Introduction
This examination is being given to fill one (1) vacancy in the Parks Department and to establish an eligible list to fill future vacancies. Please be advised that Human Resources will only be accepting online applications for this recruitment. Resumes and paper applications will not be accepted in lieu of an online application. A completed application must be received online by the final filing deadline.
Pre-Employment Background, DOJ Live Scan and Drug Screen: Potential new hires into this classification are required to successfully pass a DOJ Live Scan, a pre-employment background investigation and a pre-employment drug screen as a condition of employment. Final appointment cannot be made unless the eligible has successfully completed the DOJ Live Scan, background process and passed the drug screen. The County pays for the initial drug screen.
NOTE: All correspondences relating to this recruitment will be delivered via e-mail. The e-mail account used will be the one provided on your employment application during time of submittal. Please be sure to check your e-mail often for updates. If you do not have an e-mail account on file, Human Resources will send you correspondences via US Mail.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
EITHER PATTERN I
Education: Completion of 30 semester units at an accredited college or university with a minimum of 12 units in ornamental horticulture, forestry, park or recreation management, environmental resources, landscape architecture or a closely related field.
OR PATTERN II
Experience: One-year maintaining, repairing and constructing park grounds, facilities, commercial landscaping, or similar areas.
License: Possession of a valid California driver’s license.
KNOWLEDGE
Methods and techniques for caring for plants and lawns, including planting, cultivation, fertilizing and pruning; general maintenance and construction practices; methods, materials, tools, and practices used in park grounds and facilities maintenance.
ABILITY
Work independently; follow oral and written instructions; perform a wide variety of grounds, custodial, and facilities maintenance work; use tools and operate equipment used in park maintenance and development; maintain records; establish and maintain effective working relationships with others; communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; lead others.
PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS
Mobility-Sitting and standing for extended periods, driving, walking, pushing/pulling, bending/squatting, operate heavy equipment, climbing ladders, climbing stairs, and crawling; Lifting-Occasionally lift up to 70 plus pounds or restraining or lifting heavy objects or people; Vision-Good overall vision, color perception, eye/hand coordination, depth perception, occasional reading of close-up work; Dexterity-Normal dexterity; Hearing/Talking-Occasional hearing and talking on the telephone or radio and in person; Emotional/Psychological-Occasional decision making, concentration, public contact, working alone, exposure to hazardous materials, trauma, and emergency situations; Environmental Conditions-Occasional exposure to in-door climate; frequent exposure to out-door environment; contact with hazardous materials; may require occasional overtime, weekend or evening work.
San Joaquin County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and, upon request, will consider reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.
Equal Opportunity Employer
San Joaquin County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer and is committed to providing equal employment to all without regard to age, ancestry, color, creed, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation or belief, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. For more information go to Equal Employment Opportunity Division (sjgov.org).
Accommodations for those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):
San Joaquin County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and, upon request, will consider reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.
BENEFITS
Employees hired into this classification are members of a bargaining unit which is represented by SEIU Local 1021.
Health Insurance: San Joaquin County provides employees with a choice of three health plans: a Kaiser Plan, a Select Plan, and a Premier Plan. Employees pay a portion of the cost of the premium. Dependent coverage is also available.
Dental Insurance: The County provides employees with a choice of two dental plans: Delta Dental and United Health Care-Select Managed Care Direct Compensation Plan. There is no cost for employee only coverage in either plan; dependent coverage is available at the employee’s expense.
Vision Insurance: The County provides vision coverage through Vision Service Plan (VSP). There is no cost for employee only coverage; dependent coverage is available at the employee’s expense.
For more detailed information on the County’s benefits program, visit our website at www.sjgov.org under Human Resources/Employee Benefits.
Life Insurance: The County provides eligible employees with life insurance coverage as follows:
1 but less than 3 years of continuous service: $1,000
3 but less than 5 years of continuous service: $3,000
5 but less than 10 years of continuous service: $5,000
10 years of continuous service or more: $10,000
Employee may purchase additional term life insurance at the group rate.
125 Flexible Benefits Plan: This is a voluntary program that allows employees to use pre-tax dollars to pay for health-related expenses that are not paid by a medical, dental or vision plan (Health Flexible Spending Account $2550 annual limit with a $500 carry over); and dependent care costs (Dependent Care Assistance Plan $5000 annual limit).
Retirement Plan: Employees of the County are covered by the County Retirement Law of 1937. Please visit the San Joaquin County Employees’ Retirement Association (SJCERA) at www.sjcera.org for more information. NOTE: If you are receiving a retirement allowance from another California county covered by the County Employees’ Retirement Act of 1937 or from any governmental agency covered by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS), you are advised to contact the Retirement Officer of the Retirement Plan from which you retired to determine what effect employment in San Joaquin County would have on your retirement allowance.
Deferred Compensation: The County maintains a deferred compensation plan under Section 457 of the IRS code. You may annually contribute $22,500 or 100% of your includible compensation, whichever is less. Individuals age 50 or older may contribute to their plan, up to $30,000. The Roth IRA (after tax) is also now available.
Vacation: Maximum earned vacation is 10 days each year up to 3 years; 15 days after 3 years; 20 days after 10 years; and 23 days after 20 years.
Holidays: Effective July 1, 2017, all civil service status employees earn 14 paid holidays each year. Please see the appopriate MOU for details regarding holidays, accruals, use, and cashability of accrued time.
Sick Leave: 12 working days of sick leave annually with unlimited accumulation. Sick leave incentive: An employee is eligible to receive eight hours administrative leave if the leave balance equals at least one- half of the cumulative amount that the employee is eligible to accrue. The employee must also be on payroll during the entire calendar year.
Bereavement Leave: 3 days of paid leave for the death of qualifying family member, 2 additional days of accrued leave for death of employee’s spouse, domestic partner, parent or child.
Merit Salary Increase: New employees will receive the starting salary, which is the first step of the salary range. After employees serve 52 weeks (2080 hours) on each step of the range, they are eligible for a merit increase to the next step.
Educational Reimbursement Program: Eligible employees may be reimbursed for career-related course work up to a maximum of $850 per fiscal year. Eligible employees enrolled in an approved four (4) year College or University academic program may be reimbursed up to $800 per semester for a maximum of $1600 per fiscal year.
Parking Supplemental Downtown Stockton: The County contributes up to $20 per pay period for employees who pay for parking and are assigned to work in the Downtown Core Area.
School Activities: Employees may take up to 40 hours per year, but not more than eight (8) hours per month, to participate in their children’s school activities.
Selection Procedures
Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will go through the following examination process:
- Written Exam: The civil service written exam is a multiple choice format. If the written exam is administered alone, it will be 100% of the overall score. Candidates must achieve a minimum rating of 70% in order to be placed on the eligible list.
- Oral Exam: The oral exam is a structured interview process that will assess the candidate’s education, training, and experience and may include a practical exercise. The oral exam selection process is not a hiring interview. A panel of up to four people will determine the candidate’s score and rank for placement on the eligible list. Top candidates from the eligible list are referred for hiring interviews. If the oral exam is administered alone, it will be 100% of the overall score. Candidates must achieve a minimum rating of 70% in order to be placed on the eligible list.
- Written & Oral Exam: If both a written exam and an oral exam is administered, the written exam is weighted at 60% and the oral exam is weighted at 40% unless otherwise indicated on the announcement. Candidates must achieve a minimum rating of 70% on each examination in order to be placed on the eligible list.
- Rate-out: A rate-out is an examination that involves a paper rating of the candidate’s application using the following criteria: education, training, and experience. Candidates will not be scheduled for the rate-out process.
Note: The rating of 70 referred to may be the same or other than an arithmetic 70% of the total possible points.
Online Written Exams: Written exams may be administered online. Candidates will be notified of the examination date and will be responsible to complete the written exam within a given period of time (typically within five calendar days). Candidates are required to read the Online Exam Guide for Test Takers prior to taking an online written exam.
The link to the guide is here: Online Exam Guide For Test Takers
PLEASE NOTE:
- All candidates participating in a San Joaquin County examination are required to complete the exam independently and without the use of external resources
Under San Joaquin County Civil Services Rules and Government Code 31114 and 31115, the use of any outside assistance is strictly prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, assistance from other individuals, searching for answers online, or using artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT or other chat-based technologies
Examinations are intended to assess each candidate’s individual knowledge, skills and abilities. Any violation of these requirements may result in disqualification from the examination process, removal from an eligible list, and/or additional action as permitted by law, including potential misdemeanor charges. Candidates may also be required to retake the examination in a monitored setting. By submitting an online examination, you acknowledge that you have read, understand and agree to comply with these conditions
- Online exams must be completed in one sitting and can only be taken once
- Candidates will have access to an online exam within the allotted time only
- A steady internet connection is highly recommended
- The allotted time will still continue if a candidate closes the window or gets disconnected
- Once the allotted time expires, access to the exam will be unavailable
Microsoft is no longer supporting Internet Explorer. Therefore, it is recommended that candidates do not use Internet Explorer to complete online written exams.
Candidates that do not have access to a computer can contact the Human Resources office at (209)468-3370 for information on accommodations.
Testing Accommodation: Candidates who require testing accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) must call Human Resources Division at (209) 468-3370 prior to the examination date.
Veteran’s Points: Eligible veterans, unmarried widows and widowers of veterans of the United States Armed Forces who have been honorably discharged and who have served during wartime shall be given veteran’s points in initial appointment to County service. Eligible veterans receive 5 points and eligible disabled veterans receive 10 points. Disabled veterans must submit a recent award letter stating a 10% service connected disability issued by the United States Veterans Administration. Note: A copy of your DD214 showing the discharge type must be received in the Human Resources by the date of the examination.
Acceptable wartime service dates:
• September 16, 1940 to December 31, 1946
• June 27, 1950 to January 31, 1955
• August 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975
• Persian Gulf War, August 2, 1990, through a date to be set by law or Presidential Proclamation.
Eligible Lists: Candidates who pass the examination will be placed on an eligible list for that classification. Eligible lists are effective for nine months, but may be extended by the Human Resources Director for a period which shall not exceed a total of three years from the date established.
Certification/Referral: Names from the eligible list will be referred to the hiring department by the following methods.
- Rule of the Rank: The top rank or ranks of eligibles will be referred for hiring interviews. The minimum number of names to be referred will be equal to the number of positions plus nine, or 10% of the eligible list, whichever is higher. When filling nine or more positions in a department at the same time, the top rank or ranks will be referred and the minimum number of names shall be two times the number of positions to be filled or 10% of the eligible list, whichever is higher. This applies only to open competitive recruitments.
- Rule of Five: The top five names will be referred for hiring interviews. This applies only to department or countywide promotional examination.
Physical Exam: Some classifications require physical examinations. Final appointment cannot be made until the eligible has passed the physical examination. The County pays for physical examinations administered in its medical facilities.
Pre-Employment Drug Screening Exam: Some classifications require a new employee successfully pass a pre-employment drug screen as a condition of employment. Final appointment cannot be made until the eligible has passed the drug screen. The County pays for the initial drug screen.
Employment of Relatives: Applicants who are relatives of employees in a department within the 3rd degree of relationship, (parent, child, grand parent, grand child or sibling) either by blood or marriage, may not be appointed, promoted, transferred into or within the department when;
• They are related to the Appointing Authority or
• The employment would result in one of them supervising the work of the other.
Department Head may establish additional limitations on the hiring of relatives by departmental rule.
Proof of Eligibility: If you are offered a job you will be required to provide proof of U.S. citizenship or other documents that establish your eligibility to be employed in the U.S.
