Summary The Gardener (Tractor Operator) is assigned to the Grounds Section of the Engineering Service. The work of this position requires knowledge of gardening procedures and skill in growing and tending lawns, flowers, shrubs, and trees. The work involves preparing for plants, seeding, and thinning, transplanting, trimming, pruning, fertilizing, mowing, aerating, mulching, spraying, and dusting of grass, ground cover, flowers, shrubs, and trees. Responsibilities Major duties and responsibilities include: Studying the local suitability of the weather, degree of moisture in the air, soil and stages of plant growth to decide when and where the work will be accomplished. Must determine the quantities of plants, seeds, etc. needed for specific areas. Using own judgment, directs and performs tasks such as watering of all lawns, policing grounds, snow and ice removal, use of hand and power tools, mowing of lawns utilizing push @type and riding lawn mowers, weed eaters, weeds flower beds, trims shrubs and trees, and mulches shrubs and flower areas. Cleaning all engineering storage areas when required. Responsible for the maintenance and minor repair of all equipment utilized by grounds maintenance. Knowledge of the use of grounds equipment, mowers, weed-eaters, snow blowers, hand tools, tractor, edger, fork-lift and street sweepers, and will be required to do maintenance and preventive maintenance of all grounds equipment. Diagnosing and controlling plant diseases, planting and transplanting plants and proper watering practices. Determining the proper @type, time of season and application of fertilizers and herbicides for contractor application. Trimming and pruning plants as needed to maintain growth and appearance. Reproducing plants through cutting, grafting, rooting and the layering process. Performing maintenance and repair on all sprinkler systems. Ensuring that all equipment is maintained, is oiled and in safe operating condition before use, must properly clean and check equipment before storing, and report to supervisor any equipment not in proper or safe operating condition. Performing other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Pre-employment physical required Subject to background/security investigation 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 PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK CONDITIONS: The employee performs in a physically demanding role that requires stamina, dexterity, and balance to perform the tasks assigned to this position. Employee must be physically fit, as work tasks require frequent walking, standing, bending, stooping, pushing of carts, lawnmowers, edger's and wheelbarrows. Work tasks may involve occasional lifting and carrying heavy (approximately 50 pounds) objects with frequent lifting and carrying of moderately heavy objects (up to 40 pounds) such as grass seed, trash bags, ice melt, containers, trimming, and waste. Other physical effort involves pulling, climbing, and working with hands overhead. Employee must have the ability to be on their feet for long periods, either standing, walking, or working off ladders. Must be able to climb ladders to prune and/or trim shrubs and trees. Physical demands are approximately 90% field work and 10% office work. The field portion will require that the employee perform service and maintenance-@type work in all weather conditions, ranging from extreme summer heat to extreme winter cold. All work activities shall be performed in a way that ensures the safety of not only the incumbent, but colleagues and the public as well. The employee shall be able to work in an office environment, sitting or standing for long periods, and in a field environment subject to extreme temperature conditions. Duties will require performance for long periods and may occur under all weather conditions to include hot, dry, wet, cold, and freezing conditions. Work may occur during daylight or after dark conditions when special care must be taken. The employee shall also frequently work around facility and site infrastructure systems to include electrical, pressurized liquids or gases, dust, dirt, soils, fumes, fuels, chemicals, solvents, and other potentially hazardous systems or compounds. Exposure to these environmental conditions exposes the employee to potential hazards. In the performance of the duties, the employee must be alert to these hazards, don appropriate PPE, and take measures necessary to deal with the working conditions before they present a safety hazard and cause injury. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualifications. For this position, the job element method is used to match what you, the applicant, can do against what the work calls for. Your knowledge, skills and abilities will be compared to the knowledge, skills and abilities (called job elements) needed for success. Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element (WG-2 and higher only; screen-outs are not applicable to WG-1). Applicants who appear to meet the screen out element are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated from consideration. The potential eligibles are rated against the remainder of the job elements. While a specific length of training and experience is not required, your responses to the questionnaire must be supported by detailed descriptions of your experience on your resume. You will be rated on the following Job Elements as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Ability to Do the Work of the Position without More Than Normal Supervision Dexterity and Safety Interpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading) Materials Measuring Instruments Technical Practices Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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. 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; religious; 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. Education Additional Information Receiving Service Credit for 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.
