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The Cornell University campus is widely admired as one of the world’s most beautiful academic settings. The Division of Facilities and Campus Services is committed to providing the highest quality service to, students, staff, alumni and visitors. With more than 260 major buildings enhancing the magnificent landscape of the Ithaca campus, approximately 1,000 highly talented and dedicated staff serve as stewards of the campus resources and operations. All employees are accountable for supporting the organization’s values of truth, respect, excellence, teamwork, and integrity; and supporting inclusive and sustainable practices in carrying out everyday responsibilities.
Facilities Management (FM) provides maintenance, grounds, and custodial services to the entire campus. As a key steward of the University’s facilities, FM is responsible for facility assessments, skilled trades, general construction, building care, grounds, recycling, asbestos, and the management of planned, corrective, and preventive maintenance.
The Senior Grounds Vehicle Mechanic serves as the lead mechanic for Grounds vehicle and equipment maintenance, reporting directly to the Construction Manager of Grounds. Consistent with management direction, this position assists with oversight and coordination of mechanics and temporary staff, including scheduling, assigning routine work, training staff in equipment maintenance procedures and safety protocols, providing guidance on vehicle maintenance matters, and inspecting work for compliance with standards.
This position performs and helps oversee skilled diagnostics, servicing, repairs, inspections, fabrication, preventive maintenance, and recordkeeping for a wide variety of Grounds fleet vehicles and equipment, including turf, landscape maintenance, construction, snow removal, diesel, and other vehicular equipment. The position oversees the Grounds NYS Vehicle Inspection program, supports research and selection of large and small equipment purchases, handles day-to-day procurement of parts and supplies, manages stock and shop tool inventories, and helps maintain a safe, clean, and efficient shop operation.
The position also administers receiving processes for the Grounds department, ensuring accurate receipt, documentation, and billing paperwork for materials, equipment, chemicals, supplies, and other department purchases. The position may operate landscape, construction, and heavy snow removal equipment, including dump trucks with plows and salt spreaders and large loaders with plows or snow boxes, in support of special projects, seasonal operations, and snow emergencies in a high-traffic campus environment. The position promptly reports unsafe conditions or damage to campus landscape, equipment, vehicles, or facilities.
This position is subject to 24/7 call-in for emergencies and may require extended hours, including nights, early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays, to meet seasonal operational needs. Work may occur in weather extremes and may involve working underneath vehicles and equipment, on lifts, in confined spaces, from ladders, in noisy environments, and around gasoline, diesel fuel, and other petroleum products.
While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a psychologically healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.
This is an Endowed, union position within the UAW. The starting pay rate is $33.19/hour.
We are a value–based organization where all employees are accountable for supporting the organization’s values of truth, respect, excellence, teamwork, and integrity. Facilities and Campus Services employees are required to attend staff development trainings and participate in the performance evaluation process.
We require these qualifications:
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High school diploma or equivalent.
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Minimum of six years of experience maintaining, repairing, and operating a broad range of grounds, landscape maintenance, construction, and snow removal equipment. Equipment experience should include tractors, turf equipment, mowers, aerifiers, hydro-seeders, sprayers, edgers, vacuum equipment, wheel loaders, backhoes, excavators, sewer rodders, compressors, pickup trucks, large diesel dump trucks with air brakes, wing plows, salt spreaders, asphalt equipment, and related equipment.
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Minimum of six years of experience operating snow removal equipment, including 4 ft. to 11 ft. hydraulic plows, snow boxes, salt spreaders, and snow blowers.
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Experience repairing and maintaining 2-cycle and 4-cycle fractional-horsepower gasoline engines.
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Minimum of three years of leadership experience.
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Demonstrated ability to provide work direction, training, and technical guidance to mechanics, equipment operators, temporary staff, and seasonal employees.
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Ability to organize, prioritize, schedule, and assign work.
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CDL Class A with air brake certification required.
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Must have and maintain a valid U.S. driver’s license and may be required to operate a personal or Cornell-owned vehicle to travel to and from job sites.
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Must be OBD II certified.
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NYS Inspection Certificate for light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles required.
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Must pass a pre-employment drug test and be subject to random drug and alcohol testing.
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Ability to analyze complex mechanical, electrical, fuel, and power/transmission delivery system failures and perform appropriate repairs.
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Ability to read and follow diagrams, sketches, operation manuals, and manufacturer specifications.
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Ability to use welding, burning, and brazing equipment to complete repairs and fabrication work.
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Ability to write maintenance reports, communicate effectively in writing, understand and follow oral instructions, and communicate clearly with supervisors, coworkers, equipment operators, and staff.
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Experience in and/or demonstrated commitment to supporting diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and wellbeing.
You will be a top candidate with our preferred qualifications:
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Associates Degree or additional technical training school course work desirable.
Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position. Relocation assistance will not be provided for this position.
Cornell provides great benefits that include educational benefits, access to a plethora of wellness programs, employee discounts with local and national retail brands, health care options to choose from, generous paid leave provisions: 3 weeks of vacation leave, health and personal leave, 13 holidays (including end of year winter break through New Year’s Day), 2 floating holidays, and superior retirement contributions.
Cornell has also been nationally recognized as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, sustainability, and diversity initiatives. For more information click here.
Interested parties should submit a resume and cover letter describing qualifications on-line at https://hr.cornell.edu/jobs under staff positions section.
When applying through our system, please remember to attach resume and cover letter in either Microsoft Word or PDF format. In the Experience section of your application, use the ‘Drop Files Here’ box to manually drag document(s) into your application. For a more detailed description and instructions on how to apply online please click here.
University Job Title:
Mech Vehicle S11
Job Family:
United Auto Workers
Level:
S11
Pay Rate Type:
Hourly
Pay Range:
Refer to Union Pay Rates Link Below
Remote Option Availability:
Onsite
Company:
Endowed
Contact Name:
Tonya Eiklor
Contact Email:
[email protected]
Job Titles and Pay Ranges:
Non-Union Positions
Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:
To learn more about Cornell’s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator.
Union Positions
The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates.
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Employment Assistance:
For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or email [email protected].
If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell Office of Civil Rights at voice (607) 255-2242, or email at [email protected].
Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also request an appointment to use a dedicated workstation in the Office of Talent Attraction and Recruitment, at the Ithaca campus, by emailing [email protected].
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EEO Statement:
Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “... any person ... any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeks job candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We hire based on merit, and encourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.
2026-07-13
