Job Description

Posting Type

Open Competitive

Work Type

Full Time

Nature of Work

This is skilled work in caring for nursery stock of woody ornamentals, shrubs, and flowers and performing landscape gardening in the City nursery, greenhouse, holding nurseries, parks, and other areas. Routine work assignments are performed independently; however, work is inspected during progress and upon completion by the assigned supervisor.

Education and Experience

The knowledge, skills, and abilities may be acquired through, but are not limited to, the following combination of education and/or experience.

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Two (2) years of experience in working with woody plants, trees, shrubs, and flowers.

Special Qualifications

• Must possess a valid class "B" commercial driver's license with "N" endorsement and air brake certification by the end of the probationary period.
• Must possess a current category 04 Certified Federal and State of Nebraska Pesticide Applicator's Certificate by the end of the probationary period.
• Must possess a forklift operator's certificate by the end of the probationary period.
• Associates Degree in Horticulture or a related field preferred.

Pay Range

$22.85 with step increases to $29.69 Hourly

Benefits

Forty-hour work week. Paid leave per year: twelve days vacation; eighteen days sick; and fourteen holidays. Employee's group health insurance, including major medical, vision, and dental, for individual or family. Defined benefit pension plan, plus Social Security, and more. See hr.cityofomaha.org for detailed information.

Who Can Apply

Any person who meets the qualifications and other requirements described in this posting.

How to Apply

Completed City of Omaha employment applications must be submitted using the online application from the City website. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to check and ensure that any and all required application materials and supplemental forms are received by the City of Omaha Human Resources Department by the stated deadline. You may confirm receipt of any materials and forms by contacting the Human Resources Department. If the materials are not received in the Human Resources Department by the stated deadline, they will not be considered. There will be no exceptions to this rule.

Examination Information

The multiple-choice/written examination will be at a later date to be determined. An invitation via email to the exam will be given to candidates once their application has been received, reviewed by a recruiter, and accepted to the test for the position. The test is designed to assess knowledge of the job, skills, and abilities of this position. The passing score on the examination is 60%. This will be weighted 100% in the final score.

Veteran Points

To claim five (5) points for veteran's preference, you must submit proof of service (such as a DD-214) that includes the date of induction, date of honorable separation, and Social Security number. (You must have completed more than 180 consecutive days of active duty.) To receive an additional five (5) points credit for disability, you must submit proof of eligibility from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs dated within the last 12 months. This information must be submitted to the Human Resources Department by February 6, 2026.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of propagating, planting, fertilizing, cultivating, pruning, and general care of plants, flowers, trees, and shrubs.
• Knowledge of basic irrigation systems.
• Knowledge of the methods, tools, materials, and practices used in landscape gardening and horticulture.
• Knowledge of the use of fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, and other disease management techniques used in landscape gardening.
• Skill in the use of tools used in forestry and floriculture landscape gardening.
• Ability to design flower beds.
• Ability to set out plants and flowers according to specified designs and ornamental flower projects.
• Ability to identify a wide variety of flowers, trees, and shrubs.
• Ability to recognize and treat various diseases, insect, and abiotic problems of flowers, trees, and shrubs.
• Ability to understand oral or written instructions.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with fellow employees and members of the general public.
• Ability to adhere to safety policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Ability to operate automotive equipment and tools used in forestry, and floriculture landscape gardening.
• Ability to reach, balance, bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, stand, walk, push, pull and otherwise perform the movements involved in exercising the essential functions of this position for periods of up to eight (8) or more hours.
• Ability to move objects weighing up to fifty (50) pounds up to 33% of the time; weighing up to twenty (20) pounds 34 to 66% of the time; and weighing up to ten (10) pounds from 67 to 100% of the time.

Essential Functions

• Plants, fertilizes, waters, prunes, transplants, removes, mulches, and propagates flowers, young trees, shrubs and other vegetation.
• Designs and prepares flower beds for parks and boulevards.
• Diagnoses plant problems and applies pesticides and fertilizers to promote plant health.
• Applies pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers to trees and shrubs.
• Mows grass in the parks and various city properties.
• Performs general maintenance to equipment pertaining to forestry, and floriculture landscape gardening.
• Maintains equipment and service maintenance records.
• Trains and provides work direction to other employees.
• Removes snow from city properties using all forms of snow removal equipment.
• Maintains and repairs irrigation systems throughout city properties.
• Maintains regular job attendance in accordance with a schedule established for the position by the supervisor.
• Performs other related duties as assigned or as the situation dictates within the scope of this classification.

Conditions of Employment

Candidates must provide proof of U.S. citizenship or proof of permanent residence or authorization to work. The City of Omaha reserves the right to conduct criminal history, driving record, reference and credit checks and a background investigation on applicants for employment. Successfully passing a criminal background review, reference check, and if applicable, a credit check, is required as a condition of employment. If applicable, the City will require that you successfully pass a review of the driver's license, driving abstract, a pre-employment drug test, a hearing test and a back screening examination as a condition of employment. Failure to provide the information requested in the application process in a truthful, accurate and complete manner may result in disqualification, revocation of conditional employment or termination.

Reasonable Accommodation

The City of Omaha does not discriminate on the basis of disability. If you need a disability-related accommodation during the job application or selection process, advise the Human Resources Department at least 48 hours prior to the need by emailing employment@cityofomaha.org.

Complete Job Description

For a complete description of this job classification, visit hr.cityofomaha.org

Contact Points

City of Omaha Human Resources Department

1819 Farnam St, Suite 506

Omaha, NE 68183

Phone: (402) 444-5300

Fax: (402) 444-5314

Website: hr.cityofomaha.org

Email: employment@cityofomaha.org

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