Gardener Crew Leader

The City of Oakland is an equal opportunity employer that values workforce diversity, inclusion, and equity. Oakland has a long history of activism around issues of justice and equity. Both oppression and this resistance to oppression have shaped the city’s historical roots and the lives of its residents to this day. As public servants in one of the most diverse cities in the nation, we strive to develop employees who understand the harm and impacts of systemic inequity to create lasting, meaningful outcomes for everyone. Oakland strives to establish an environment that embraces the richness of culture, community, and individualism of employees.

Why join the City of Oakland Public Works Department – Parks and Tree Services Division? Are you interested in being part of an urban forestry program in a diverse and dynamic city? The City of Oakland has an excellent opportunity for individuals who enjoy being outdoors, interacting with the public, and working for the benefit and beauty of the community! The City of Oakland is looking for candidates interested in applying for the Gardener Crew Leader position to fill three (3) vacancies in the Oakland Public Works Department - Parks and Tree Services Division.

The ideal candidate is an enthusiastic team player who has the ability to oversee a small crew that performs grounds maintenance at a number of different parks or a complex gardening and horticulture assignment at a specific park.

We are looking for someone who is:

• An enthusiastic team player with a passion for teamwork.
• Able to follow directions to complete assignments and work independently when needed.
• Experienced in performing a variety of landscape maintenance tasks.
• Eager to learn and has an interest in long-term professional development.
• Detail-oriented and has solid time management skills.
• Maintains integrity and has a strong work ethic.

What you will typically be responsible for:

• Maintaining landscaped parks, gardens, sports fields, and green spaces.
• Leading a work crew or working independently, as assigned.
• Operating a variety of vehicles and equipment
• Helping train assigned personnel and transporting staff to and from project sites.
• Performing complex gardening and horticultural assignments.

Read the complete job description by clicking here: Gardener Crew Leader.

*Click on the link below to see a video on what it's like to work for the City of Oakland! Working for the City of Oakland

A few reasons you might love this job:

• You will be spending time outdoors and in nature.
• You will have many opportunities to showcase your skills by performing complex gardening and horticulture assignments.
• You will be part of a dynamic team environment in the Parks and Tree Services Division.
• You will take pride in helping maintain and enhance the City of Oakland’s parks and landscapes.

A few challenges you might face in this job:

• You may need to regularly address park use concerns, including asking individuals to leave certain areas.
• You will need to address illegal dumping and vandalism.
• You will perform physically demanding work in challenging conditions, including inclement weather conditions.

Competencies Required:• Customer Focus: Attending to the needs and expectations of customers

• Professional & Technical Expertise: Applying technical subject matter to the job
• Reading Comprehension: Understanding and using written information
• Oral Communication: Engaging effectively in dialogue
• Critical Thinking: Analytically and logically evaluating information, propositions, and claims
• General Physical Ability: Using strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, and coordination
• Mechanical Insight: Comprehending how mechanical, electrical, and structural systems operate and interact
• Action & Results Focused (Taking Initiative): Initiating tasks and focusing on accomplishment
• Decision Making: Choosing optimal courses of action in a timely manner
• Displaying Ownership and Accountability: Holding self and others accountable for measurable, high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results
• Teamwork: Collaborating with others to achieve shared goals
• Leadership: Guiding and encouraging others to accomplish a common goal
• Informing: Proactively obtaining and sharing information
• Handling Stress: Maintaining emotional stability and self-control under pressure, challenge, or adversity
• Design Sense: Creating work products that are functional, intuitive, and aesthetically pleasing

This recruitment will produce two eligible lists. This recruitment will produce two eligible lists. The signed Letter of Understanding (LOU) dated November 3, 2026 states: For the 2026 recruitment, the restricted list will be for any SEIU-represented Temporary Part-Time (TPT) Park Attendant, Permanent Part-Time (PPT) Park Attendant, and Exempt Limited Duration Employees (ELDE) meeting the minimum qualifications as determined by Human Resources Management. The open list will be for all other applicants who pass all stages of the recruitment process.

Any combination of education and experience that is equivalent to the following minimum qualifications may be acceptable:

Education: Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade.

Experience: Two (2) years (full-time equivalent hours) of experience as Gardener II in the City of Oakland or three (3) years (full-time equivalent hours) of comparable responsible landscape gardening or park maintenance experience. Possession of an AA degree in horticulture may be substituted for two (2) years of comparable experience.

License or Certificate Requirements: Possession of a valid California Driver's License.

Other Requirements Must possess sufficient strength and stamina to lift and carry equipment weighing up to fifty (50) pounds.

Depending on nature of assignment, candidates who receive offers of employment may be required to pass a thorough background investigation, submit fingerprints, undergo a criminal record clearance, and have a physical examination including a TB screening if the assignment requires working in proximity to children or vulnerable populations.

Desirable Qualifications:• Four (4) college-level horticulture courses (12 units) such as "Introduction to Landscape Horticulture," "Plant Identification," "Weed Identification," "Irrigation Repair," or their equivalent are highly desirable.

• ReScape (formerly Bay Friendly) landscape maintenance certificate.
• Possession of a Qualified Applicator Certificate is preferred.

The Recruitment Process:

The City of Oakland works with a Civil Service system. Applicants apply online, and HR staff reviews their experience, education, and training listed on the application against the “minimum qualifications” listed for each position.Candidates who demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements are then invited to participate in an assessment process (or testing) to measure their knowledge, skills, and abilities in job-related areas. Candidates who do not demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements will have an opportunity to request a final review. Candidates must request a final review within 5 business days of being notified that they did not meet the minimum qualifications. In the final review, candidates may clarify information already provided on their application. No additional work history, education, or certifications will be accepted. Any decisions made during this review process will be final. For this recruitment, all qualified applicants will be invited to the job simulation exercise (sometimes referred to as a performance exam) (weighted 100%). The tentative date of the performance exam is mid-December. Candidates requesting reasonable accommodations for the examination process must request accommodations no later than one week before they are scheduled to take the exam; otherwise, it may not be possible to arrange accommodations for the selection process. Please complete the Request for Reasonable Accommodation in Testing form by clicking on this link or by copying and pasting the link into your browser to open it: https://cao-94612.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/Request-for-Reasonable-Accommodation-in-Testing-2.9.22-Fillable.pdf. Send the completed form and any supporting documentation to the exam analyst, Alanna Butler, at [email protected]. Candidates who pass each stage in the process will be placed on an eligible list. Some candidates may receive extra points, for example, if you are a Veteran with an honorable discharge, or if you are a current City of Oakland resident. If you’re applying to a “restricted” posting and you are eligible as a current City employee, you may also receive additional points for your City service. Extra points are only applied to passing scores, so if you do not pass every element of the testing process, you cannot use extra points to pass. The City of Oakland reserves the right to modify the selection process and date of examination as necessary to conform to administrative or business necessity. The information contained in this announcement is subject to change and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.

What’s in it for you?• 15 paid holidays

• Vacation: 2 weeks per year minimum with the ability to accrue more depending on public sector years of service
• Retirement: CalPERS (California Public Employees’ Retirement System) with a pension formula of 2.5% @ 55 (for Classic CalPERS members) and 2% @ 62 for new CalPERS members. Classic Employees contribute 8% of pre-tax wages. The City of Oakland does not participate in Social Security
• Health: The City of Oakland pays the full cost of employee and eligible dependent coverage at the Kaiser rate. Other plans include Anthem, Blue Shield, United Health Care, and other HMO and PPO plans
• Dental: Delta Dental full premium for employees and eligible dependents
• Vision: VSP full premium for employees and eligible dependents
• Sick leave: Employees accrue 12 days per year
• Deferred Compensation: 457(b) pre-tax plan and an after-tax ROTH 401(k)plan
• Other benefits include a Flexible Spending Account, Wellness Program, Employee Assistance Program, Tuition Reimbursement, Life Insurance up to $200k & Employee Training.

*Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found here: Working for Oakland | City of Oakland, CA Applicants are required to submit criminal history information upon request after receiving a conditional offer of employment. If the requested information is not furnished in a timely manner, applicants will not qualify for further consideration and will be removed from the eligible list. Disaster Service Workers All employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency. How to Apply Apply prior to the closing time of the job announcement and allow at least two to three hours to submit your application if you are a new user of the system. APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED ONLINE ONLY. You may apply and view current openings by visiting our employment opportunities webpage at: http://agency.governmentjobs.com/oaklandca If you do not have access to a computer, there are computer stations available at any City of Oakland Public Library. There are also workstations at the Human Resources Management Department, 150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 2nd Floor, Oakland, CA 94612. Workstations are available during regular business hours (normally 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.). Our online application system is provided by GovernmentJobs. If you have problems while applying online, please contact GovernmentJobs Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday. You may also call the City of Oakland Human Resources Management Department during regular business hours at (510) 238-3112 for information; however, we are unable to provide technical support for the online application system. For recruitment-specific questions, please contact HR Analyst, Alanna Butler at [email protected].