Summary This position is located in the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration , Mid Atlantic Health Care Network (VISN 6), and Fayetteville VA Medical Center. Fayetteville VA Medical Center is a campus-style facility consisting of mutable major buildings. The incumbent serves as Gardener within the Environmental Management Service & Grounds Section to perform a variety of tasks related to exterior and interior gardening, landscaping and grounds maintenance. Responsibilities The incumbent is responsible for performing seasonal gardening tasks cultivating with a wide variety of plants in flower and shrub beds throughout the Medical Center campus preparing soil for plants, seeding, thinning, transplanting, trimming, pruning, fertilizing, aerating, mulching, spraying and dusting of ground cover, flowers, shrubs and trees as instructed. By consulting with grounds supervisor or catalogs regarding physical characteristics of plants and their requirements for health growth, recommends changes for improvement in the overall landscape plan and obtains approval on projects which require unplanned expense or significant periods of time within the framework of good gardening practices. The incumbent inspects plants, trees and shrubs for disease, insects, and/or unusual or poor plant growth. He/she plans and carries out scheduled seasonal preparation of flower beds and ornamental planting areas. Responsible for transplanting large and small trees, shrubbery and plants to areas when relocation is required due to construction or building maintenance issues. The incumbent works in gardening tasks and may be assisted by employees, volunteers and/or students in preparing planting areas; watering, fertilizing, planting, pruning and trimming plants, shrubs, trees, and other task and projects as assigned. Duties include general grounds maintenance tasks to include lawn mowing, trimming, fertilizing, watering, weed eating, edging sidewalks, blowing leaves, ensuring entranceways are free of debris and obstacles, etc. Replaces mulch in flower beds and ornamental gardens, removes weeds by hand, tools, application of chemicals, etc. Operates a street sweeper for roadway and parking lot maintenance. Assists in the application of sand and other materials where ice has accumulated (sidewalks, entranceways, steps, roadways) due to winter storms in order to maintain a safe environment. Operates high reach manual equipment for pruning tall trees and shrubs, removing dead tree limbs, cleaning out gutters, or removing debris from rooftops, etc. Prunes and trims shrubs and trees and other plants to remove obvious defects and excess branches to obtain proper balance between roots and top growth to modify or retain the natural form. Provides gardening duties assigned for interior gardens such as the Plant Atrium and Serenity Garden. Occasionally moves indoor potted plants from the greenhouse to interior locations for events and presentations. The incumbent is required to utilize personal protective equipment (PPE) provided and must be familiar with the Safety Data Sheets (SOS) of chemicals that he/she utilizes. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 7:00a.m- 3:30p.m Position Description Title/PD#: Gardener (Grounds Keeper)/PD080790 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized 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 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 identification 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 or 2-year trial 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 or trial 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, 06/17/2026. 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: 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. Physical Requirements/Working Conditions: The work requires frequent walking, standing, pushing of carts and wheelbarrows, bending, kneeling, and stooping. Often lift and handle materials weighing over 23 kilograms (50 pounds) for extended periods. Occasionally climbs ladders to prune or trim vegetation and frequently lifts heavy objects such as bags of fertilizer, grass seed, etc. Education Additional Information 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.
