Grounds/Maintenance Worker

Put your skills to the test as you provide critical help in ensuring our facilities are safe and maintained.

Join our dynamic team in beautiful Thunder Bay – a vibrant city that blends natural beauty with rich cultural heritage. We look forward to welcoming a dedicated grounds/maintenance worker who will conduct general groundskeeping and maintenance services, as well as escort external tradespeople throughout our facilities while they perform skilled trades work.

About the job
Working as part of a small maintenance team at the Thunder Bay Jail, you will enjoy a variety of tasks as well as a steady work schedule.

In this role you can expect to:
• Perform groundskeeping and grounds maintenance duties on a seasonal basis including the repair and maintenance of grass cutting and snow removal equipment
• Conduct general maintenance on buildings, fences, signs, and other facility structures
• Provide cleaning, repair, and troubleshooting services
• Assist in renovation, installation, and restoration projects
• Assist, escort and guide skilled tradespersons and contractors
• Perform semi-skilled maintenance including minor plumbing, carpentry, painting, electrical and welding tasks

What you bring to the team

Groundskeeping Knowledge and Experience:
• You have groundskeeping and gardening experience, including knowledge of horticultural theories and practices such as planting, lawn maintenance and care, and mixing and applying herbicides
• You are able to safely operate and maintain related machinery including garden tractors, lawn mowers, weed-eaters, and snow removal equipment

Maintenance Knowledge and Experience:
• You have knowledge of plumbing, carpentry, welding, masonry and painting
• You have experience servicing and repairing structures and equipment to perform a variety of maintenance duties
• You have knowledge of blueprints, schematics, and diagrams/drawings
• You have experience using a variety of hand and power toolsSkills
• You have communication and interpersonal skills to assist with and discuss projects with trades personnel and correctional staff on installations, repairs and renovations
• You have written communication skills to complete reports and maintain accurate logs
• You have reasoning and problem-solving skills to determine appropriate methods and tools to complete duties
• You have planning and coordinating skills to ensure maintenance services are completed in a timely manner and according to testing and servicing schedules

Health and Safety Knowledge:
• You have knowledge of workplace health and safety (i.e. WHMIS, Occupational Health and Safety Act, etc.)
• You have demonstrated ability to understand and comply with corporate policies and protocols and acquire knowledge of institutional security practices and procedures
• You have knowledge of environmental waste management regulations for both garbage and hazardous waste to ensure safe storage and disposal

Don’t meet every qualification?
If you are excited about this position and meet most, but not all, of the listed qualifications, please still consider applying. We recognize that no one person might have every qualification in this job ad, and you just might be the right candidate!How we support diversity, inclusion and accessibility
We are building an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We encourage everyone interested in working with us to apply, including people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black and racialized individuals, as well as people from all ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.

Our hiring process is accessible, consistent with Ontario’s Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. We are working to prevent and remove barriers in our hiring processes and can offer  accommodation to address specific needs related to Code-protected grounds such as disability, family status and religion. For more information about accommodation during the hiring process please  contact us.

Learn more about the work the OPS is doing to create an inclusive, anti-racist, accessible and diverse workplace:

• diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
• accessibility
• Anti-Racism Policy

The Ontario Public Service is one of Ontario’s largest employers. Employees work for a wide range of ministries, with offices in more than 70 cities across the province.

We offer:
• a career that can grow across ministries and job functions
• flexible learning and developmental opportunities, including education and mentorship programs
• a comprehensive compensation and benefits package
• base salary that aligns to market trends with performance-based pay and scheduled salary progression