Summary The Gardener (Tractor Operator) is responsible for the operation of heavy equipment to push, load, make piles and items, move earth, rock, gravel, mulch, supplies, and equipment. Loads dirt, trees & other items into dump trucks & onto flatbeds; and dump trailers, dumpsters and into back of trucks taking touch and higher levels of skill. Operators are required to know the uses of sets of controls or operation of the equipment & attachments and be skilled in handling these controls. Responsibilities Major Duties include, but not limited to: Grade and slope landscape areas, including terraces, to support drainage and planting plans. Plant, transplant, and maintain a wide variety of grasses, ground cover, flowers, shrubs, and trees. Prune trees and shrubs to promote healthy growth and maintain an appropriate balance between root systems and top growth. Perform work from project plans, master landscape plans, and long-range grounds-maintenance plans. Make independent day-to-day decisions consistent with established gardening practices and project requirements. Maintain lawns, flower beds, shrubs, trees, and other landscaped areas to meet appearance, health, and safety standards. Identify common plant diseases, insect infestations, and other landscape problems; apply appropriate treatments as directed. Apply fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals to plants and landscaped areas in accordance with instructions and safety requirements. Operate and maintain hand tools, power tools, and grounds-maintenance equipment, including chainsaws, weed eaters, blowers, saws, drills, hammer drills, jackhammers, concrete saws, and related equipment. Use hand tools and equipment such as shovels, picks, rakes, sledgehammers, and pruning tools to complete gardening and maintenance assignments. Load, unload, transport, and stage supplies, materials, tools, and equipment needed for daily and monthly work assignments. Operate vehicles and other equipment required to transport personnel, tools, supplies, and materials to work locations. Complete assigned gardening, landscaping, grounds-maintenance, and minor construction tasks safely, efficiently, and with work evaluated based on the quality of results achieved. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:00am-3:30pm (Subject to change based on the needs of the agency.) Position Description Title/PD#: Gardener (Tractor Operator)/PD03314A Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved 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 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) Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Driver's Licensure is required. 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, 09/18/2026. 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: Dexterity and Safety Interpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading) Materials Measuring Instruments Technical Practices Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment Without more than normal supervision 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: Work requires frequent walking, standing, pushing of carts and wheelbarrows, bending, and stooping, and climbs ladders to trim and/or prune trees. At this grade level, the gardener more frequently climbs ladders and stretches to prune or trim vegetation than at lower grade levels. The also frequently lift heavy objects such as bags of fertilizer, grass seed, etc. In working outside, the gardener is subject to discomfort from long periods in the hot sun, and sometimes to chilly or rainy weather. In some instances the conditions will involve working in air contaminated with chemical dust and sprays being used on trees and shrubs. Grade 08 gardeners are usually exposed to chemical sprays and dusts more frequently than at the lower grade levels. 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.
