Landscape Gardener - Aviation Department

About This Position

Over 50 million passengers traveled through Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in 2024, one of the busiest airports in the country in the nation's 5th largest city. Sky Harbor is the largest of three airports in the Phoenix Airport System (Phoenix Sky Harbor, Deer Valley, and Goodyear airports) which is operated by the City of Phoenix Aviation Department and has an economic impact over $44 billion annually.

The Aviation Department has several vacancies for Landscape Gardener positions. Responsibilities include performing landscape maintenance, re-vegetation, and restoration at Sky Harbor Airport, surrounding street landscape, specifically maintaining and policing assigned areas, trimming trees, conducting weed control, cultivating and fertilizing various plant species, operating mowing equipment and trouble-shooting irrigation systems.

The Landscape Gardener duties also include general landscape maintenance work such as litter patrol, raking, checking and spraying plants for diseases and insect control, fertilizing plants, trees and grass, and maintaining surrounding Airport properties. Gardeners who have the assignment of sprinkler systems are responsible for the same landscape maintenance requirements and provide expertise of irrigation maintenance, repair, and installation.

Currently there are multiple vacancies on 1st shift in the Landscape Maintenance Section, Facilities & Services Division, of the City of Phoenix Aviation Department, located at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Working on the Aviation Team offers great opportunities for growth. You'll be close to areas like Downtown, South Mountain, Tempe, and Papago, and you'll be based at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. The team works in a specialized aviation environment, with chances to move into other fields beyond landscaping if you're interested. The City also offers a variety of classes to help you grow professionally, and the work environment is positive and supportive, making it a great place to work.

Schedule: Monday - Friday, 5:30am - 2:00pm.

SALARY

Pay Range: $18.16 to $31.06 per hour.

Hiring Range: $18.16 to $24.34 per hour.

Pay Range Explanation

• Pay range is the entire compensation range for the position classification.
• Hiring range is an estimate of where you can receive an offer. The actual salary offer will carefully consider a wide range of factors, including your skills, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, training, and internal equity.
  
  
  

Benefits

A comprehensive benefits package is offered which includes:

• Traditional pension with employer and employee contributions, click here for more details: Pension Information
• 401(a) and 457 plans with employer contributions
• Choice of generous medical HMO, PPO, or HSA/HDHP plans
• Medical enrollment includes a monthly $150 City contribution to a Post-Employment Health Plan
• Wellness incentive of up to $720 annually
• Dental, vision, and life insurance options
• Employer paid long-term disability
• Free Bus/light rail pass
• Tuition reimbursement program up to $6,500 per year
• Paid time off includes 13.5 paid holidays, 12 vacation days, and 15 sick days and personal leave days
• Paid Parental Leave for eligible employees up to 480 hours (12 weeks) of paid leave for the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child during a 12-month period
• Federal Student Loan Forgiveness offered through Savi
  
  
  

For more details, visit: Unit 001 Benefits

Minimum Qualifications

• One year of experience in the care and maintenance of trees, plants, shrubs, and lawns.
• Requires a State of Arizona Office of Pest management (OPM) Applicator License within six months of hire.
• The City job description can be found here .
• Working conditions:
• Moving objects weighing up to 50 pounds may be required.
• Requires walking for prolonged periods which may include walking over rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces.
• Requires working outside in a variety of environmental extremes such as heat, cold, rain, air pollution, and dust.
• All finalists for positions are subject to a criminal background check applicable to the department or position.
• The following list is not all inclusive but are TSA general factors for disqualification of employment for working at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Other factors will be assessed that may also lead to disqualification. Qualified candidates should consider these factors when applying. Aviation Employment Disqualifiers .
• Some positions require the use of personal or City vehicles on City business. Individuals must be physically capable of operating the vehicles safely, possess a valid driver's license and have an acceptable driving record. Use of a personal vehicle for City business will be prohibited if the employee is not authorized to drive a City vehicle or if the employee does not have personal insurance coverage.
• For information regarding pre-screening and driving positions, click here .
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

The minimum qualifications listed above, plus:

• Experience with trimming trees.
• Experience with planting trees and shrubs.
• Experience in landscape maintenance techniques and equipment.
• Experience operating small to medium sized motorized equipment.
• Experience working with herbicides, insecticides, fertilizers, soil amendments, and irrigation systems.
• Certification in the Core, Right-of Way, and Weed Control pesticide categories.
  
  
  

RECRUITMENT DATES

Recruitment closes March 13, 2025. All materials must be received by 11:59 p.m. on this date.

This is a position-based recruitment and will not result in any ongoing eligibility list. This recruitment and any selection processes resulting from this recruitment may be used to fill other related vacancies within the organization now or in the near future.

How To Apply

Apply online by completing the required information and attaching, as one document, your cover letter and resume. Please include your experience as it relates to the qualifications stated above. Only the highest qualified may be posted to the eligible to hire list. The results of the resume screening process will be sent to your primary email address.

WE ARE HERE TO HELP

• Job interviews may be held by video or audio conference.
• If you are in need of computer resources, click here for free options.
• Arizona at Work has frequent classes to help with resume writing, interviewing skills, and general career guidance. Click here for more information.
• Explore other Employment Opportunities with the City of Phoenix .
• Subscribe to receive e-mail notifications about new employment opportunities.
• If you need assistance applying for this job, please contact our HR Connection Center at (602) 495-5700 .
  
  
  

REFERENCE

Gardener, JC:40080, ID# 57248, 02/28/2025, USM, GO, Benefits: 001

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City of Phoenix is an equal opportunity employer. AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service alumni who meet the required qualifications are encouraged to apply.