Summary The incumbent performs professional gardening work concerned with the planning, landscaping, maintenance, and improvement of the 175 acres at the Martinsburg VA Medical Center, and is specifically involved with the culture of its existing and proposed trees, shrubs, lawns, and flower beds. Responsibilities Maintains the landscape at the facility in a healthy, disease-free, and attractive condition. Provides corrective action for problems involving plant management, and insect and disease control for exterior plantings based on the particular species. Determines when corrective action is needed to improve health, vigor, and appearance of plants by fertilization, pruning, transplanting, pest control, and watering, based on knowledge of plants and their growth habits. Maintains planting and landscapes using a variety of equipment such as seeders, tillers, sprayers, chippers, gas weed eaters and various hand tools. Maintains accurate, up-to-date records on work performed, such as fertilizer and pesticide usage schedules with the pertinent information recorded about the material applied and application rate, using this data to ensure optimum plant care and for reporting purposes. Maintains and updates an application log for herbicides and pesticides. Prepares purchase order requests for plant material, equipment, materials and supplies as needed. Maintains minimum stock levels of supplies. Assists in planning and scheduling the ordering of materials needed up to 12 months or more in advance of implementing projects. Works with contractors through the completion of service contracts. Consults provided references and guidelines as needed for specific plant problems. Performs assigned tasks outside of the area of gardening during periods of extreme weather, labor shortages or heavy workloads to support the other duties and responsibilities of the Grounds and Services Section, such as mowing and snow removal. Responsible for garbage and trash removal for outside trash cans, and on the grounds. Performs general cleaning and preventive maintenance, minor asphalt repair, and patching and street sweeping as needed or directed. Operates equipment including but not limited to snowplows and snow blowers, and specialized, high-powered lawn cutting equipment. Operates heavy equipment on campus such as one-ton truck, tractor, road sweeper, backhoe, loader, and mowing equipment to maintain facility grounds. Responsible for garbage and trash removal for outside trash cans, and on the grounds. Performs general cleaning and preventive maintenance, minor asphalt repair, and patching and street sweeping as needed or directed. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30AM - 4:00PM Position Description Title/PD#: Gardener(MVO)/PD210180 Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorize Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Must currently hold a Class B CDL Must be willing to obtain and maintain a West Virginia state certification within 6months of employment for the use of pesticides, insecticides, and other chemical formulations. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Pre-employment physical required Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/14/2025. EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required, but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards. SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements: Ability to Do the Work of the Position without More Than Normal Supervision Dexterity and Safety Interpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading) Technical Practices Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Working Conditions: The majority of work is done outdoors. The incumbent will be subject to discomfort from long periods of heat and humidity, cold, wind, rain, and snow, and will perform responsibilities with minimum interruption under these conditions. Employee will be exposed to chemical sprays and dusts. Protective clothing and equipment such as gloves, respirator, safety shoes and boots will be provided. During period of extreme weather such as heavy rain or severe cold, the incumbent may be given assignments to assist other members of the section in moving materials and equipment, shop maintenance, and other tasks which may be outside the range of gardening, such as mowing and snow removal. Education Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
