Los Angeles Community College District

Acts as a lead and participates in the work of a gardening crew engaged in providing gardening care and grounds maintenance at a college site, including the care and upkeep of a variety of athletic facilities.

Schedules, oversees, and participates in the work of a gardening crew engaged in: Mowing, edging, watering, raking, reseeding, fertilizing, spraying, and weeding lawns and turf.

Planting, pruning and shaping, trimming, staking, cultivating, fertilizing, spraying, weeding, transplanting, and watering trees, shrubs, ground cover, flowers, and hedges.

Caring for athletic fields, running tracks, jumping pits and runways.

Determines most efficient work procedures and techniques for assigned staff to ensure timely completion of work projects and makes sure that safety standards and procedures are followed.

Assists in coordinating and scheduling gardening work in connection with various college activities which are held on lawns and athletic fields during the week, at night, or on weekends.

Operates power gardening equipment such as mowers, edgers, trimmers, blowers, chain saws, sprayers, tractors, and cultivators.

Adjusts and performs minor maintenance on power gardening equipment, gardening tools, and all types of sprinkler systems.

Applies fertilizer and soil amendments.

Mixes and applies insecticides in accordance with safety requirements.

Sets out traps for pests.

Inspects for and eliminates hazards in gardening areas.

Composts materials.

Assists in preparing job specifications and progress reports on gardening work.

Prepares material lists and job records.

Provides training to assigned staff in gardening work.

May assist the athletic department in laying out and marking athletic and recreation fields.

May gather, grow, and maintain special plant materials.

May control weeds by sprays or mechanical means.

May perform special floral decorating duties for special college events.

Performs related duties as assigned.

A Lead Gardener acts as a lead and participates in the work of a gardening crew engaged in providing general gardening care and grounds maintenance at a college site, including the care and upkeep of a variety of athletic facilities. Lead responsibilities are typically exercised over a group of at least three employees and include guidance and instruction on techniques, methods, and procedures for accomplishing assigned tasks and solving problems.

A Gardening Supervisor supervises and participates in the gardening care and the grounds maintenance of a college site, including the care and upkeep of a variety of athletic facilities.

A Gardener provides general gardening care and grounds maintenance involving trees, lawns, turf, shrubs, hedges, ground cover, flowers, and athletic fields.

General supervision is received from gardening supervisory or facilities management staff. Exercises lead responsibilities over assigned gardening staff, student employees, and persons performing community service work.

Knowledge of:

Landscaping for large and small land tracts

Plants adapted to the Southern California climate

Seasonal requirements of gardening operations

Characteristics of and methods, materials, equipment, and tools used in the care of trees, lawns, turf, shrubs, hedges, ground cover, and other plants

Methods and techniques of plant propagation

Soil, fertilizer, and moisture requirements of Southern California plant life

Appropriate uses of pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides

Protection and safety requirements needed when working with power equipment and/or handling hazardous or toxic materials

Basic methods and procedures used in scheduling job projects

Principles of training

Recordkeeping procedures

Skill in:

Pruning and shaping trees, shrubs, and other plants

Proper use of gardening hand tools

Safe operation and use of power gardening equipment and other tools

Ability to:

Schedule work of assigned staff

Plant and maintain healthy growth of trees, lawns, turf, shrubs, hedges, ground cover, and other plants

Make minor repairs and adjustments to power gardening equipment and tools

Make minor repairs and adjustments to sprinkler systems

Identify diseased plants and pest infestation and take proper corrective measures

Observe and determine the need for fertilizers, soil amendments, and mineral additives

Keep accurate records

Provide guidance and technical assistance to others

Trains others in the work of assigned area

Give clear and concise instructions

Work effectively and cooperatively with a diverse pool of college staff and students

Learn the characteristics of new equipment in the field of gardening and grounds maintenance and update skills to adapt to changing technology

Learn basic features of computer equipment

Learn general and specialized software applications

Education and Experience:

Graduation from high school or its equivalent.

AND

A. Two years of full-time, paid experience in a variety of general gardening and landscaping. Completion of courses in horticulture, botany, plant propagation, plant identification, landscaping, or related subjects is desirable. Experience in a lead capacity is desirable.

OR

B. Successful completion of a two-year program in horticulture, or related subjects, from a community college, adult, vocational, or high school AND one year of full-time, paid experience in a variety of general gardening and landscaping work. Experience in a lead capacity is desirable.

Special:

A current and valid California Qualified Applicator Certificate for the use of restricted pesticides may be required for some positions.

A valid Class “C” California driver's license may be required for some positions.

Travel to locations throughout the District may be required for some positions.

Physical Requirement:

Ability to lift and move items weighing up to 50 pounds.

Our class specification generally describes the duties, responsibilities, and requirements characteristic of the position(s) within this job class. The duties, responsibilities, and requirements of a particular position within this class may vary from the duties of other positions within the class.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Los Angeles Community College District provides reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with covered disabilities on a case-by-case basis throughout the application, examination, and hiring processes and throughout employment. If an individual is in doubt about their ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of a position or possession of any other requirement noted in a class specification or job announcement, they should always apply for a position and request reasonable accommodation at the appropriate time.