Gardener (Tractor Operator)

Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks; Fayetteville (AR); On-site; USD 28,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks is seeking a Gardener (Tractor Operator) to operate heavy equipment, perform landscaping duties, and maintain lawns, shrubs, trees, and beds. The position emphasizes safe equipment use, following project plans, and completing daily tasks with attention to appearance and safety.

The role involves grade work, planting, pruning, and the use of hand/power tools to support grounds maintenance across facilities.

Qualifications

• Ability to operate heavy equipment and attachments according to project needs.
• Skilled in handling controls and ensuring safe operation of tools.
• Experience with landscape maintenance and safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Grade and slope landscape areas for drainage and planting plans.
• Plant, prune, and maintain grasses, shrubs, and trees.
• Operate and maintain hand and power tools for grounds work.
• Load, transport, and stage materials and equipment as needed.
• Complete tasks safely and efficiently with quality results.

Skills

Heavy equipment operation

Controls familiarity

Safety awareness

Grounds maintenance

Tools

Chainsaws

Weed eaters

Blowers

Saws

Drills

Hammer drills

Jackhammers

Concrete saws

Job description

Summary

The Gardener (Tractor Operator) is responsible for the operation of heavy equipment to push, load, make piles and items, move earth, rock, gravel, mulch, supplies, and equipment. Loads dirt, trees & other items into dump trucks & onto flatbeds; and dump trailers, dumpsters and into back of trucks taking touch and higher levels of skill. Operators are required to know the uses of sets of controls or operation of the equipment & attachments and be skilled in handling these controls.

Major Duties

Major Duties include, but not limited to: Grade and slope landscape areas, including terraces, to support drainage and planting plans. Plant, transplant, and maintain a wide variety of grasses, ground cover, flowers, shrubs, and trees. Prune trees and shrubs to promote healthy growth and maintain an appropriate balance between root systems and top growth. Perform work from project plans, master landscape plans, and long-range grounds-maintenance plans. Make independent day-to-day decisions consistent with established gardening practices and project requirements. Maintain lawns, flower beds, shrubs, trees, and other landscaped areas to meet appearance, health, and safety standards. Identify common plant diseases, insect infestations, and other landscape problems; apply appropriate treatments as directed. Apply fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals to plants and landscaped areas in accordance with instructions and safety requirements. Operate and maintain hand tools, power tools, and grounds-maintenance equipment, including chainsaws, weed eaters, blowers, saws, drills, hammer drills, jackhammers, concrete saws, and related equipment. Use hand tools and equipment such as shovels, picks, rakes, sledgehammers, and pruning tools to complete gardening and maintenance assignments. Load, unload, transport, and stage supplies, materials, tools, and equipment needed for daily and monthly work assignments. Operate vehicles and other equipment required to transport personnel, tools, supplies, and materials to work locations. Complete assigned gardening, landscaping, grounds-maintenance, and minor construction tasks safely, efficiently, and with work evaluated based on the quality of results achieved. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:00am-3:30pm (Subject to change based on the needs of the agency.) Position Description Title/PD#: Gardener (Tractor Operator)/PD03314A Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized.

Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 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 identification 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) Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Driver's Licensure is required. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial 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. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Evaluations

Area of consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order: 1st Area of Consideration - current permanent Veterans Health Care Systems of the Ozarks employees including satellites and CTAP eligibles; 2nd Area of Consideration - current permanent Veterans Healthcare Administration employees; 3rd Area of Consideration - current permanent VA Nationwide employees; 4th Area of Consideration - All Other Status Applicants. Note: Veteran's preference is not applicable to VA employees or employees of other Federal Agencies. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. 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.

What to Expect Next

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. If initial application submission is updated and resubmitted with a new resume, only the most current resume will be considered. 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. NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact