The Therapeutic Garden Program Coordinator is responsible for the management of the VAPORHCS Horticultural Program which includes the Boots to Roots program that is designed to engage veterans in urban agriculture through two complementary strategies: garden-based therapeutic horticulture and farm-based training in urban agriculture.

Duties

Major duties include but is not limited to: Work as part of a treatment team to help program participants meet specified measurable goals and objectives. Work collaboratively with other disciplines to maximize utilization of Therapeutic Gardening/Horticulture as a functional treatment modality. Work in interdisciplinary teams with occupational, physical and recreational therapists and health and human services professionals oriented to health and wellness programs. Manage greenhouse, to include: monitoring and adjusting growing environments, scheduling crops, seed sowing, irrigation, fertilizer and pesticide applications, monitoring for insects and diseases, maintaining greenhouse structures and equipment, ordering supplies and other necessary tasks for daily operations in the greenhouse. Plan crop production for maximum use of greenhouse and gardening spaces. Manage all aspects in the maintenance and upkeep of the facility therapeutic and healing gardens. Supervise, plan, develop, and deliver education, and individual and group therapeutic activities and events to patients. Provide for Veteran Whole Health in relation to gardening through working the body; providing safe, healthy, and relaxing nature surroundings; personal development; horticultural training programs; and community engagement. Develop, lead, and conduct a variety of formal and informal interpretive programs, site tours, guided tours, and demonstrations to a wide variety of audiences; performs research of topics for providing interpretive programs, both orally and in writing; and develops and post engaging, informational, educational, and interpretive content for social media, i.e. VA Pulse, or Public Affairs. Maintain garden facilities, equipment, and tools in a condition to promote efficiency, health, comfort and safety of patients, staff, and volunteers. Lead the development of patient focused gardens, raised beds, and special projects. Knowledge and experience in community garden management. Knowledge and professional training in horticulture, agriculture, social services, and horticultural therapy. Knowledge and experience in Therapeutic and Healing garden design, development, and installation. Knowledge of, and ability to effectively develop and implement therapeutic gardening and nature related program interventions to enhance cognitive, physical, social, and psychological well-being, improve health related outcomes, and improve quality of life. Experience working with and leading Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) participants to complete gardening and grounds related tasks. Experience in facilitating horticultural, agricultural, and nature-based events and activities for mental health populations. Develop, monitor, and recommend therapeutic garden program operating budget to ensure program operates within allocated funds. Supervise, train, and lead Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) and volunteers in Therapeutic gardening/horticulture and agriculture training activities. May be involved in interview process. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:00am to 3:30pm Travel: 50% or less. This position requires the incumbent to report to the Portland VA Medical Center 1-2 days per week and on an as-needed basis. Details to be discussed during the interview. Telework: Not eligible. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Horticulturist (Therapeutic Garden Program Coordinator)/PD214550 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required.

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet Specialized Experience and Time-In-Grade requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement, 01/11/2024. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Basic Requirement: The Horticulture Series 0437 requires specific education or experience in horticulture; or a related discipline of basic plant science or experience to be met in order to be appointed into a position of this series. All applicants must meet one of the Individual Occupational Requirements listed below in addition to the grade specific requirements. Degree: horticulture; or a related discipline of basic plant science that included at least 30 semester hours in the basic plant sciences, of which at least 16 semester hours were in horticultural subjects such as those dealing with the breeding, care, management, production, and post harvest handling of horticultural crops. OR, Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in horticulture or a related discipline of basic plant science that included course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Evaluation of Education: Courses in botany, plant physiology, plant taxonomy, plant pathology, genetics, agronomy, horticulture, and similar courses may be used to meet the 30-semester-hour requirement in basic plant sciences. The 16-semester-hour requirement in horticulture includes course work in basic horticulture and course work related to any of the recognized subject-matter fields of horticulture, i.e., fruits, vegetables, ornamentals, nursery work, seed production, or course work in related areas of science, such as micro-biology, entomology, plant pathology, plant physiology, or genetics that is directly related to horticultural work. Minimum Qualifications: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirement, applicants must also meet the grade specific experience and/or education qualifications as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-9) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Assisting with supervising therapeutic gardens and work areas indoors & outdoors to maintain program standards in therapeutic applications, safety, and independent use by patients, visitors, staff, and community members; helping to effectively develop and implement therapeutic gardening and nature related program interventions in person and/or virtually; and establishing community partners relationships to provide horticulture and agriculture educational trainings and classes. NOTE: 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. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have completed three (3) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in horticulture; or a related discipline of basic plant science that included at least 30 semester hours in the basic plant sciences, of which at least 16 semester hours were in horticultural subjects such as those dealing with the breeding, care, management, production, and post-harvest handling of horticultural crops. (Transcripts required). OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond the second year or 36 semester hours in courses equivalent to a major in horticulture or a related discipline of basic plant science that included course work as described above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. (Transcripts required). You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Administration and ManagementComputer SkillsHorticultureTeaching Others 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 work requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as standing or walking for prolonged periods of time; frequent bending, reaching, twisting, squatting, stooping, and stretching. The work requires ability to lift a minimum of 50 pounds and participate in a 2-person lift. The work may include set-up and dismantling of equipment and apparatus; assisting patients, and physical exertion to manually move, lift, carry, pull or push heavy objects or materials. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address VA Portland Health Care System 3710 Southwest US Veterans Hospital Road Portland, OR 97239 US
• Name: Abigail Brown
• Phone: (541) 440-1000 X40617
• Email: [email protected]