What are the responsibilities and job description for the Horticultural Attendant (WAE) position at DVA-Department of Veterans' Affairs?
About this Job
At the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs (LDVA), our mission is to honor and serve Louisiana’s veterans and their families. We do this by connecting them to the benefits they’ve earned, providing dedicated support, and enhancing their quality of life through compassionate service across the state.
We’re looking for a dedicated and detail-oriented Horticultural Attendant to join our team at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery. This cemetery encompasses approximately thirty (30) acres with over 12,000 grave sites, serving deceased veterans and their eligible dependents.
AN IDEAL CANDIDATE SHOULD POSSESS THE FOLLOWING COMPETENCIES:Accepting Direction: The ability to be open and willing to follow guidance or instructions.
Acting with Ethics and Integrity: The ability to make choices that reflect ethical standards, integrity and honesty, regardless of circumstances or personal benefit.
Communicating Effectively: The ability to convey information, ideas, and emotions using structured communication methods that promote understanding and engagement.
Demonstrating Accountability: The ability to take ownership of actions, behaviors, performance, decisions, and outcomes.
Focusing on Customers: The ability to understand and meet the needs, preferences, and experiences of internal and external customers.
Following Policies and Procedures: The ability to follow, reinforce, adapt, or develop policies and procedures to maintain compliance with federal and state legal requirements, State Civil Service rules, and organizational policies.
In this role, the Horticultural Attendant will be responsible for performing grounds maintenance and assisting with burial operations to ensure the cemetery is maintained with the highest standards of care, dignity, and respect. Duties include mowing, trimming, planting, irrigation, and general landscape upkeep, as well as supporting interment activities and maintaining memorial areas.
Work is performed under the direct supervision of the Horticultural Attendant Superintendent.
If you take pride in outdoor work, are dependable, and are committed to preserving a serene and respectful environment, this could be the opportunity for you!
Minimum Qualifications
One year of experience or training in farming, the care and maintenance of trees and shrubs, or groundskeeping; OR
Six semester hours in a plant science or landscape field of study.
Job Specification
The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.
Job Duties and Other Information
Job Duties:
- Assist cemetery staff with day-to-day grounds maintenance activities
- Support cemetery grounds operations by assisting with routine turf care, planting, pruning, and pest management to help maintain a respectful, clean, and healthy landscape for veterans and their families.
- Act as a liaison between horticulturist attendants and managers or contract workers when specialized issues arise, ensuring maintenance tasks align with established care practices.
- Provide practical support in scheduling seasonal maintenance, monitoring supply needs, and communicating routine maintenance concerns across cemetery locations.
- Performs other related duties as required or assigned by supervisor.
Position-Specific Details:
Appointment Type: Classified WAE Appointment (not to exceed 1,245 hours in a 12-month period)
Work Location: Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery (St. Tammany)
Compensation: The salary offered will be determined based on qualifications and experience.
How To Apply:
No Civil Service test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy.Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the Information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.
Information to support your eligibility for the position must be included in the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education). Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.
Contact Information:
For further information about this vacancy contact:Torin McClanahan
Human Resources Specialist
Torin.McClanahan4@la.gov
Louisiana is a State As a Model Employer (SAME) that supports the recruitment, hiring, and retention of individuals with disabilities.
As a state employee, you will earn competitive pay, choose from a variety of benefits, and have access to a great professional development program:
Insurance Coverage More information can be found at https://info.groupbenefits.org/
Parental Leave – Up to six weeks paid parental leave
More information can be found at https://www.civilservice.louisiana.gov/Parental-Leave/Default.aspx
Holidays and Leave – State employees receive the following paid holidays each year:
- New Year's Day
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,
- Mardi Gras,
- Good Friday,
- Memorial Day,
- Independence Day,
- Labor Day,
- Veteran's Day,
- Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
State employees earn sick and annual leave which can be accumulated and saved for future use. Your accrual rate increases as your years of service increase.
Retirement – State of Louisiana employees are eligible to participate in various retirement systems (based on the type of appointment and agency for which an employee works). These retirement systems provide retirement allowances and other benefits for state officers and employees and their beneficiaries. State retirement systems may include (but are not limited to):
- Louisiana State Employees Retirement System (www.lasersonline.org). LASERS has provided this video to give you more detailed information about their system
- Teacher's Retirement System of Louisiana (www.trsl.org),
- Louisiana School Employees Retirement System (www.lsers.net), among others
Salary : $2,784 - $5,009