Gardener Helper Jobs

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SUMMARY

Working under the direction of a Gardener or the Manager of Landscape & Horticulture/ Supervisor of Landscape, incumbent is responsible for all phases of gardening and ornamental landscaping at city gardens, parks, and the Botanical Conservatory. The incumbent is expected to exercise good judgment, independence, initiative, and professional expertise in conducting day-to-day operations. All work duties and activities must be performed in accordance with the City safety rules and operating regulations, policies and procedures as well as federal, state, and local regulations. The incumbent is expected to exercise good judgment, independence, initiative, and professional expertise in conducting day-to-day operations. All work duties and activities must be performed in accordance with the City safety rules and operating regulations, policies and procedures as well as federal, state, and local regulations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the ability to interact with the public, City incumbents, and outside agencies with patience, tact, respect, and professionalism and the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Planning/IMPLEMENTATION

• Designs, plants, and maintains ornamental landscape floral displays;

MANAGEMENT/OPERATIONS

• Plants, cultivates, waters, weeds, sprays, prunes and fertilizes trees, shrubs, lawn, flower gardens and landscape areas;
• Works in an indoor/outdoor environment year-round as required;
• Operates a variety of hand and power tools, equipment and mowers;
• Drives a one-ton dump truck while pulling and backing a trailer;
• Maintains accurate work reports and records in a neat and legible manner;
• Works in greenhouse as needed;
• Assists in directing the work of assigned employees, volunteers, community service and community corrections personnel;
• Performs janitorial maintenance of assigned work areas;

PREVENTATIVE maintenance

• Performs preventative maintenance and minor repair on motorized equipment;
• Performs both pre-emergent and post emergent herbicide applications to landscape areas;
• Maintains, repairs, and operates irrigation systems;
• Maintains and cleans sidewalks and plazas in assigned areas;
• Maintains high quality turf areas by watering, mowing, fertilizing, over-seeding, herbicide treatment, etc.;
• Maintains tools and work area in a clean and orderly condition;
• Maintains and operates water features in assigned areas;

COMMUNICATION / INFORMATION

• Assists in training employees, volunteers, community service, and community corrections personnel;
• Communicates well both verbally and in writing; understands written and verbal instructions;
• Coordinates work projects with fellow employees, contractors, and volunteer groups;
• Maintains good relations with the public; provides excellent customer service;
• Reports irregularities and abnormal conditions;

MARGINAL DUTIES

Performs other duties as assigned.

OTHER KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and/or ABILITIES

• Ability to design floral displays;
• Knowledge of methods, tools, materials and practices used in gardening and landscaping work.

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

The incumbent is responsible to manage their performance in accordance with this job description and the performance expectations provided to them by management. If at any time the incumbent is unsure of their role or specific responsibilities, it is the incumbent’s responsibility to refer to their job description and ask for clarification from their supervisor. Management will work with the incumbent, as needed, to ensure performance expectations are clearly communicated and performance goals are achieved.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Incumbent assists a Gardener and/or the Supervisor of Landscape in directing the work of regular employees, seasonal employees, volunteers, community service workers, and community correction persons.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

High school diploma or general education degree (GED) and 3 years experience in ornamental horticulture or landscape maintenance or equivalent combination of education and experience.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, herbicide labels and SDS’s, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

• Valid Indiana Operators License;
• Acquire and maintain a Valid Indiana For-Hire Endorsement within 90 days of date of hire;
• Acquire and maintain State of Indiana Pesticide Registered Technician certification by passing the Core Exam within 1 year of date of hire.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to sit. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 75 pounds a minimum of 50 feet.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger; handle; or feel; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee frequently is required to sit, climb or balance, talk or hear, and taste or smell. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 75 pounds and carry the weight a minimum of 50 feet. Exerts effort for sustained periods which usually involves heavy lifting, pushing, and pulling performed in a non-sitting position with high manual dexterity. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts and outside weather conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.