Gardener - Forestry

Position Overview

This is non‑technical gardening and grounds maintenance work. Assignments are performed with minimum supervision and work is subject to regular, frequent inspection with advice being given relative to difficult or unusual problems.

The day and hours for this position: Monday‑Friday 7:00am‑3:30pm

Bargaining Unit: Service Employee's International (SEIU)

Employees within the department or division shall be given first consideration.

Posting may close at any time.

• Maintains flowers, shrubs, and trees, including cultivating, transplanting, irrigating, pruning, spraying, and fertilizing.
• Maintains turf grass areas, including irrigating, planting, mowing, edging and trimming, controlling diseases and pests, and fertilizing.
• Maintains the cleanliness of walks and other hard‑surfaced areas by sweeping and hosing with water.
• Removes snow from walks and other areas; maintains litter‑free grounds.
• Balls and burlaps trees.
• May be assigned as a park caretaker during the summer.
• Assists with prescribed burns.
• These examples are not intended to be all‑inclusive.
• Other related duties may be assigned as needed.

• Some knowledge of the standard tools, equipment, materials, methods, and practices used in gardening and grounds maintenance work.
• Some knowledge of hazards and safety precautions of the work.
• Working knowledge of horticulture, floriculture, symptoms of plant disease, parasites, and insect pests, and of the means and methods used for their control.
• Skill in the use of standard hand and power equipment employed in the propagation and cultivation of garden and grass areas.
• Ability to push and/or pull and operate a standard lawn mower over rough terrain.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 150 pounds with the assistance of another.
• Ability to tolerate outdoors, open grounds, windy conditions, pesticide and herbicide handling.
• Ability to empty trash bags/containers weighing up to 40 pounds and lift them up to 48 inches.
• Ability to shovel snow using a three‑pound shovel and lifting up to a ten‑pound load 36 inches high and moving it up to six feet.
• Ability to read and interpret instructions and labels, such as on equipment and pesticides.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with associates.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively.
• Ability to maintain a valid Kansas class A commercial driver’s license (CDL). If you are a Canadian or Mexican citizen, you will be required to have or obtain a CDL from your home country.
• An employee shall not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals in the workplace.

• Ability to obtain a Kansas class A commercial driver’s license (CDL) within the first six months of employment. If you are a Canadian or Mexican citizen, you will be required to have or obtain a CDL from your home country.
• A valid driver’s license.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for sponsorship.

• Six months of experience cultivating and caring for lawns, shrubs and trees.
• One year of experience in operating gardening equipment such as mowers, trimmers and leaf blowers.
• A valid Kansas class A commercial driver’s license (CDL).

Please note that this position is part of a random drug testing pool, and employees are subject to random drug testing in accordance with company policies and applicable laws.

Offers of employment are contingent upon passing a pre‑employment physical, which includes drug screening, and upon satisfactory evaluation of the results of a criminal record check.

Starting pay for current City employees will be determined by City of Wichita policy or applicable bargaining unit agreement.