Duties
Major Duties: Performs other related duties as assigned.
Transplants, Aerates, Prunes, & Trims
Performs seasonal gardening tasks such as fertilizing, preparing seedbeds, transplanting, laying sod, aerating, pruning, trimming and applying chemical according to specific directions. Transplants, aerates, prunes, and trims a variety of plants, seeds, and plant materials using developing knowledge of seasonal schedules, project plans, weather suitability, soil moisture, and plant growth stages.
Measures, Mixes & Applies
Selects, measures, mixes, and applies fertilizers and chemical control agents to control common plant diseases, insects, and weeds.
Prepares, Roots, Grafts, Layers, & Documents
Prepares, roots, grafts, layers, and documents soil beds, plants, seedlings, cuttings and seeds using knowledge of correct conditions (chemical composition, depth, moisture, temperature, humidity, and ventilation requirements to encourage germination and growth.) Performs gardening work (i.e., preparing soil for plants, seeding, thinning, transplanting, trimming, pruning, fertilizing, aerating, mulching, spraying, and dusting of grass, ground cover, flowers, shrubs, and trees) with little or no review of completed work required.
Transplants, Aerates, Prunes & Trims
Reviews seasonal planting schedules and project plans, compares with the suitability of weather conditions, moisture in the soil and stage of plant growth, before deciding to plant. Determines quantities of plants, seeds, fertilizer to be used. Independently prepares nursery and cold frame beds. Selects appropriate chemicals to control common plant diseases, insects and weeds. Transplants, aerates, prunes, and trims a wide variety of unusual plants, seeds, and plant materials using knowledge and techniques including slope stabilization, proper growing conditions, and climate to achieve required results. Prunes and trims unusual plant conditions, difficult repairs, or plant extensive damage. Propagates and cultivates wide variety of unusual plants, seeds and plant materials considering individual needs and characteristics of plants, such as mineral content of soil. Prunes and trims using advanced techniques to stimulate plant healing, reshape trees/shrubs, and increase fruit/flower production.
Selects, Measures, Mixes & Applies Fertilizers
Selects, measures, mixes, and applies fertilizers and chemical control agents by adjusting soil conditions (pH) to provide required growth conditions.
Prepares, Roots, Grafts, Layers, & Documents
Uses project plans, master landscape, and long range plans making judgments within good gardening practices to achieve required results. Performs gardening work (i.e., preparing soil for plants, seeding, thinning, transplanting, trimming, pruning, fertilizing, aerating, mulching, spraying, and dusting of grass, ground cover, flowers, shrubs, and trees) using independent judgment and decisions.
Propagates & Cultivates
Adjusts mineral content of the soil. Slopes and plants terraces and transplants a wide variety of grasses, flowers, shrubs and trees. Makes independent judgments based on information contained in long-range landscape plans. Propagates and cultivates wide variety of unusual plants, seeds, and plant materials considering individual needs and characteristics of plants, such as mineral content of soil. Uses project plans, master landscape, and long range plans. Selects, measures, mixes, and applies fertilizers and chemical control agents using various foliage feeding, root feeding, and soil additive techniques. Selects, measures, mixes, and applies by adjusting soil conditions (pH) to provide required growth conditions.
Prunes & Trims
Prunes and trims unusual plant conditions, difficult repairs, or plant extensive damage.
Preferred Experience:
- Performs a variety of functions to maintain and improve the overall appearance of the grounds at the White City VA Medical Center.
- Requires an elevated level of understanding of gardening/horticulture techniques, mechanical knowledge, irrigation design and maintenance, and the ability to operate and maintain equipment safely and independently, to ensure successful completion of tasks.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 08:00am to 4:30pm
Position Description Title/PD#: Gardener/PD021670
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
Resume Reminder - Your resume must include the following information for each job listed:
- Job title
- Duties (be as detailed as possible)
- Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
- Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
- Salary/Rank etc.
- Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held
- References, current or recent supervisor
Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.
The experience stated in your resume must support your assessment responses.
Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.
Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the
OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.
Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the
VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.
How to Apply
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 07/31/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12764152.
- To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
- Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.
The
Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at
http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.