Landscaping - Gardener - Full-time

Universal Orlando® Resort is a universe of opportunities for people who have a lot to offer. It takes a special kind of person to work at Universal Orlando. An individual who knows how to be part of a team. Someone with a sense of fun who's serious about their work. A person who knows it doesn't take magic to put a smile on a guest's face... it takes hard work, dedication, knowledge and just the right amount of Universal attitude. Whether you're serving food, working in an office, maintaining equipment, performing in costume or operating a ride, you won't just be 'doing a job.' You'll be creating memories for our guests that will last a lifetime. Are YOU that kind of person?

Have you always wanted to work outdoors? Do you enjoy an independent position that allows you to see your hard work come to life? We are looking for Gardeners who are ready to roll up their sleeves and make our resort grounds beautiful!

Gardeners at Universal Orlando are responsible for:

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  Creating a flawless landscape environment for our guests.
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  Trimming and pruning shrubs, ground covers, vines, trees and palms with hand-held tools and 2-cycle equipment.
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  Manually removing, installing, and maintaining plant material in beds and containers.
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  Mowing and edging turf with riding mowers and power equipment.
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  Operating machinery for loading, unloading, and transporting materials, equipment, and supplies.
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  Applying fertilizers and soil amendments with mechanical spreaders.
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  Assisting in specimen tree relocation, including ball and burlap operation, jetting in, and stalking and guying.
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  Identifying needs for and providing supplemental water with manual operation of automatic irrigation zones and hand watering.
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  Safely operating several types of equipment, including mowers, trimmers, backpack blowers, forklifts, and loaders.
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  Understanding and actively participating in Environmental, Health & Safety responsibilities by following established Universal Orlando policies, procedures, training, and Team Member involvement activities. 
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  Performing other duties as assigned.

To perform the role of a Gardener successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

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  Consistent attendance is a job requirement.
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  High school degree or GED preferred. Successful completion of horticulture program at Valencia Community College preferred.
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  Three to five years landscape maintenance experience, preferably in an upscale commercial, residential or resort environment required; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
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  Valid Florida Driver's License is required to operate company vehicles.
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  Required ability to safely operate small and large landscape maintenance equipment, including forklift and loader.
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  Required ability to correctly identify common landscape plants by name, cultural requirements, ornamental characteristics and seasonality.
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  Required ability to identify basic insect, disease, and weed problems.
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  Ability to print and speak simple sentences.
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  Ability to write simple correspondence.
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  Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from guests, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community.
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  Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.  Ability to perform these operations using units of American money and weight measurement, volume, and distance. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
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  Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions. 
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  Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.

The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of the Gardener job.

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  While performing the duties of this job, the individual is regularly required to stand; walk; talk or hear; use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; and reach with hands and arms.
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  The individual is frequently required to climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.
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  The individual is occasionally required to sit; taste and smell. 
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  The individual must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds; frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds; occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. 
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  Specific vision abilities required by this job include: close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Annual Care: install, remove, deadhead, and fertilize. This process includes repetitive loading, unloading, and transporting trays of annuals. Bed preparation requires digging and lifting shovels of soil, use of a wheelbarrow, operation of a tiller, and grading with rakes using force. Includes maintenance of hanging baskets and container plantings. 

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  Requires alternate reaching, lifting, carrying, balancing, stooping, stretching, and gripping of hand tools. Trays of annuals, sometimes weighing over 15 pounds, are unloaded from nursery racks up to eight feet high. Tiller requires lateral control of heavy vibration. Unloading of debris into dumpsters requires overhead lifting.

Mowing: Policing area for debris, operating walk-behind or riding mower, and operating 22 lb. backpack blower for clean up. Also includes operation of stick edgers and weed eaters for detail trimming. 

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  Process includes repetitive reaching, lifting, stooping, stretching and gripping. Blower is carried on the back, and requires balance and strength. String trimmers and stick edgers require controlled outstretched arm movements for extended periods. Mower use includes gripping of hand brake or driving mechanism.

Shrub Pruning: Operating hand or power equipment to selectively cut plant material at varying heights, followed by a clean up of debris. 

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  Method includes very repetitive reaching, gripping, and raking, lifting and bagging of debris. Debris bags are also loaded, transported, and unloaded into a dumpster by lifting weight overhead.

Fertilizing and Seeding: Operating fertilizer spreader or carrying bucket (25 lbs or more) and overseed with annual grasses. 

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  Loading fertilizers into mechanical spreader or container for manual distribution routinely requires controlled lifting of 50 pound bags. Manual distribution involves maintaining balance, careful stepping, and stooping simultaneously.

Mulching: Loading, unloading, and spreading mulch in plant beds. 

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  Repetitive shoveling, forking, and lifting of debris. Controlled movement of loaded wheelbarrow is often required, as well as lifting, shoveling or forking old mulch well overhead into dumpsters.

Raking and Sweeping: Using hand rake to gather materials. 

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  Forceful pulling and pushing, and lifting of debris.

Sod Work: Remove sod, prepare planting area, and install sod. Carry and stack pallets. 

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  Operation of sod cutter requires substantial strength for controlled lifting and turning of equipment. To remove sod, force is used with shovel, and lifting is required to transfer pieces for disposal with shovels or pitchfork. Base is often prepared with manual addition of sand by shovels as well. Pallet handling requires strength and overhead lifting.

Equipment Maintenance: Cleaning, preserving finishes, checking fluid levels, lubricating. 

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  Physical lifting and carrying of gasoline and grease in 5 gallon commercial containers is required. Repetitive force is needed for correct operation of grease guns and other methods of lubrication. Protecting equipment finishes involves repetitive circular motions with pressure.

Plant Replacement: Digging and removing plants, digging and installing new plants. 

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  Substantial repetitive use of shovels and spades is required, with lifting above the head necessary in many instances. Strength and control with the arms is needed for power auger use. Containerized plant material is manually carried in to new planting areas, and larger material transported on dolly or cart must be carefully lifted and placed with control.

Watering: Connecting and dragging water hoses for hand watering. 

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  Forceful control and lifting of weighted hoses and watering cans is required, using outstretched arm movements for extended periods of time.

The work environment characteristics described below are representative of those an individual encounters while performing the essential functions of the Gardener job.

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  While performing the duties of this job, the individual is regularly exposed to fumes or airborne particles and outdoor weather conditions.
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  The individual is frequently exposed to work near moving mechanical parts; work in high, precarious places; toxic or caustic chemicals; and vibration. 
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  While performing this job, the noise level in the work environment is loud.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

If you are interested in this position and you have what it takes to be a part of Universal Orlando, click on 'Apply Now'. If not, please check out our Job Search to explore other opportunities within our universe. We regret that due to the volume of responses only applicants of interest will be contacted.

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