The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) enriches the environment and protects public health for all New Yorkers by providing 1.1 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water, managing wastewater and stormwater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution. DEP is the largest combined municipal water and wastewater utility in the country, with nearly 6,000 employees. DEP's water supply system is comprised of 19 reservoirs and 3 controlled lakes throughout the system’s 2,000 square mile watershed that extends 125 miles north and west of the City.

DEP is in partnership with various City agencies to construct systems of Green infrastructure (GI) Rain Gardens and, for the purposes of stormwater capture and improved water quality in NYC’s waterways. The majority of Rain Gardens are sited in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. DEP is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of these assets. GI Rain Gardens combine engineered stormwater capture with natural elements of soil and plants and require particular and specialized care and maintenance. Green infrastructure collects stormwater runoff from rooftops, streets, and sidewalks before it goes into the combined sewer system and contributes to Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) pollution in surrounding waterbodies. Green infrastructure is a more cost-effective way to manage stormwater in New York City and will save New Yorkers billions of dollars over the next 20 years.

The Associate Park Service Worker will direct and supervise City Park Workers and seasonal City Park Workers in the routine maintenance of Rain Gardens, Stormwater Green Streets, Porous Pavement and other Green Infrastructure assets. The maintenance crews perform a variety of tasks to keep the Rain Gardens functional and attractive. To ensure performance, the teams typically remove weeds, prune, and replace and replace dead plants as well as remove sediment from inlets, outlets, stone columns and soil to make sure stormwater flows into and within the asset properly. These actions keep the curb appeal of the rain gardens and preserve sight lines to keep pedestrians and vehicles safe. Although the amount of maintenance each GI asset needs varies by size, neighborhood (commercial or residential areas), and by season, every Rain Garden is visited about once a week.

The Associate Park Service Worker will also be responsible for ensuring that assigned Green Infrastructure assets are cleaned free of trash regularly and that all hardscape features therein are maintained to standards established by supervision.
Typical tasks include;

- Assigns staff to appropriate work zones, ensuring that work crews are balanced and evenly distributed for each assigned work zone.
- Ensures that appropriate tools and the quantity of tools needed for tasks are correct.
- Ensures that all field staff are wearing the appropriate PPE and comply with all Agency EH&S policies.
- Operates vehicles incidental to the performance of duties.
- Routinely inspects the progress and quality of the work performed in each work zone.
- Either directly, or through delegation to City Park Workers, ensures that trucks and vans are inspected daily for function and appearance.
- Acts as the primary contact person between the administrative staff and field personnel.

1. A four-year high school diploma or its education equivalent and 6 months of full-time satisfactory paid experience in gardening, grounds or tree maintenance, or in the building, construction or maintenance trades; or

2. One year of full-time experience in gardening, grounds or tree maintenance, or in the building, construction or maintenance trades; or

License Requirement:

Possession of a Class B Commercial Driver License valid in the State of New York. There may be certain age requirements to obtain this license. Employees must maintain the Class B Commercial Driver License during their employment.

- Excellent Communication Skills - Supervisory experience

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.