Gardener

Summary Employee will serve as a Gardner reporting directly to the Maintenance and Operations Supervisor located at the Nebraska-Western Iowa Veterans Healthcare System in Omaha, NE. Duties Duties will include, but may not be limited to the following: Performs grounds maintenance including mowing, edging, aerating, thatching, fertilizing, grooming, and weeding lawns; trimming shrub and flower beds; planting and transplanting shrubs, flowers, and small trees; pruning and maintaining trees. Applies chemicals for ornamental and turf pest control with detailed logs to comply with federal, state, and local regulations. Demonstrates knowledge of application methods which must minimize or prevent hazard to humans, pets, and other domestic animals. Installs, repairs, and maintains irrigation systems to include piping, meters, valves, low voltage irrigation controllers, zone control valves, and irrigation heads. Operates grounds maintenance and agricultural equipment such as mowers, tractors, loaders, sweepers, backhoes, tillers, sprayers, edgers, blowers, and hand tools, as well as vehicles from ½ ton pickups to utility vehicles, ensuring safe and efficient use. Performs minor equipment maintenance including oil changes, lubrication, filter replacements, belt changes, and cleaning. Notifies supervisor when the equipment requires maintenance by the manufacturers' local authorized representative. Operates various types of grounds maintenance vehicles, includes from ½ ton pick-ups to utility vehicles on roadways and grounds. Maintains detailed agricultural equipment maintenance records and ensures maintenance is completed per the manufacturer's recommendation. Perform other duties as necessary. Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday-Friday, 7:00am - 3:30pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Requirements Conditions of employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Pre-employment physical required Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Required to obtain a Nebraska State Category 3 certification/license in pest management for herbicide application and performing duties of an Ornamental and Turf Pest Control applicator. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR (SCREEN-OUT) - A Selective Placement Factor (SPF) has been identified for this position. Selective Placement Factors (SPF) are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for the position. Applicants who do not meet the SPF are ineligible for further consideration. The SPF for this position is: Requires a current, valid state-issued Driver's License. (Note: We may not accept pictures. Please Do Not submit a copy of your license. This requirement will be verified if interviewed.) AND SCREEN-OUT: Requires the ability to do the work of the Gardener position without more than normal supervision? Qualifying experience includes working in a commercial setting independently installing and repairing roads and landscaping; performing grounds maintenance by planting, trimming, and maintaining trees, plants, and weeding shrub/flower beds; and operating various ground maintenance equipment and associated vehicles. (This experience must be supported by your resume to be creditable. For detailed responsibilities of this position, see the duties section of the announcement.) 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: Dexterity and Safety Interpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading) Materials Measuring Instruments Technical Practices Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment Without more than normal supervision PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Required to perform landscape work requiring the full use of both hands and arms. The 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. Required to 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, in maintaining alertness and concentrated attention, or because of the nature of muscular and visual coordination needed). This position requires sitting for long periods operating mowers and equipment. Will frequently climb ladders to prune trees, and frequently lift objects such as bags of fertilizer, grass seed, etc., weighing as much as 100 lbs. The position requires considerable walking, stooping, climbing and lifting, kneeling, bending, squatting, carrying, and reaching over/under, and 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. May require working in confined spaces such as manholes, vaults, building basements and crawl spaces. Works on equipment while in cramped or awkward positions. Requires working from ladders, scaffolds and platforms. WORKING CONDITIONS: The employee is exposed to weather extremes of hot and cold, both indoors and outdoors and 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. Incumbent is subject to insect bites and stings and exposure to poisonous plants such as poison Ivy and poison oak. Exposed to hazardous moving parts when operating electrical and gasoline powered equipment and is exposed to noise and vibration. Employee is subject to strains, bruises, cuts, and/or severe injuries if extreme caution is not used during all work; works with noisy equipment. Required to wear appropriate Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) such as safety goggles, safety shoes, gloves, hard hats, hearing protection, protective clothing and use respirators. May be required to use respiratory personal protective equipment per OSHA 2920.134. As such, the 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. 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. Additional information Note: Per "Executive Order 14251: Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs", this position is no longer eligible for bargaining unit participation. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Benefits A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.