These positions are located within the Grounds Unit of the Facilities Management Service at the VA New Jersey Health Care System in Lyons, New Jersey.

Duties

Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Performing a variety of gardening tasks such as planting, seeding, sodding, grading, cultivating, fertilizing and spraying. Operating and maintaining varied motorized and other grounds equipment with attachments such as tractor, mowers, sprayers, spreaders, aerators, plows, sidewalk and street brooms, snow blower and snow plow, weed eaters, push mowers, back pack blowers, leaf/street vacuums. Driving trucks and tractors with utility trailers for trash pick-up, hauling garden tools, road patch, salt, branches, leaves, snow plowing, salt spreading, picking up supply's, moving stone, mulch, dirt and transporting equipment such as wood chipper, street blower, air compressor, brush hog, but not limited to the above. Pruning, trimming and transplanting shrubs and trees; grading and replacing sod and providing technical advice to assistants in grading lawns and cultivating shrubbery. Checking lawn area for moisture and watering lawns as necessary; providing technical advice in pruning and spraying. Operating in an efficient and safe manner the following grounds maintenance equipment: snow blower, steam cleaner, all tillage equipment, snow plow, rotary sidewalk broom, aerator, tractor and chain saw, deck mowers and riding mowers. Operating in an efficient and safe manner the following service equipment: portable air compressor, chain hoist, tackle, lift and similar equipment used for rigging or moving heavy and/or bulky equipment. Performing operational and maintenance procedures in spreading fertilizer weed killers and top dressing; adjusting hand power mowers for proper cut and height; tillers, plows and aerators for depth; power brooms for tension. Mounting equipment on tractors, checking and replacing filters, tires, radiator fluids, oil levels, hitches, drawbars, and synchronizing draft controls of hydraulic systems with 3-point tractor systems or other types of tractor lift systems; removing and/or attaching safety components as required for the job involved. Performing other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 6:00am to 2:30pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

Requirements

Qualifications

PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK CONDITIONS: The employee must be strong and sturdy and in good physical condition in order to operate trucks, tractors, snow equipment, jack hammers and other horticultural equipment. The employee must have full use of all extremities. The employee is subject to working outdoors in all types of weather, during all seasons. The employee will be required to climb ladders and scaffolds, and to lift heavy objects under adverse conditions. Employee will also be subject to odors and dust. 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. 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. DRIVER'S LICENSE: A current and valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you will be required to provide a copy of your current and valid state-issued Driver's License. You will be rated on the following Job Elements as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Dexterity and SafetyInterpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading)MaterialsMeasuring InstrumentsTechnical PracticesUse 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

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Contacts

• Address VA New Jersey Health Care System 385 Tremont Avenue East Orange, NJ 07018 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]