Application Opening: January 8, 2025 Application Deadline: Apply Immediately. Application filing will be open at least through January 22, 2025, and will close any time thereafter. Compensation: $37.175 - $45.2375/hour; $6,444 - $7,841/month; $77,324 - $94,094/year Appointment Type: Class Based Test; Permanent Civil Service Contact: For questions about this position or how to apply, please contact Ian Talley at ian.talley@sfgov.org THIS IS A CITYWIDE EXAM San Francisco is a vibrant and dynamic city on the forefront of economic growth and innovation, urban development, arts and entertainment, as well as social issues and change. This rich tapestry of culture and ideas is sustained by our City’s commitment to heighten the quality of life for San Franciscans and residents of the greater Bay Area. Our employees play an important role not only in making our City what it is today, but also in shaping the future of San Francisco. The City and County of San Francisco employs more than 28,000 individuals in various professional jobs in a diverse array of services such as maintaining City streets & parks, driving buses and cable cars, providing public health services, keeping the streets safe, and firefighting. Under general supervision, this position performs routine maintenance and landscaping renovation tasks to care for natural and synthetic athletic fields, squares, parks, green infrastructure, playgrounds, stadiums, thoroughfares, medians, natural areas and/or other landscaped areas. Essential functions of this class include: preparing soil by rototilling, spading and fertilizing; maintaining plants by planting, transplanting, cultivating, irrigation and pruning; identifying a large variety of plant material and their cultural requirements; identifying pests and diseases, performing techniques such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to control or mitigate the pests and diseases; maintaining lawns by raking, edging, mowing, watering, weeding, aerating, fertilizing, and over seeding; implementing habitat restoration and wildlife enhancement projects; maintaining grounds by clearing brush and debris, sweeping and raking public activity areas, cleaning up litter and clearing drains; changing sprinkler heads when required; operating power and manual equipment and/or tools such as mowers, watering equipment, gopher traps, and other types of gardening equipment and/or tools; performing routine maintenance on landscaping equipment and/or tools to ensure they are n good working condition; performing general maintenance tasks on grounds and facilities to ensure clean and safe premises; and performing other job duties as required. Working Conditions The nature of the work may require exposure to inclement weather conditions and may require exposure to hazardous conditions and/or materials which may include feces and/or urine, used syringes, etc. All positions require driving. Some positions may require riding mowers and driving small utility vehicles. Some positions may require working in public spaces such as public parks, schools, green spaces, nature trails, public/community facilities, etc. Some positions may require weekend or shift work. Special Requirements The 3417 Gardener requires the ability to lift, drag and/or move with assistance large and/or heavy plants and equipment to truck bed level and ability to kneel, bend, and squat for considerable periods of time safely and correctly. The probationary period will be used to evaluate these abilities. Essential Duties + Prepares soil by rototilling, grading, spading, and fertilizing to promote plant growth and to prevent drainage problems. + Maintains plants by planting, transplanting, cultivating, irrigation and pruning to promote plant growth and to prevent plant deterioration. + Performs irrigation system inspections to make necessary adjustments and repairs when appropriate; Implements irrigation system best practices to comply with water conservation mandates. + Identifies and manages pests and diseases Performs regular inspections on plants and/or lawn areas to identify, manage control and/or mitigate the pests and diseases by performing techniques such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM). + Maintains lawn areas by raking, edging, mowing, watering, weeding, aerating, fertilizing, over seeding and/or other landscaping function(s) to promote lawn health and erosion control. + Maintains grounds of natural and synthetic athletic fields, squares, parks, playgrounds, stadiums, thoroughfares and/or other landscape areas by clearing brush and debris, sweeping and raking areas, cleaning up litter, clearing drains, and preventing hazardous conditions. + Operates power and manual equipment and/or tools such as mowers, water equipment, gopher traps, and other types of gardening equipment and/or tools to assist in maintaining landscape areas. + Performs routine maintenance on gardening equipment and/or tools to ensure they are maintained and in good working condition. + Performs general maintenance duties on grounds and facilities such as natural and synthetic athletic fields, sandboxes in parks, public easements, restroom facilities, irrigation systems and safe premises. + May be assigned to work with and/or direct the work of park volunteers. + May interact with the public, staff, community groups, and/or other City departments. + Positions at Airport may also be required to assist with installation of interior landscapes designs including plant beds, planters and other decorative elements; and assist with identifying and selecting plant species suited for indoor environments. + Three (3) years of verified experience in the care, construction, or maintenance of landscaped areas by planting, weeding, fertilizing, irrigating, pruning, and controlling pests in the following areas: sports and athletic natural turf fields, golf courses, parks, ornamental gardens, arboreta, greenhouses, nurseries, botanical gardens and/or public landscaped areas; OR   + Possession of a Certificate of Achievement from an accredited college or university in horticulture, landscaping, gardening, nursery and garden center operation, commercial cut flower and greenhouse production or related field and two (2) years of verifiable experience in the care, construction or maintenance of landscaped areas by planting, weeding, fertilizing, irrigating, pruning, and controlling pests in the following areas: sports and athletic natural turf fields, golf courses, parks, ornamental gardens, arboreta, greenhouses, nurseries, botanical gardens and/or public landscaped areas; OR   + Possession of an Associate of Arts or Science degree from an accredited college or university in horticulture, landscaping, gardening, nursery and garden center operation, commercial cut flower and greenhouse production or related field and eighteen (18) months of verifiable experience in the care, construction or maintenance of landscaped areas by planting, weeding, fertilizing, irrigating, pruning, and controlling pests in the following areas: sports and athletic natural turf fields, golf courses, parks, ornamental gardens, arboreta, greenhouses, nurseries, botanical gardens and/or public landscaped areas; OR   + Completion of 3,000 hours of the City and County of San Francisco's gardener apprenticeship program; AND License and Certification Requires possession of a valid California driver's license. Notes + Candidates must be insurable under the department’s automobile liability insurance policy. After employment, employees must maintain insurability and valid driver license. + Some positions require twelve (12) months verifiable experience in the installation and maintenance of interior landscapes which includes plant identification and the ability to recognize pest and disease that are specific to interior landscape plants. + Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications requirement by the final filing date unless otherwise noted. + One (1) year full-time employment is equivalent to 2000 hours. (2000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on a 40 hour work week). Any overtime hours that you work above forty (40) hours per week are not included in the calculation to determine full-time employment. Verification of Experience and Education Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Please review our articles on Employment Application and Minimum Qualifications (https://sfdhr.org/recruitment-details#qualifications) and Verification of Experience and/or Education (https://sfdhr.org/recruitment-details#verification) for considerations taken when reviewing applications.  Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification from this and future job opportunities with City and County of San Francisco. Selection Procedures After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following: Written Exam (Weight: 100%): Applicants who meet the Minimum Qualifications will be invited to participate in a multiple-choice examination designed to measure their relative knowledge, skills, and abilities in job-related areas. The multiple-choice exam will be administered in a paper format. The multiple-choice examination component may include but not limited to: + Ability to use & care for gardening equipment and/or tools + Knowledge of pest control + Knowledge of erosion control + Safety knowledge + Knowledge of procedures used to maintain landscaped areas + Knowledge of plant identification + Knowledge of irrigation systems + Interpersonal skills This is a standardized examination and, therefore, test questions and test answers are not available for public inspection or review. The score you achieve on this exam will be valid and “banked” for three (3) years, starting from the date of the examination. This means that, during this three-year time period, you will not be required to take this exam again should you apply and be found eligible for a future recruitment that uses this particular test. Please note this test may be used for other classifications therefore your test score may be applied may be applied to one or more classes if you choose to apply to future recruitments. If the test for a future announcement is held within one year of the date of this examination, your score will be automatically applied to that announcement. However, after one year, you have the option to either (a) apply your test score to the other announcement or (b) re-take the test. Re-testing is permitted no sooner than one year from the date of the examination and only in association with your eligibility for another announcement for which this test is used. Please note that should you re-test, your new score would become your official score since  it is the most recent. Applicant scores on this examination may also be applied to other announcements involving other job titles, when directed by the Human Resources Director. Eligible List/Score Report A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission. Eligible List Duration: The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be of six (6) months and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director.  To find Departments which use this classification, please see https://sfdhr.org/sites/default/files/documents/ASO-Level-Chart.pdf?documentID=21246.  Certification Rule: The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be Rule of the List. Additional selection processes may be conducted by the hiring department prior to making final hiring decisions. Upon approval of the Human Resource Director (see Civil Service Rule 111A.26.5), the eligible list/score report resulting from this announcement may be used by other departments that also use this classification or a similar classification. To find other Departments which use this classification, please see https://sfdhr.org/sites/default/files/documents/Forms-Documents/Position-Count-by-Job-Codes.pdf. Exam Type: Entrance Terms of Announcement Applicants will receive a confirmation email from notification@careers.sf.gov that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received. Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility, disqualification or may lead to lower scores. Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations. [Note: The correction of clerical errors in an announcement may be posted on the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.sf.gov/.]  The terms of this announcement may be appealed under the Civil Service Rule 110.4. Such appeals must be submitted in writing to the Department of Human Resources, 1 South Van Ness, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103-5413 by close of business on the 5th business day following the issuance date of this examination announcement. Information concerning other Civil Service Commission Rules involving announcements, applications, and examination policies, including applicant appeal rights, can be found on the Civil Service Commission website at https://sf.gov/departments/civil-service-commission. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Security Clearance Candidates for employment with the San Francisco Airport Commission are required to undergo a criminal history record check, including FBI fingerprints, and Security Threat Assessment in order to determine eligibility for security clearance and may be required to undergo drug/alcohol screening. Per Civil Service Commission Rule Section 110.9.1, every applicant for an examination must possess and maintain the qualifications required by law and by the examination announcement for the examination. Failure to obtain and maintain security clearance may be basis for termination from employment with the Airport Commission. Customs Clearance This position requires that the incumbent be qualified for unescorted access to the San Francisco International Airport U.S. Customs Security Area. An application for a U.S. Customs Access Seal may be submitted to Customs ONLY after employment has commenced. Employment in this position requires that the incumbent submit an application for, successfully acquire and maintain a Customs Access Seal. Per Civil Service Commission Rule 110.9.1, every applicant must possess and maintain the qualifications required by law and by the examination announcement for this examination. Failure to acquire or maintain customs access, a requirement for this position, may be basis for termination from employment with the Airport Commission. Customs Access Seal requirements and procedures are located in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 19, Part 122, Sections 181 or 189. TWIC Card Candidates for employment with the San Francisco Port Commission are required to be qualified for unescorted access to the Port's Maritime Transportation System MTS). An application for a TWIG card may be submitted after employment has commenced. Employment in this position requires that the incumbent undergo a criminal history check, immigration check and terrorist threat assessment, including FBI fingerprints, in order to determine eligibility for security clearance. The incumbent must submit an application for and successfully acquire and maintain a TWIG card. Per Civil Service Rule110.9.1, every applicant must possess and maintain the qualifications required by law and by the announcement for this examination. Failure to acquire or maintain a TWIC card, a requirement for this position, may be basis for termination from employment with the Port Commission. Note: TWIC requirements and procedures are located in in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, 49 U.S.C. 114, 40113, and 49 U.S.C. 5103a. Medical Examination Prior to appointment, all candidates must successfully pass a medical examination to determine his/her ability to perform the essential functions of the job and/or the ability to meet the physical minimum requirements. Drug Test Requirement Applicants for positions in this classification who are not currently employed by the City and County of San Francisco in a safety-sensitive position represented by Local 261 are required to pass pre-employment drug (including marijuana) and alcohol testing upon reasonable suspicion or after-work related accident. Applicants with positive result from pre-employment drug test will be restricted from hire in safety-sensitive positions for six months after the date of the positive test. Public Resources Code 5164 Candidates for positions with the Recreation & Parks Department may be disqualified from consideration should their conviction history not meet the standards established under California Public Resources Code 5164. Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco + Information About the Hiring Process (https://careers.sf.gov/knowledge/process/) + Conviction History + Employee Benefits Overview  (https://careers.sf.gov/benefits/)   + Equal Employment Opportunity (https://www.sf.gov/what-equal-employment-opportunity-and-how-file-claim)   + Disaster Service Worker (https://sfdhr.org/disaster-service-workers) + ADA Accommodation + Veterans Preference (https://sfdhr.org/recruitment-details#veteranspreference) + Seniority Credit in Promotional Exams + Right to Work (https://sfdhr.org/recruitment-details#identification) + Copies of Application Documents + Diversity Statement (https://sfdhr.org/recruitment-details#diversitystatement) All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.  The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law. The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.