Job description

Job Characteristics

***OPEN AND PROMOTIONAL JOB OPPORTUNITY***
Landscape Gardener

This position is open until filled and may close at any time. The first round of applications will be reviewed the week of November 28, 2022.

The City of Concord is seeking an experienced Landscape Gardener in the Public Works Department.

What you will do in this role:
The Landscape Gardener performs parks maintenance, gardening, weed abatement, and grounds keeping work in assigned areas, such as parks, traffic medians, open space, public rights-of-way, and ball fields to ensure that these City resources are in an aesthetically pleasing condition and are available to meet the diverse needs for active and passive recreation and leisure activities. The Landscape Gardener measures results and data related to desired program outcomes daily and should make suggestions for improvements to processes and services as needed.

We are looking for someone who:

• Has a background in horticulture.
• Enjoys working outdoors in all weather conditions.
• Can provide lead direction to assigned work crew.
• Is proactive in identifying problems and suggesting solutions.
• Provides highest level of customer service.
• Has excellent communication skills.
• Is comfortable working independently and as a team.
• Embraces and embodies the City's Mission, Vision, and Values.

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SELECTION PROCESS*

1. Submit a completed City of Concord employment application and the required supplemental question responses online at www.cityofconcord.org/jobs. Only application materials submitted online will be accepted.

2. All qualified applications and supplemental responses will be competitively evaluated, and only those candidates demonstrating the strongest desired qualifications for the position will be invited to participate in a virtual panel interview.

3. Successful candidates will be placed on the hiring list, based on rank, for further consideration to fill the current regular vacancy, as well as others occurring over the next 12 months.

IMPORTANT:_ Contact with candidates will primarily be via email. Make sure you list a current email that you *_check regularly *on your application.
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LANDSCAPE GARDENER*
Purpose
Performs parks maintenance, gardening, weed abatement, and grounds keeping work in assigned areas, such as parks, traffic medians, open space, public rights-of-way, and ball fields to ensure that these City resources are in an aesthetically pleasing condition and are available to meet the diverse needs for active and passive recreation and leisure activities; performs related and other work as required all within the context of the City's Mission of providing responsive, cost effective, and innovative local government services through a collaborative effort with the community to make Concord a city of the highest quality.

Equipment, Methods & Guidelines
Uses standard operating guidelines, pick-up trucks with hydraulic trailers, dump trucks, tractors with attachments, portable power tools, power riding mowers, power hand mowers, gang mower, garbage compactors, generators, garden vacuums, sod and weed cutters, hole augers, chain saws, edgers, sprayers, fertilizer spreader and aerators; various hand tools such as shovels, rakes, hoes and clippers; electronic devices including computer terminals, and personal protective equipment. May use jackhammers and cement mixers.

Working Conditions
Typical field positions involving variable weather and traffic conditions and exposure to noise and toxic materials. Scheduled work week may include weekends, depending on specific assignment.

Physical Demands
Stand or walk for long periods of time; bend stoop, squat, and crawl; shovel wet and dry soil; prune trees and shrubs using manual and automatic equipment; carry heavy loads (up to 100 pounds); walk on slippery paved and unpaved surfaces; step and jump over physical barriers; and exposed to fungicides, pesticides, herbicides, dusts, fumes, and pollens.

Supervisory Guidance Received/Given
Supervision received consists of oral and written instructions intended to define objectives and problems and to prescribe general methods for achieving general objectives. Exercises independent judgment in determining specific actions necessary to properly maintain assigned areas. Provides on-the-job lead direction to assigned work crew.

Examples of duties include, but are not limited to

• Ensures that work assignments are accomplished; reports reasons for any delays; reports the time and tasks performed and materials used on a daily basis. Measurement of results and data related to desired outcomes are constantly accumulated and used to design improvements to processes and services.
• Waters, fertilizes, mows, weeds, edges and replaces turf pursuant to established maintenance schedule or after assessment of needs.
• Plants, waters, and maintains ornamental plants, shrubs, hedges, and flowers as defined in standard practices manual.
• Picks up rubbish and litter; cleans walkways, driveways, parking areas, and drainage facilities; keeps restrooms, play equipment, and picnic and recreation facilities clean and orderly.
• Prepares soils for various kinds of planting and cultivates around plants, shrubs, and trees.
• Performs routine inspection and maintenance of irrigation systems, such as cleaning and relocation of sprinkler heads and cleaning and repairing of automatic valves; assists in major mechanical maintenance and repairs. May program automatic controllers for sprinkler and irrigation systems.
• Monitors condition of turf, ornamental plants, shrubs, hedges, flowers, and trees and reports the presence of turf, plant and tree diseases and pests.
• Performs other parks maintenance tasks, such as installing header boards along paths flower beds; assembling portable picnic tables; assisting with the repair of barbecue pits; and installation of project barricade fencing; and assisting with rough carpentry and concrete work.
• May prepare and apply or assist in the preparation and application of fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides.
• May propagate flowers, shrubs, or trees.
• May answer emergency or complaint calls regarding conditions in parks or other landscaped areas; and observe and report parks facilities or buildings that need repair.

Qualifications

Knowledge and Abilities
Working knowledge of methods, tools, materials and practices used in parks and ground maintenance activities; knowledge of common names and requirements of plants, trees and shrubs, knowledge of the characteristics of typical plant diseases and pests and their control; basic knowledge of irrigation systems, including installation, operation, maintenance, and routine repair; basic knowledge of fertilizers and fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides.

Ability and willingness to adapt to changing work assignments; to operate equipment and to use the tools and materials encountered in parks maintenance activities with efficiency and safety; to input and retrieve data on electronic devices including computer terminals; to plant, fertilize, edge, trim, mow, weed, and water lawns, plants, shrubs and/or trees; to follow oral and written instructions, to work effectively without close supervision; to work outdoors in all weather; to provide lead direction to assigned work crew, to practice the highest level of customer service; to understand and practice concepts of team work, accountability, and seamless services; and to establish and maintain cooperative and effective relationships with individuals from a variety of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds contacted in the course of work.

Education/Experience
Education: Satisfactory completion of high school or equivalent supplemented by 9 units of coursework in ornamental horticulture or a related field, or other specialized training or certificates.

Experience: Three years of employment in grounds maintenance.

Other

A California Driver's License and a satisfactory driving record are conditions of initial and continued employment. Requires a State of California Qualified Applicator's Certificate ("QAC") within the probationary period as an additional condition of continued employment in this position.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $63,356.80 - $80,849.60 per year

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