Gardener

Summary This position is located in Shiloh National Military Park, in the Facility Management Division. This is a term position (more than 1 year) with an initial appointment expecting to last at least 13 months but may be extended up to a total of four years. Term positions do not convey permanent status in the Federal service. Open to the first 100 applicants or until 11/07/2024 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration. Responsibilities As a Gardener, you will perform the following duties: Prunes and trims trees and shrubs to obtain the shape, size and desired growth characteristics, and to remove diseased limbs or excess branches. Transplants trees, shrubs, flowers and other plants. Computes quantities of plants, seeds, and other materials needed for specific areas. Determines when plants need additional watering and how long they should be watered. Selects and sprays area with herbicides, fungicides and insecticides for the control of plant diseases, plant insects, and weeds. Cuts grass and trims hedges using either hand or power equipment. Fertilizes, waters, and seeds turf areas, and removes rocks, leaves, trash and debris from landscaped areas. Operates various types of motor vehicles (e.g., pickup trucks) to transport supplies and materials to work sites. May operate farm-type tractors with attached equipment such as rotary or flail mowers, augers, tillers, etc., in the performance of the gardener duties. Requirements Conditions of Employment U.S. Citizenship required. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males. Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program. You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required. You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's License and Driving Record. You must also submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that disclose all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you. You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided. You will be required to complete a one-year trial period. You may be required to travel overnight away from home occasionally. Government Charge Card: You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority. Qualifications All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/07/2024-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. To qualify for this position, you must have sufficient knowledge and ability in the following job-related factors: Ability To Do The Work Of The Position Without More Than Normal Supervision (SCREEN OUT) Technical Practices: theoretical precise, artistic Use of Measuring Instruments Ability to Interpret Instructions, specifications; other than blueprints Ability To Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment Knowledge of Materials Dexterity and Safety If your knowledge and ability in the SCREEN OUT factor above is not sufficient, you will receive no further consideration. In preparing your application, describe in detail the experience and training which you have had that specifically prepared you for this job and to perform the duties described for this job. Experience should be clearly described and documented in your resume. The qualifications reviewer will not assume performance of such duties by Job Titles alone. Address your knowledge, skills and/or abilities in the areas shown in the job-related factors. Volunteer Experience: 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 There is no substitution of education for experience for Wage Grade (WG) positions. Additional Information Government housing may be available. This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate. Physical Demands: The work requires frequent walking, standing, pushing of carts and wheelbarrows, bending, and stooping. The incumbent occasionally climbs ladders to prune or trim vegetation and lifts heavy objects such as bags of fertilizer, grass seed, etc. Physical effort at grade 6 is the same as that described at the grade 4 level. At that level the work requires frequent walking, standing, pushing of carts and wheelbarrows, bending, and stooping. The gardener occasionally climbs ladders to prune or trim vegetation and frequently lifts heavy objects such as bags of fertilizer, grass seed, etc. Working Conditions: The work is done outside or in a greenhouse. In working outside, the gardener is subject to discomfort from long periods in the sun, and sometimes in chilly or rainy weather. On a regular basis the conditions will involve working in air contaminated with chemical dust and sprays being applied to trees and shrubs. The incumbent will be required to wear protective clothing during pesticide/herbicide application; as well as normal safety items such as gloves, boots, glasses, etc. Because of the duties performed there is the chance of minor injuries such as bruises, cuts, and scrapes and occasional possibility of broken bones from falls. Working conditions at grade 6 are the same as those described at the grade 4 level, except that grade 6 gardeners are usually exposed to chemical sprays and dusts more frequently than at the lower grade levels.