Tractor Operator Leader

Summary

The Tractor Operator Leader in Facilities Management has the responsibility to lead the grounds maintenance team at the Huntington VA Medical Center. The incumbent provides comprehensive management for the grounds program, including gardening, lawn maintenance, cleaning and support of VA-owned outside areas. In this capacity, the incumbent is an advisor to Facilities Management and shares with other staff members responsibility for total Medical Center planning, programming, and budgeting.

Duties

• The Tractor Operator Leader is the working leader of the section and is responsible to the Maintenance and Operations Supervisor.
• He/she performs professional lawncare and property maintenance concerned with the improvement of the 107 acres at this Medical Center and is specifically involved with the culture of its existing and proposed trees, shrubs, lawns, flower beds and interior plantings.
• He/she independently coordinates all Grounds operations on the hospital's campus, has responsibility for the work of the unit, works with M&O technical section to perform preventative maintenance functions, checks work assignments, and keeps abreast of the work in progress.
• The Tractor Operator Leader assigns work to, leads, and trains employees of the unit and will typically lead the following: Tractor Operators WG-5705-7, Gardener Assistants WG-4003-4, and Laborers WG-3502-3.
• The Tractor Operator Leader duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Tasks necessary to maintain the landscape at this facility in a healthy, disease-free and attractive condition.
• This includes mowing operations that utilize industrial mowers, weed eaters, various hand tools, cleaning and clearing of landscape, emptying exterior trash cans, flower bed maintenance, back hoe operations, and snow removal snow operations.
• Provides corrective action for problems involving plant management, insect and disease control for both exterior plantings and interior plants based on the particular species.
• Determinse when corrective action is needed to improve health, vigor and appearance of plants by fertilization, pruning, transplanting, pest control, etc., based on knowledge of plants and their growth habits.
• Maintains accurate, up-to-date records on work performed, such as fertilizer and pesticide usage schedules with the pertinent information recorded about the material applied, application rate, etc. and uses this data to ensure optimum plant care and for reporting purposes.
• Prepares purchase order requests for plant material, equipment, materials and supplies as needed and works with contractors through the completion of service contracts.
• The incumbent will be provided references to consult as needed for specific lawn or plant problems.
• He/she will locate other sources for solutions to gardening problems and make determinations on how problem conditions are best treated.
• Responsible for maintaining cleanliness and condition of all parking areas including the main floors of the parking garage.
• This includes trash pickup, maintaining potholes or other surface deficiencies on roadways, maintaining condition and location of car stops, installing or removing signage (as directed), and supervision of the operation of an industrial street sweeper to help maintain these areas.
• Responsible to create and maintain a seasonal Snow Detail list.
• This list of personnel from a variety of Engineering disciplines is recruited for the sole purpose of clearing snow, ice, etc. from Medical Center roads, grounds, and sidewalks.
• During Snow Detail call out, the incumbent assumes the role of supervisor for all people on the detail.
• Coordinates and is usually involved with the cleaning of exterior surfaces of 29 separate buildings at this Medical Center.
• This includes cleaning exterior walls, gutters and downspout systems, roof drains, and other areas as defined by Engineering management.
• Responsible for the oversight and maintenance operations of the facility' s above ground fuel storage tanks (AGT) and underground fuel storage (UST) tanks.
• Responsibility consists of monthly cleaning debris and to safely remove and contain water and fuel oil from UST spill buckets.
• Maintains appropriate fuel inventory in each tank.
• Responsible to, at times, operate passenger vehicles, trucks (gross weight 22,000 pounds), power equipment, snow removal equipment (gross weight 17,000 pounds), mobile air compressor and all other related equipment of the unit.
• In the operations of the above, may transport patients, both ambulatory and wheelchair, operate passenger busses on scheduled or special runs from one locations to another (gross weight 36,000 pounds).
• During periods of extreme weather, labor shortages or heavy workloads, etc., the incumbent will be assigned tasks outside the area of gardening to support the other duties and responsibilities of the Grounds and Services Section.
• Incumbent is responsible to perform all external moves and large internal moves (as directed) of furniture and/or equipment, based on availability and workload.
• Serves as supervisor of the Grounds Section in the supervisor' s absence.
• Work Schedule: FT, Monday-Friday, 8:00am – 4:30pm Position Description Title/PD#: Tractor Operator Leader/PD180180 Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Subject to background/security investigation Pre-employment physical required Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver’s licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

How You Will Be Evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview.

Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate’s abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the “Who may apply” eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document. Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Required Documents

• To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: Resume SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position.
• Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).
• You will not be contacted for additional information.
• Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (VA) Performance Appraisal Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility): Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials.
• If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement.
• In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50's include: Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.
• Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire.
• You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.).
• If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation.
• Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form.
• Documentation is required to award preference.
• For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets – Veterans – Job Seekers – Veterans' Preference.