equipment used.
Preparing and maintaining logs and records.
Other Requirements: Must possess a valid California driver's license and have a satisfactory driving record; possession of pesticide applicator's license is desirable; must be willing to respond to off-hours emergency situations.
ILLUSTRATIVE EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A typical way to obtain the above knowledge and skill is a combination of education and experience equivalent to:
Completion of high school
and
Two years of responsible groundskeeping experience. Additional coursework in horticulture or groundskeeping is desirable.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: The physical abilities involved in the performance of essential duties are:
Strength and stamina to lift and carry equipment weighing up to 90 pounds; ability to work above ground on ladders; agility, strength and manual dexterity to operate a variety of hand and power tools, vehicles and equipment; work outdoors in temperature extremes and inclement weather; vision to read work requests, blueprints and diagrams, manuals, and regulations; speech and hearing for communicating instructions, information, and work requests. This work is performed primarily in an outdoor setting.
NON-DISCRIMINATION: Gavilan College is an equal opportunity/affirmative action/Title IX/Employer of Disabled, committed to hiring a diverse staff. All qualified individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, military status, sexual orientation, or marital status are encouraged to apply. If you have a verifiable disability and require accommodation to complete an application, please contact the Human Resources Office at (408) 852-2823
APPLICATION PROCESS:
You can now apply online by clicking on the job title you are interested in and clicking on the "Apply" link! After viewing the Job Description, click the 'Apply' tab. If this is the first time you are applying using our online job application, you will need to create an account and select a Username and Password. After your account has been established, you can upload it from a saved document on your computer, or manually enter your personal information.
Online applications are stored on a secure site. Only authorized employees and hiring authorities have access to the information submitted.
It is important that your application show all the relevant education and experience you possess. Applications will be rejected if incomplete.
Please be aware, the District does not reimburse for expenses related to the recruitment process.
All applicants for faculty and academic administrator positions must meet the minimum qualifications for the discipline as specified in Minimum Qualifications for Faculty and Administrators in California Community Colleges, published by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. All degrees and credits earned in fulfillment of minimum requirements must be from accredited institutions. Applicants who do not meet the minimum stated educational qualifications may apply for equivalency by submitting the Supplemental Application for Equivalency.
FOREIGN DEGREE HOLDERS
For positions requiring a degree, all foreign degree credentials must be evaluated by a third party to determine the equivalent U.S. degree and major, and the Foreign Credential Evaluation must be attached to your application before your application will be considered. Not attaching your Foreign Credential Evaluation will render your application incomplete. Evaluations should provide the name of the institution attended, a description of your credentials, the major field of study, and the U.S. equivalent for each credential. For a list of evaluating agencies, visit the State of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Note: Even if you obtained your graduate degree(s) in the U.S., you must attach a Foreign Credential Evaluation for your undergraduate degree if it was obtained outside the U.S.
For technical assistance, please contact NEOED's Applicant Support Line at 855-524-5627 or Email: support@governmentjobs.com if your needing help with your online applicant account. Applicant Support is available between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.
The district provides an excellent benefits package for full-time employees. The benefit package includes medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your eligible dependents and life insurance on your behalf in the amount of $50,000. The district also offers a Section 125 program that allows participation in pre-tax reimbursable medical and dependent care cost programs. Additionally, the district offers a 1% matching contribution to CalPERS 457 deferred compensation program to enhance your retirement options.
Part-time employees who work an average of 25 hours per week over the course of a year, may choose to receive benefits on a pro-rated basis.
01
Do you have a high school diploma or GED?

• Yes
• No

02
Do you have two years of responsible groundskeeping experience?

• Yes
• No

03
Are you willing to respond to potential off-hours emergency situations?

• Yes
• No

04
Describe your commitment to diversity, inclusion, accessibility and anti-racism and how your experiences have prepared you to advance our District's and state's commitment to these values.
05
I have read and understand that all required attachments must be included with my online application and submitted by the close date and time in order to move forward in the recruitment process. I understand that I will be disqualified from the recruitment process if all required documents are not submitted (with this application) by the close date and time. I understand that if I attach a resume and/or cover letter in lieu of completing any portion of the application, my application is incomplete and will not be considered for this examination, and my application will not be further processed. This statement applies to all applicants, including current Gavilan College employees. I understand that if I submit more than one application, my newest application will be considered, and all others will be considered duplicates and will not be reviewed. I have read the above statements carefully and understand them to their fullest.

• Yes
• No

06
I understand that I must provide a working email address on my application where I will receive notifications regarding the status of my application and if selected for an interview, I will be email notified to self-schedule my interview.

• Yes
• No

07
I understand that recruitment-related notifications may be sent to my email account's junk or spam folder. It is my responsibility to monitor these folders after the position's closing date to ensure I do not miss any communications regarding the status of my application or interview scheduling.

• Yes
• No

Required Question