The USBG is comprised of approximately 70 positions organized into Administrative Services Division, Learning and Engagement Division, Horticulture Division, and Operations Division. The USBG is dedicated to inspiring people to appreciate, study, and conserve plants to enrich society locally and globally. To meet this mission, the USBG provides memorable, educational experiences to over 1 million visitors annually and hosts numerous congressional annually. Learn more: U.S. Botanic Garden.

Duties

The incumbent serves as the Horticulture Systems/Facilities Specialist overseeing growing systems and operations within the responsibility of the Horticulture Division.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen.
• You must be able to pass a drug test.
• You must meet the definition of specialized experience.
• You must possess a valid State motor vehicle operator's license.

Qualifications

You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at OPM qualification standards Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. Candidates for the GS-12 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes: Overseeing horticultural systems and facility design maintenance of a botanic garden or greenhouse facility;  Assessing horticultural programs and operations and applying strategies and plans to resolve problems, improve performance and ensure compliance with program policies, procedures and operations; Comprehensive knowledge of the principles, theories, concepts, methods, and techniques of horticulture; Determining equipment, cost and other resources needed to advance construction, renovation or maintenance projects; and Performing contract administration functions (for example as a Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) or equivalent) and documenting and evaluating contract performance.

Education

In addition to meeting the specialized experience requirements, applicants must have the following:

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.

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.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: 

Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment.

Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part of foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree.

You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing if selected.

Contacts

• Address Architect of the Capitol 2nd and D Street, S.W. Washington, District of Columbia 20515 United States
• Name: London Holliway
• Phone: 202-226-7000
• Email: [email protected]