Horticulture Technician - City of Durham, NC : Job Details

Salary : $43,348.00 - $67,226.00 AnnuallyLocation : Durham, NCJob Type: Full time with benefitsJob Number: 24-05170Department: General ServicesOpening Date: 12/03/2024Closing Date: ContinuousPosition DescriptionWork. Serve. Thrive. With the City of Durham Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve. The innovative, service-oriented individuals support the City we love. Building and maintaining City facilities and public spaces is what we do. Promoting our enviable quality of life and serving as a foundation of a healthy economy is why we do it. If you are interested in applying your unique skills to meaningful work while growing in your career, our team is for you!Salary Hiring Range: $43,348.00 - $50,170.00 Work Hours/Days: Monday - Friday 6:00 am to 2:30 pmPosition devoted to managing horticultural assets on City property through the performance of semi-skilled and skilled labor: operating light-duty equipment and power tools; applying fertilizer, water and herbicides; installing ornamental plants in landscapes, beds, and containers; employing horticultural practices such as pruning, deadheading, hand weeding, and mulching. Other responsibilities within the Landscape Services Division include turf and road-side maintenance through seeding, mowing, edging, and weed-eating as well as spreading mulch and removing leaves in fall, ice/snow in winter, and litter year-round. Incumbents may be required to assist with general maintenance tasks in addition to their primary assignment. Duties during the growing season (March-November) mostly follow an established operational routine with work limited primarily to carrying out assignments, operating tools and equipment and performing work efficiently to meet established standards and deadlines. Duties during the cool season (December-February) include installing landscape beds, retaining walls, unit pavers, and trees; pruning trees and shrubs; mulching beds and landscapes; collecting debris and litter; removing snow and ice. An incumbent is responsible for participating in the work assigned to a crew, to include; performing technical work (mowing, edging, trimming, blowing, spraying), following care and custody protocols on equipment and vehicles; operating light-duty equipment and power tools; fueling equipment, and filling/rinsing and properly storing spray-units; maintaining assigned PPE and supplies; reporting daily work metrics to a supervisor (including pesticide logs); and performing related duties. Duties/Responsibilities

• Performs horticultural operations that enhance the health and appearance of ornamental plantings on City properties including use of hand tools (soil knife, hoe, trowel, shovel, mattock, hand pruners, loppers, hand saw, garden rake, leaf rake, watering hose/wand), power tools (blower, weed-eater, lawn mower, bed definer, chain saw, water pump) and chemicals (fertilizer, formicide, herbicide).
• Performs mowing operations including deployment of necessary equipment and gear, adheres to use of PPE and proper work zone setup in a roadside environment, performs mowing and litter collection operations as assigned, picks up litter along service areas, operates zero-turn, walk behind and ride-behind mowers, hedge trimmers, blowers, edgers, string trimmers ( weed-eaters ), vehicle-mounted tank sprayers and backpack sprayers, and salt spreaders.
• Performs technical work, service checks, and preventative maintenance on applicable equipment. Performs and documents care, and custody protocols associated with assigned gear; and operates light-duty equipment, power and hand tools.
• Gathers and reports information on work metrics to supervisor.
• Provides customer service; responds to customer questions and concerns; understands and stays current on policies and procedures.
• Performs other duties of a similar nature and level as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications & Experience

• High School Diploma or equivalent (GED, HiSet, TASC).
• Two (2) years of operations and specialized maintenance experience in the field of landscaping, agriculture, or applied horticulture.
• A valid North Carolina Class C Driver's License with a satisfactory driving record.
• This position is critical to emergency operations and will report to work, despite, or because of, an emergency or disaster event.

The City of Durham Encourages Diversity in the Workplace.Additional Preferred Skills

• Two (2) years of experience working in outdoor environments.
• Experience managing horticultural plantings.
• Experience operating lawn equipment.
• Experience using horticulture hand tools.
• Skilled in plant identification.

Benefits - General Full-Time Employees

• 12-13 paid holidays per year
• 13 standard work days of vacation per year
• 13 standard work days of sick leave per year, which accumulates indefinitely; sick leave may be used toward early retirement
• 2 weeks paid military leave per year
• Medical, dental, vision, and supplemental life insurance plans
• State and City retirement plans
• Short and long term disability plans
• Paid temporary disability leave for specified conditions
• City contribution of 13.6% into the N.C. State Retirement System
• Paid funeral leave
• Employee Assistance Program - personal and family counseling
• Paid life insurance equal to annual salary
• 48 hours for volunteer work each year*
• 4 hours parental leave each year
• Workman's Compensation Insurance
• 457 Deferred Compensation Plans

Benefits - Part-Time (1,000 hours or more per year)

• 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)
• State retirement plan

Benefits Part-Time (Average 30 hours per week over 12 month period)

• 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)
• State retirement plan effective first day of the month following date of hire
• Health insurance effective first day of the month following date of hire
• Dental and life insurance, after one year of service
• Pro-rated vacation, pro-rated sick, pro-rated floating holiday, parttime holiday pay (based on scheduled hours for that day) after one year of service

01 Where did you first hear about this opportunity?

• City of Durham Website
• Walk in
• Job fair
• Employee referral
• Professional organization ***Please list the organization in other box below***
• Internet posting ***Please list the specific web site in the other box below***
• Craig's List
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• GlassDoor
• governmentjobs.com
• Monster.com
• Indeed.com
• Employment Security Commission
• Magazine/Newspaper
• Other

02 If you listed other above please give specific web site, organization, or publication. 03 Please select your highest level of COMPLETED education.

• Less than a High School Diploma or Equivalent (GED, HiSET, TASC)
• High School Diploma or Equivalent (GED, HiSET, TASC)
• Associates Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• Doctoral Degree (PhD, Juris Doctorate)

04 Do you have a valid, unrestricted, North Carolina driver's license? (If you have a valid license from a State other than North Carolina, you must be willing and able to obtain a valid, unrestricted NC driver's license within 60 days of hire).

• I have a valid, unrestricted NC driver's license.
• I have a valid license from another State and I am willing to obtain a valid, unrestricted NC driver's license within 60 days.
• I do not have a valid, unrestricted driver's license.

05 How many years of experience do you have with operations and specialized maintenance in the field of landscaping, agriculture, or applied horticulture?

• No related experience
• Less than 1 year of experience
• 1 year but less than 2 years
• 2 years but less than 5 years
• 5 or more years

06 This position is critical to emergency operations and will report to work in spite of or because of an emergency or disaster event. Do you understand this statement?

• Yes
• No

07 What is your level of experience managing horticultural plantings (landscapes, beds, containers)?

• No experience (less than 6 months)
• Beginner level (6 months but less than 2 years)
• Intermediate level (2 years but less than 5 years)
• Advanced level (5 or more years)

08 How many years of experience do you have operating lawn equipment (riding mower, string trimmer, edger, blower, etc.)?

• No related experience
• Less than 1 year of experience
• 1 year but less than 2 years
• 2 years but less than 5 years
• 5 or more years

09 How many years of experience do you have using horticulture hand tools (trowel, shovel, mattock, hoe, hand pruners, loppers, pruning saw, etc.)?

• No related experience
• Less than 1 year of experience
• 1 year but less than 2 years
• 2 years but less than 5 years
• 5 or more years

10 What is your skill level in plant identification (annuals, herbaceous perennials, shrubs, trees)?

• No experience
• Beginner - can identify a few (10+) bedding plants, trees, and shrubs
• Intermediate - can identify a wide variety (25+) of bedding plants, trees, and shrubs, including some native species
• Advanced - have Certified Plant Professional or similar credential in plant identification

11 Check all that apply. I have . . .

• ability to identify a wide range of ornamental annuals, perennials, grasses, shrubs, and trees.
• working familiarity with management of a wide range of ornamental plants used in horticultural installations, e.g. landscapes, beds, containers.
• awareness of and appreciation for current, sustainable approaches to creation and management of urban, green infrastructure.
• education or coursework in landscaping or applied horticulture.
• NC Public Pesticide Operator License in categories E (Core) and L (Ornamental and Turf).
• Certified Plant Professional status through NC Nursery and Landscape Association.
• MUTCD Roadside Environmental Safety Certification.
• valid NC Commercial Drivers' License (B or A) with a satisfactory driving record.
• I have none of the above.

Required Question