Gardener

Veterans Health Administration; Orlando (FL); On-site; USD 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Orlando VA Health Care System is seeking a Gardener to maintain safe and attractive landscaped areas across the campus, performing routine planting, mowing, pruning, irrigation repair, and general grounds upkeep.

The role requires working with Central Florida conditions, using established horticultural methods, and adhering to project plans and schedules while ensuring safety and quality of maintenance tasks.

Qualifications

• EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required, but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work.

Responsibilities

• Seasonal gardening and lawn mowing to maintain campus grounds.
• Planting shrubs, flowers, grasses and trees.
• Irrigation maintenance and minor repairs to watering systems.
• Soil preparation and fertilization per instructions on mixes.
• Trimming and pruning to shape plants and remove excess growth.
• Operate power equipment and work outdoors in variable Central Florida conditions.

Job description

The Gardener serves within the Facilities Management Service at the Orlando VA Health Care System, performing skilled horticultural and grounds maintenance work to maintain safe, attractive, and functional landscaped areas throughout the campus. The position carries out routine planting, cultivating, pruning, mowing, fertilizing, irrigation repair, and landscape upkeep using established horticultural methods suited to Central Florida conditions.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/31/2026. EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required, but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards. SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. Screen out is the ability to perform Gardner duties without more than normal supervision. Duties include doing seasonal gardening, lawn mowing, planting a variety of of shrubs, flowers, grasses and trees, considering the seasonal schedules or project plans for the area, suitability of the weather, degree of moisture in the soil and stage of plant growth, figuring quantities of plants, seeds, fertilizer and other materials needed for specific areas, preparing soil from instructions on the proper mixture of such materials as sand, humus, topsoil and fertilizer, trimming and pruning trees, shrubs, flowers, etc. to shape and remove excess growth and adjusting irrigation, fertilization and mineral content of soil to meet the requirements and characteristics of each type of plant, tree, shrub, or grass. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements: 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 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; religions; 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. 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.

Physical Requirements: Must be physically fit, as work requires prolonged periods of walking, standing, bending, stooping, pushing mowers, carts, edgers, wheelbarrows, etc. They must climb ladders in order to trim and prune. Employee must occasionally lift and carry heavy objects (weighing approximately 50 pounds) and frequently lift and carry moderately heavy objects weighing up to 40 pounds, such as bags of fertilizer containers of chemicals, trash bags, sod etc. Their work involves pulling, climbing and working with hands above the head. Working Conditions: Work is done outside or in a greenhouse. In working outside, the gardener is subject to discomfort from long periods in the hot sun, and sometimes to chilly or rainy weather. Being exposed to dirt, dust, mud, and sometimes to chemical sprays and dusts, they may wear protective clothing such as gloves, safety shoes, and boots. There is chance of minor injuries such as bruises, cuts, and scrapes and occasional possibility of broken bones from falls. Employee works with power equipment such as, but not limited to push mowers, power edgers, trimmers, chain saws, brush clippers, tractor mowers, street sweepers, etc. and is exposed to engine noise, heat and possible airborne debris.