The Gardener (Tractor Operator) is assigned to the Grounds Section of the Engineering Service. The work of this position requires knowledge of gardening procedures and skill in growing and tending lawns, flowers, shrubs, and trees. The work involves preparing for plants, seeding, and thinning, transplanting, trimming, pruning, fertilizing, mowing, aerating, mulching, spraying, and dusting of grass, ground cover, flowers, shrubs, and trees.

Duties

Major duties and responsibilities include: Studying the local suitability of the weather, degree of moisture in the air, soil and stages of plant growth to decide when and where the work will be accomplished. Must determine the quantities of plants, seeds, etc. needed for specific areas. Using own judgment, directs and performs tasks such as watering of all lawns, policing grounds, snow and ice removal, use of hand and power tools, mowing of lawns utilizing push type and riding lawn mowers, weed eaters, weeds flower beds, trims shrubs and trees, and mulches shrubs and flower areas. Cleaning all engineering storage areas when required. Responsible for the maintenance and minor repair of all equipment utilized by grounds maintenance. Knowledge of the use of grounds equipment, mowers, weed-eaters, snow blowers, hand tools, tractor, edger, fork-lift and street sweepers, and will be required to do maintenance and preventive maintenance of all grounds equipment. Diagnosing and controlling plant diseases, planting and transplanting plants and proper watering practices. Determining the proper type, time of season and application of fertilizers and herbicides for contractor application. Trimming and pruning plants as needed to maintain growth and appearance. Reproducing plants through cutting, grafting, rooting and the layering process. Performing maintenance and repair on all sprinkler systems. Ensuring that all equipment is maintained, is oiled and in safe operating condition before use, must properly clean and check equipment before storing, and report to supervisor any equipment not in proper or safe operating condition. Performing other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 7:00am to 3:30pm, Will accomplish snow removal when requested and under the direction of the Grounds Supervisor. This might entail change of shifts, after hours, weekends or holidays; will report for duty as directed or called for. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved

Requirements

Qualifications

PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK CONDITIONS: Employee must be physically fit, as work tasks require frequent walking, standing, bending, stooping, pushing of carts, lawnmowers, edger's and wheelbarrows. Work task may involve occasional lifting and carrying heavy (approximately 50 pounds) with frequent lifting and carrying of moderately heavy objects (up to 40 pounds) such as grass seed, trash bags, ice melt, containers, trimming and waste. Other physical effort involves pulling, climbing, working with hands over head. Must have the ability to be on feet for long periods of time either standing, walking or working off ladders. Climbs ladders to prune and/or trim shrubs and trees. Primary work will be in the exterior grounds and parking areas of the medical center. Employee is required to use all the proper tools and safety equipment to protect himself/herself, staff, patients and visitors. Other assignments can be in any area of the Medical Center. Will be exposed to the possibility of cuts, bruises and insect bites. Work is often dirty and dusty. Work is inside and outside, and off ladders and scaffolds. Outside work will involve exposure to a variety of weather conditions as is expected in the Salt Lake City area. 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 (WG-2 and higher only; screen-outs are not applicable to WG-1). 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. You will be rated on the following Job Elements as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Ability to Do the Work of the Position without More Than Normal SupervisionDexterity 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 Salt Lake City Health Care System 500 Foothill Drive Salt Lake City, UT 84148 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]