Horticulturist (NCWI)

The Horticulturist (Farm Program Coordinator, NCWI) at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System manages the Veterans Farm Program, leading therapeutic horticulture and urban agriculture activities for homeless and food-insecure Veterans. This role oversees daily farm operations, coordinates volunteers and community partnerships, and develops programs that support Veterans' physical, emotional, and social well-being while producing fresh food to address food insecurity.

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until December 31, 2026 or until position has been filled. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be October 30, 2026, with subsequent cut-offs every 2 weeks. Duties include but are not limited to; Serve as program manager for the Veterans Farm Program, overseeing planning, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement. Develop annual work plans, including production goals, therapeutic programming calendars, staffing/volunteer coverage, and timelines. Analyze and resolve issues related to plant cultivation and unique participant needs in farm and urban environments. Provide technical solutions and prepare reports with recommendations for improving food production, public spaces, biodiversity, and sustainability. Manage and track program resources (supplies, equipment, materials); identify and cultivate grant, donation, and in-kind resource opportunities. Prepare proposals, applications, and required reporting for funders and donors at local and federal levels. Oversee administrative management of program records, reports, progress notes, files, and statistical data, ensuring compliance with VA requirements. Manage inventory and data management activities using spreadsheets and databases; analyze trends and prepare reports for leadership. Coordinate daily tasks and work assignments for trainees, volunteers, and farm support team members; plan and lead volunteer days and community engagement events. Serve as primary point of contact for visitors and external partners; establish and maintain community partner relationships. Provide horticulture and agriculture educational training and classes; communicate and collaborate with internal and external partners. Plan, schedule, grow, harvest, and distribute crops and plant materials; ensure production and distribution targets are met. Establish program performance measures and benchmarks; track and analyze outcomes for production, therapeutic impact, and community engagement. Assess opportunities for pilot programming, applied research, and funding for quality improvement and program expansion. Collaborate with senior leaders to develop strategic vision, long-range goals, and growth plans for the Veterans Garden Program. Represent the program in leadership meetings, committees, and planning forums. Ensure compliance with VA policies, safety regulations, and accreditation standards. Oversee daily farm operations, including growing spaces, orchard, greenhouse, and infrastructure; implement crop plans and planting schedules. Monitor and address pests, weeds, crop health, soil health, composting, and organic growing practices. Maintain irrigation systems, tools, equipment, and farm facilities; ensure safety and longevity of therapeutic and healing gardens. Develop, conduct, and evaluate greenhouse operations, including environmental monitoring, crop scheduling, seed sowing, irrigation, and pest management. Work as part of a treatment team to help participants meet measurable goals and objectives. Collaborate with other disciplines to maximize therapeutic gardening as a treatment modality. Develop and implement interdisciplinary therapeutic gardening/farming programs, including individual and group interventions. Write plans, develop curriculum, and provide education in horticulture for therapeutic activities and events. Direct crews and conduct formal/informal interpretive programs, site tours, and demonstrations for varied audiences. Research topics for interpretive programming; develop and post educational content for social media and Public Affairs. Develop, conduct, and evaluate outdoor recreation and farm management studies/programs for therapeutic interventions. Adapt, develop, or modify techniques and procedures to accommodate individual Veterans' limitations or needs. Work with Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) participants in farming, gardening, and grounds-related tasks. Provide customer service in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner to all stakeholders. Ensure care and services are appropriate to the age, development, and cultural needs of patients. Protect sensitive data and maintain information security and confidentiality in accordance with federal and VA policies. Work Schedule: Various tours of duty based on the needs of the service. Compressed/Flexible: May be available based on the needs of the service. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Horticulturist (NCWI)/PD150180 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be Authorized

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.