The Gardener position works under the direction of the Maintenance Supervisor and independently installs, modifies, repairs, and maintains a variety of trees, plants, landscapes, and irrigation systems. The employee will operate motorized agricultural vehicles for grounds and street maintenance, landscaping, fertilization, transplanting, laying sod, preparing sod and seed beds, aerating lawns, pruning trees, maintaining a variety of shrub and rose beds, and applying herbicides.

Duties

Major duties include but are not limited to: Cutting, edging, aerating, thatching, grooming, weeding, fertilizing lawns; Trimming and weeding shrub beds and flower beds; Planting shrubs and flowers and transplanting both large shrubs and small trees; Trimming and pruning trees as instructed to ensure both health and aesthetic appeal; Making recommendations to the supervisor as to when to fertilize, plant, or transplant trees and shrubs; Applying a wide range of chemicals to plants, turf, flowers, and trees, maintaining a detailed log of chemical usage as per federal, state, and local requirements; Installing, repairing, and maintaining irrigations systems; Power washing buildings, emptying trash receptacles, and picking up trash or debris around outdoor picnic or seating areas; Operating and maintaining various high-powered, specialized lawn and grounds-maintenance equipment such as mowers, tractors, front-end loaders, street sweepers, backhoes, forklifts, main lifts, edgers, speeders, tillers, thatchers, aerators, sprayers, weed eaters, blowers, and hand tools; and Performing minor operational maintenance of agricultural equipment including changing oil, replacing filters, lubricating bearings and mechanical belts, and replacing belts. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Position Description Title/PD#: Gardener/PD70445A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Bargaining Unit Position: Yes - AFGE The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/02/2023. 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. To be found at least minimally qualified for the position of Gardener at the WG-06 level, your application and supporting documents must demonstrate the critical knowledge, skills, and abilities that are essential for satisfactory job performance. For this position, the ability to do the work of the position without more than normal supervision is prime. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include but are not limited to: Considering the seasonal schedules or project plans for assigned area, suitability of weather/climate, degree of moisture in the soil, and stage of plant growth in deciding when and how to accomplish work; figuring quantities of plants, seeds, fertilizer, and other materials needed for specific areas; selecting proper fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides for the control of common plant diseases, insects, and weeds; following manufacturer's instructions on product labels regarding the depth and spacing of seeds and application of chemicals; operating/maintaining vehicles normally associated with gardening/grounds maintenance; and performing physically demanding gardening tasks such as weeding, planting/transplanting large shrubs; cutting, trimming, and maintaining trees; and edging, aerating, and thatching beds and lawns. 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 SafetyInterpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading)MaterialsMeasuring InstrumentsTechnical PracticesUse and Maintain Tools and EquipmentWithout 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: The employee is required to perform landscape work which requires the full use of both hands and arms. Work requires the expenditure of high degree of physical and mental effort in operating, repairing, and maintaining vehicles and machinery with care to prevent damage to machinery, tools, materials, and injury to others; the preparation and utilization of sod, flower beds, and various other pieces of equipment. Employee shall be physically fit and mentally alert at all times. Mental abilities are needed, such as memory, judgement, and ingenuity. Mental application is required (e.g., in planning and laying out work, maintaining alertness and concentrated attention, or because of the nature of muscular and visual coordination needed). The position requires sitting for long periods operating mowers and equipment. Frequently climbing ladders to prune trees, and lifting objects such as bags of fertilizer, grass seed, etc., weighing as much as 100 pounds. Tasks require considerable walking, stooping, climbing and lifting, kneeling, bending, squatting, carrying, and reaching over/under. Physical effort includes pulling, pushing, and steadying objects of varying weights, sizes, and shapes. Strain related to lack of movement such as standing in place, crouching, or stooping for extended periods of time. Work may require confined spaces such as manholes, vaults, building basements and crawl spaces. Works on equipment while in cramped or awkward positions. Employee must work off ladders, scaffolds, and platforms. Working Conditions: The employee is exposed to weather extremes of hot and cold, both indoors and outdoors. Is exposed to weather conditions for extended hours. The employee is exposed to infectious hazards, chemicals, hazardous materials, gases/fumes, and the possibility of burns, infection, scrapes, and broken bones. Subject to insect bites and stings and exposure to poisonous plants such as poison Ivy and poison oak. Employee is exposed to hazardous moving parts when operating electrical and gasoline powered equipment and is exposed to noise and vibration. Subject to strains, bruises, cuts, and/or severe injuries if extreme caution is not used during all work; works with noisy equipment. The employee shall wear appropriate Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) such as safety goggles, safety shoes, gloves, hard hats, hearing protection, protective clothing, and use respirators as required in the performance of the duties of position at all times. Employee may be required to use respiratory personal protective equipment per OSHA 2920.134. As such, employee shall remove facial hair as necessary and use a standard respirator to successfully perform a respirator fit test as conducted by the Safety Section. Hazards in working above ground level, on slippery surfaces such as mud, ice or snow, or in crowded areas near moving vehicles or cutting tools.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Contacts

• Address VA Nebraska-Western Iowa HCS - Omaha 4101 Woolworth Avenue Omaha, NE 68105 US
• Name: Sarah Drey
• Phone: 319-339-7047
• Email: [email protected]