Natural Gardener Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $83,740.80 - $94,744.00 Annually
Location : Various Locations, CA
Job Type: Full-time (40 hrs)
Job Number: 26-REG-CS-16
Division: Operations
Department: OPS UNIT 2 GARIN
Opening Date: 07/22/2026
Closing Date: 8/12/2026 5:00 PM Pacific
The Position
The Park District is recruiting for the position of Gardener. There are currently two vacancies:
Tilden Regional Park: While Gardener assignments throughout the East Bay Regional Park District vary by location, this position will primarily support the maintenance of irrigated turf and landscape systems. The ideal candidate will have experience troubleshooting and repairing irrigation systems, including valves, sprinkler heads, controllers, wiring, and underground piping, as well as maintaining high-quality turf through mowing, fertilization, aeration, overseeding, and irrigation management. Experience with Integrated Pest Management (IPM), rodent control, and the operation of commercial landscape maintenance equipment is highly desirable. Candidates who enjoy diagnosing field issues, maintaining park landscapes, and contributing to safe, attractive, and sustainable public spaces are encouraged to apply.
Garin Regional Park/Dry Creek Garden: The Gardener at Garin Regional Park and Dry Creek Garden maintains unique historic gardens, specialty plant collections (including an Iris Garden), and a heritage apple orchard with more than 160 varieties. This Gardener position requires strong knowledge of pruning, fruit tree care, and best management practices for weed control and landscape maintenance. The Gardener at Garin/Dry Creek works both independently and leads volunteers and projects. The ideal candidate is a self-motivated, highly skilled gardener who can protect and maintain these special, historic landscapes while adapting to the day-to-day park maintenance needs.
The hiring pools established from this recruitment will be used to fill the current vacancy and any additional vacancies that may occur during the one-year life of the hiring pools.
Recruitment Timeline
Minimum Qualifications Screening: Week of August 17
Written Exam Administration: Early September (likely September 3)
Onsite Oral Panel Interviews: Mid-October (likely October 15)
Selection Interviews: Late October
**All dates are tentative and subject to change.
ABOUT US:
The East Bay Regional Park District is a system of beautiful parklands in Alameda and Contra Costa counties to the east of San Francisco. The system comprises 73 parks spanning across 126,809 acres; 1,330 miles of trails; 55 miles of shoreline. We manage and preserve natural and cultural resources for all to enjoy and protect. The regional parks are ideal for healthful recreation and environmental education. Learn about our , , and our contributions to the
OUR MISSION:
EBRPD preserves a rich heritage of natural and cultural resources and provides open space, parks, trails, safe and healthful recreation and environmental education. An environmental ethic guides the District in all of its activities.
OUR VALUES:

• Respect - We honor the land we steward, each other, and the park visitors we serve.
• Resilience - We creatively adapt to change. We address challenges with empathy, perspective, and determination.
• Relationships - Our greatest strength lies in the trust, accountability, and teamwork we cultivate with our colleagues, partners, and the public we serve.
• Responsiveness - We communicate openly, honestly, and reliably.
• Transparency - We hold the public's trust through meaningful stakeholder engagement and access to timely and reliable information on decisions and performance.

WHY WORK FOR EBRPD?

• Work with a purpose for a better world today and for future generations through the preservation of open space, public access to the outdoors, and a commitment to the conservation of the natural world found east of the San Francisco Bay across 33 cities in Alameda and Contra Costa counties
• A community of colleagues who are passionate about public service and the East Bay Regional Park District, the communities it serves, and its mission
• Excellent benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, Flexible Spending, and pension benefits through California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS). Click here fordetails regarding additional benefits
• Tuition reimbursement and professional development
• Free on-site parking
• Free parking permit for EBRPD parks (for up to 2 privately owned vehicles)
• Employee discounts for certain EBRPD park amenities (reservations, daily fishing permit, public boat launch)

WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING:
Under general supervision, performs skilled gardening work, semi-skilled and unskilled maintenance and other tasks on District properties and facilities in support of the operation, development, and resource protection of the District's parklands and trails; performs other work related to the day-to-day operation of the work unit.
IDEAL CANDIDATE:

• A team player who also excels independently and has exceptional time management skills
• Enjoys interacting with volunteers and the public
• Passionate about maintaining a high-quality turf and knowledgeable in turf management best practices
• Experience troubleshooting and repairing irrigation systems
• Experience with the use and safety practices related to a riding mower, tractor, chipper, chainsaw and other gardening equipment
• Experience with integrated pest management (IPM) is highly desirable

Essential Functions

• The essential functions include, but are not limited to:
  
  • Plants, transplants, propagates, and cultivates trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals
  • Seeking to preserve historic character, as appropriate
  • Sprays, fertilizes, prunes, trims, and waters trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and other plants
  • Mulches plant beds with gravel, chips, weed cloth, etc.
  • Repairs, weeds, fertilizes, aerates, maintains, and mows turf areas and lawns
  • Prepares and renovates lawns and turf areas with top dressing
  • Screens soil, adds amendments, and adds soil to terrains as necessary
  • Identifies hazardous trees and recommends trimming or removal
  • Controls obnoxious weeds and plants, damaging insects and fungus, and exterminates gophers, rodents, and other pests
  • Catches and transports raccoons, rattlesnakes, etc.
  • Applies integrated pest management practices.
  • Designs, installs, renovates, and reconfigures watering systems
  • Irrigates lawns and turf areas using drip, sprinklers, and various other types of irrigation systems
  • Troubleshoots valves, impact heads, wiring, and broken pipes
  • Mends, repairs, and maintains sprinklers, hoses, and watering systems
  • Documents location of water lines.
  • Performs grounds maintenance tasks, such as hauling debris
  • Maintaining rock walls
  • Rough mowing,
  • Adding gravel to roads, pathways, and walkways
  • Clearing brush; etc.
  • Picks up and removes litter
  • Cleans and stocks restrooms
  • Empties garbage cans and dumpsters and changes trash liners
  • Removes graffiti
  • Rakes and cleans campsites,
  • Maintains picnic areas
  • Opens and closes gates and buildings.
  • Patrols parks, trails, and waterways to check for potential hazards
  • Assist in protecting the natural resources of parks and trails by monitoring the impact and activities of grazing operations, parks users, etc.
  • To ensure park users adhere to park rules and regulations
  • Gives talks and tours
  • Supervises youth, volunteer, and docent groups and crews from other agencies
  • Assists with special events
  • Supervises contractors.
  • Operates and maintains a variety of equipment, such as vehicles, mowers, tractors, aerifiers, hand and power tools, rakes, edgers, weedeaters, chain saws, chippers, sprayers, etc.
  • Performs administrative tasks, such as ordering and purchasing supplies
  • Preparing reports, writing up, monitoring and enforcing contracts and lease agreements
  • Completing fixed asset inventories, etc.
  • Acting as Park Supervisor.
• Botanic Garden Option** (in addition to the above:)
  
  • Collects, grows, displays, and preserves California native plants for study, viewing by the public, and to protect rare and endangered plant species
  • Prepares and installs accession records and labels on native flora and assists in an annual plant sale and other special events
  • Plans for, develops, and/or maintains areas of a botanical garden which are representative of specific geographical areas of California.
  • Gives talks, classes, tours, and slide presentations.
  • Conducts field collection trips, occasionally to remote areas throughout the State.

**There is not currently a vacancy at a botanic garden, however, the hiring pools established for this recruitment will fill all Gardener vacancies for the one-year life of the hiring pools.
OTHER FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES:
Other tasks related to this position may include:

• Assisting with special events
• Maintaining tool inventories
• Replenishing appropriate materials as necessary
• Maintaining personal protective gear
• Attending ongoing education on horticulture and botany
• Writing articles for journals and newsletters
• Updating accession file databases relating to the history of plants and their life cycle.
• Performs related tasks as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications
Education: Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade
AND
Experience: Three years of experience in general gardening work involving the care of turf, shrubs, native plants, and/or flowers
Substitution: College level course work, which includes classes related to this classification, may be substituted for the experience requirement on the basis of one year of completed college equating to six months of experience, up to a maximum of two years of experience**
OR
Two years in the East Bay Regional Park District classification of Park Ranger
**If you would like to use college-level course work to substitute for part of the experience requirement, please attaching your transcripts (unofficial is fine) to your applications. A transcript is required to verify college-level coursework.
Additional Information
The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of gardening methods and practices, plant diseases and pests, tools and materials.
• Ability to operate and maintain a variety of tools and equipment
• Lift and/or move up to 60 pounds.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to work outside and under adverse working conditions, including the ability to walk on steep and/or uneven terrain.
• Ability to establish and maintain positive and cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work at all levels, including a culturally diverse public, with a focus on quality service to internal and external customers.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• A current and valid California driver's license is a condition of initial and continued employment in this classification.
• Employees in this classification must be willing to conform to District uniform standards and to possess and maintain the ability to wear a respirator.

UNION AFFILIATION:
AFSCME: East Bay Regional Parks Employees, Local 2428, American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO, represents this classification. Wages, hours, and other terms of conditions of employment are covered in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Park District and Local 2428. The probationary period for this classification is nine (9) months.
Internal Promotions: Placement shall be made at the first step in the salary range for the new position (Step A) unless the salary rate at Step A of the new position is less than a 5% increase. In such instances, the employee will be placed at a step in the new salary range that ensures at least a 5% increase.
Application materials for these positions consist of two (2) required parts:

1. A current East Bay Regional Park District application submitted online, and
2. Completed supplemental questions

Apply prior to the closing time of the job announcement and allow at least one (1) hour to submit your application if you are a new user to the system. If you have previously applied to a position on GovernmentJobs.com, please allow time to update your existing profile. Applications are accepted online only. Our online application system is provided by NeoGov. If you encounter problems while applying online, please contact NeoGov Help Desk toll-free at (855) 524-5627.
Notification: All applicants will be notified of the status of their application via email, generally within two to three weeks after the closing date of the job announcement. You may also sign into your GovernmentJobs.com account to view your current application status and notifications. Please email HR Analyst, Christina Souza at if you have questions about your application.
Selection Process: The application materials for all applicants meeting the minimum qualifications will be reviewed by a screening panel to selec