Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Office of the Chief of Operations, Capitol Grounds and Arboretum, Gardening Division, Tree Branch. Serves as an Arborist Worker, engaged in tree care practices to preserve and maintain historical and memorial trees located on the Capitol Grounds in accordance with the historic Olmstead landscape design.

A Commercial Driver's License (CDL) is Preferred but not Required.

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Responsibilities

*** The selectee of this position is considered an "Emergency Essential Employee" and will be required to work in emergency and inclement weather situations. ***

Tour of Duty (Day) 7:00 am - 3:30 pm (Hours may change due to Operational Needs of Management)

A Commercial Driver's License (CDL) is Preferred but not Required.

• A valid, unexpired State Driver's License is required.
• International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certification or an accredited tree expert license is desired.

This position is located in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Office of the Chief of Operations, Capitol Grounds & Arboretum, Gardening Division, Tree Branch. The selectee is an Arborist Worker engaged in tree care practices to preserve and maintain trees, including historical and memorial trees located on the U.S. Capitol grounds in accordance with the historic Olmstead landscape design. The Arborist Worker will have non-competitive promotion potential to an Arborist, WG-10.

The Arborist Worker will assist a higher-level Arborist by performing a variety of worker level tasks related to the care of trees and ornamental shrubs. Specific duties include the following:

• Prunes and assists in removal of diseased, dead, fallen or hazard trees.
• Prunes trees to promote optimum tree health and wound compartmentalization. In accordance with ISA standards.
• Works from a bucket truck, ladder and climbs trees using ropes, knots, rigging and hitches to perform arboricultural tasks.
• Prunes trees and ornamental shrubs to obtain desired effect.
• Plants and transplants trees according to ISA standards.
• Applies standard fertilizing practices and adjusts acid or alkaline conditions of the soil in line with plant requirements.
• Treats diseases and mineral deficiencies as instructed and applies proper chemical compounds.
• Operates various grounds maintenance equipment such as blowers, brush chippers, stump grinders, plow trucks, skid loaders, air spades, etc.
• Operates vehicles requiring a CDL, including dump trucks, trash packers, bucket truck with a hydraulic lift, a large stake body truck, etc. and non-CDL equipment, such as skid-steer loaders, vehicles and trucks with a variety of attachments (CDL Preferred but Not Required).

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
10

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Your resume and question responses must demonstrate job-related elements.
• You must have a valid, Commercial Driver's license at time of application.

"To be employed by the Architect of the Capitol in a paid position, an individual must meet one of the categories below:

• A citizen of the United States;
• A person who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence and is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B);
• A person who is admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or is granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible;
• A person who owes allegiance to the United States (nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and nationals who meet other requirements described in 8 U.S.C. 1408); or
• A person who is currently an officer or employee of the Government of the United States."

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Qualifications

You must meet all eligibility and qualification requirements by the closing date of the job announcement.

SCREEN-OUT: Ability to perform the work of the position without more than normal supervision which includes working independently, showing job responsibility and exercising initiative.

Education

Additional information

Welcome Veterans. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) gives veterans' preference rights in the legislative branch to certain veterans as applied by the Congressional Accountability Act. Veterans' preference is applied on this vacancy announcement. If you are a veteran and have been separated under honorable conditions, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; SF-15, if applicable; and Department of Veterans Affairs documentation of disability, if applicable. For more information, please visit OPM vet guide

If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information.

DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOC's suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position who is not currently an AOC employee is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide and cover the cost for the drug test.

The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol.

The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States. If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. For more information on E-Verify, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtm

The Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information and/or disability.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Moving expenses are not authorized.

Relocation expenses are not authorized.

Probationary Period - A newly appointed selectee is subject to the completion of a one-year trial/probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial/probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency.

This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol.

All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Review your resume and responses carefully. Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your detailed resume and your responses to job specific self-assessment questions.

Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to demonstrate the job elements for this position, possession of any specialized experience, and how well your background and experience relates to the self-assessment questions in the job announcement. The self-assessment questions relate to the following job elements and competencies:

• Ability to perform as an Arborist Worker without more than normal supervision which includes working independently, showing job responsibility and exercising initiative. (Screen-out factor)
• Knowledge of technical work practices specific to the arborist trade.
• Working knowledge of the operation and maintenance of equipment, tools and materials used in the arborist trade.
• Knowledge of potential safety hazards and applicable safety precautions.

Your responses to the self-assessment questions serve as the basis for your initial rating. You will receive a numerical score based on your responses to these questions. Next, your responses will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and/or a subject matter expert against the information provided in your resume and optional cover letter. Your resume must support your answers to the self-assessment questions. Falsifying your background, education and/or experience is cause for non-selection or disqualification from further consideration.

Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the "Required Documents" section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

The Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) job application process is designed to ensure you only provide information necessary to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility for the position vacancy.

To apply for this position, you only need to submit: a) your resume and b) answers to the online vacancy assessment questionnaire. The online questionnaire contains eligibility and screening questions and other relevant information. No additional documentation or attachments are required at the time of application.

Your resume should list your education, training and work experience including job titles, employment dates, duties and accomplishments.

Nothing further is required until it is requested by AOC's Human Capital Management Division. If additional documentation is required for the position, you will be asked to provide it during the interview or selection process. At that time, you may be asked to submit documentation to support statements made in your resume.

For example, you may be asked to provide a copy of your diploma, college transcripts, or proof of Federal employment status. If the position requires licensure or certification, you will be asked to provide proof at the time of selection.

If Veterans' preference is claimed, you will be asked to submit proof (DD-214, and, if claiming a 10-point preference, a SF-15 and the proof required by that form).

Failure to provide the required documents will end further consideration and/or result in the withdrawal of any tentative job offers.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.