Salary: $22.11 - $28.24 Hourly

Location : Santa Monica and/or Malibu, CA

Job Type: VARIES

Job Number: 561019-25-01

Department: OPERATIONS

Opening Date: 01/14/2025

Closing Date: 2/5/2025 4:00 PM Pacific

BASIC FUNCTION AND QUALIFICATIONS

Classified Employee's Salary Range: A-30

This recruitment is to establish a one-year eligibility list for current and future vacancies and substitute opportunities.

Current Vacancy:

Operations Department

Monday- Friday 6:00am-2:30pm

BASIC FUNCTION:
Under general supervision, performs gardening and general grounds maintenance work.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
EXPERIENCE:
One year full-time, paid experience in gardening and/or general grounds maintenance work.

Any combination of training and experience which demonstrates that the applicant is likely to possess the required skills, knowledge and abilities may be considered.

LICENSE AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
Must maintain a valid California Driver's license and be insurable by the District's carrier.

Must wear District approved safety gear, such as lift belts.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

Note: The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees, and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities and qualifications required of personnel so classified. Reasonable accommodations will be made so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

JOB DUTIES:

Performs general grounds maintenance work, such as erecting tree supports, hoeing weeds, raking leaves and refuse, removing trash and assuring it is properly collected and disposed of and checking for proper drainage.
Plants, cultivates, fertilizes, trims, waters and applies District approved insecticides and fungicides on trees, shrubs, ornamental plants and flowers.
Trims, edges, mows, fertilizes, waters lawn areas.
Operates small power tools, such as hedge trimmers.
Maintains gardening tools, such as shovels, rakes, trowels, clippers, pruning shears, hoses.
Makes adjustments and minor repairs to sprinklers.
Performs related duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE OF:

Methods, tools and supplies used in general grounds maintenance work and flower gardening.
Common plant diseases and pests and approved methods of controlling and eliminating them.

ABILITY TO:

Safely and skillfully perform gardening and grounds maintenance work.
Accurately identify trees, shrubs, ornamental plants and flowers commonly grown in Southern California.
Safely use District approved toxic or hazardous materials, sprays and solutions.
Follow written and oral directions.
Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with site administrators and staff, coworkers and the public.
Be flexible.

SUPERVISION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

SUPERVISION:
General supervision is received from the Manager of Facilities and Grounds Operations. Technical and functional supervision is received from the Head Gardener. No supervision is exercised.

WORKING CONDITIONS:
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Ability to safely lift, carry, push and/or pull up to 75 pounds, with frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing up to 50 pounds; ability to stay on one's feet for long periods at a time; ability to bend, crawl, stoop, kneel, squat, crouch, twist and turn.

NOTE: Incumbent will be exposed to working around moving machinery and will frequently be required to work in inclement weather or other onerous conditions, such as narrow spaces, dirt, dust and dampness.

SELECTION PROCEDURES

THE APPLICATION PROCESS:
To be considered for an employment opportunity with the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, it is necessary for you to complete an official District Application and Supplemental Questions. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of an application. The application is part of the examination process and is part of your total evaluation of qualifications for employment.

THE EXAMINATION PROCESS:
For those candidates who meet the minimum qualifications, the examination process will consist of any one or more of the following: Training and Experience Evaluation, Written Test, Performance Test, and/or Structured Interview. Additional information pertaining to the examination process will be emailed to those candidates who meet the minimum qualifications.

EXAMINATION PROTESTS:
Protest of any part of the examination process must be in writing and received in the office of the Director of Classified Personnel no later than five (5) working days from the date you were notified of examination results. All notifications are sent electronically via email. Any protest must include rationale to support the protest and must be based on illegal discrimination, abuse of discretion, or procedure/process error. We are not responsible for any incoming mail that is lost or misdirected after it has been entrusted to the US Postal Service.

ACCOMMODATION FOR DISABLED:
If you have a disability that may require an accommodation in any of these examination procedures, please notify the Personnel Commission in writing at the time you submit your application.

ESTABLISHMENT OF ELIGIBILITY LIST:
This examination process shall be open to all qualified applicants and shall result in one integrated eligibility list. All eligibility lists shall be established in accordance with Personnel Commission rules and shall be established for a period one (1) year, unless otherwise noted, or until there are fewer than three (3) ranks of eligible candidates who are available. Candidates are placed on the eligibility list in rank order according to their final examination score. Final examination scores will not change, but ranking may change as other candidates are added or removed from the list.

ADVANCED STEP PLACEMENT:
Generally, new employees start at the first step on the appointed salary schedule. When filling a permanent vacancy, a new employee may request a higher salary placement based on having training and experience that greatly exceeds the minimum qualifications. An employee may submit a formal request for advanced step consideration on or after the first day of employment. Education transcripts, training certificates, and additional references may be requested for verification purposes.

HOW YOU WILL HEAR FROM US:
All correspondence and notifications regarding this recruitment will be sent to the email address you provide. It is your responsibility to review, follow instructions, and respond to information in a timely manner; as if it was a function of your job.

The provisions of this announcement do not constitute an expressed or implied contract, and any provisions contained in this announcement may be modified or revoked without notice.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR
JOB APPLICANTS

ACCOMODATION FOR DISABLED: If you have a disability that may require an accommodation in any of these selection procedures, please notify the Personnel Commission in writing and attach your request to the completed application packet.

PREFERENCE POINTS: Seniority credit, based on length of service, is added to the final passing score of permanent employees. Veteran's credits are added for entry level examinations as follows: 5 points for non-disabled veterans; 10 points for disabled veterans. "Veteran" is defined as serving at least 30 days active duty during war or qualifying armed conflict. A DD-214 must be presented on or before date of the examination.

ELIGIBILITY LIST: Candidates who pass the examination will be placed in rank order on the eligibility list. Final selection will be made from the top three available ranks only. When a promotional and open eligibility list is established, the promotional list will be used first. Eligibility lists are usually established for one calendar year.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: All potential employees must provide evidence of their identity and authorization to work in the United States before they will be hired. State law requires employees to provide proof that they have had a recent negative tuberculosis test result. All new employees are fingerprinted and conviction records, if any, are checked.

SALARIES, MERIT INCREASES & ADVANCED STEP PLACEMENT: Salaries generally begin on the first step of the appropriate salary range. Permanent employees receive an increase after six months of continuous satisfactory service and equal raises based on merit at subsequent one year intervals for a total of five increases. Relevant experience and/or education in excess of entry requirements may permit employment at other than the first step. If employed at a higher step, salary increases are granted annually until reaching the end of the salary range.

BENEFITS: Permanent employees will receive paid holidays, sick leave, vacation and longevity benefits per bargaining unit contract or Personnel Commission Merit Rules. The District offers a comprehensive package of insurance benefits to full-time employees and their families, which includes major medical and dental. (Permanent employees who work less than full-time, but a minimum of four (4) hours will contribute an amount proportionate to the number of assigned hours for major medical and dental.) Employees belong to the Public Employees' Retirement System to which the District makes contributions approximately equal to those deducted from the employee's pay.

Assuring Equal Opportunities through the Merit System since 1938.

SANTA MONICA-MALIBU UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
PERSONNEL COMMISSION
1717 4th Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District does not discriminate based on actual or perceived sex, age, ancestry, color, ethnic group identification, gender, mental and/or physical disability, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, and a person's association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.

(Revised April 2008)

01

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT: The information you provide on this application will be used to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications. Please be accurate, truthful, and thorough in your responses as your application is part of the selection process. Referring to your application/resume, listing "see resume", or incomplete responses will NOT qualify as a response to any question and may result in DISQUALIFICATION.Your experience, education, training, and certification must be listed on your application in order to be considered. Any sign of deliberate misinformation or intentional exaggeration will result in disqualification from this examination process and possible bar from future employment opportunities with Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.

I confirm that I have read, understand, and accept the above terms

02

Please read the following statement regarding compensation: New employees start on the first step (Step A) of their classification's salary range. Gardener begins on step A: $22.11 per hour. On the first day of employment, new employees will be given 60 days to submit a formal request for advanced step placement.Employees who have experience and education that greatly exceed the minimum qualifications may be considered for placement on steps above A. ONLY INFORMATION ON YOUR APPLICATION WILL BE USED TO DETERMINE ADVANCED STEP PLACEMENT.Transcripts, certificates, and additional references or materials may be requested for verification purposes.

I confirm that I have read, understand, and accept the above terms

03

Select the option below that best corresponds with your employment status:

I am a current employee of SMMUSD
I am a former employee of SMMUSD
Neither of the above

04

If you are a current or former employee of SMMUSD, please list the year you were hired and your classification title(s).

If you are not a current or former SMMUSD employee, type N/A.

05

Select the option below that best corresponds with your experience in gardening and/or general grounds maintenance work. NOTE: Minimum qualifications must include one year of full-time, paid experience in gardening and/or general grounds maintenance work.

I do not have experience in this area
Some experience, but less than one year
One year experience, but less than two
Two years experience or more

06

Describe your experience as indicated in the previous question. Include the company or individual you worked for, and describe your specific responsibilities.

07

Do you possess a valid class C Driver License?

08

Do you have professional experience operating commercial lawn mowers?

09

Do you have professional experience operating a push/string lawn edger?

10

Do you have professional experience operating a string or line trimmer (weed-whacker)?

11

Do you have professional experience operating a leaf vacuum?

12

Do you have professional experience using pruning shears or hand pruners?

13

Do you have professional experience operating a gas or electric-powered hedge trimmer?

14

Do you have professional experience properly using herbicides such as Avenger?

15

I am willing to accept substitute (non-permanent) opportunities as they become available:NOTE: Hourly substitute rate is $21.65

Required Question

Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District

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