The Position
The City of Oakland is an equal opportunity employer that values workforce diversity, inclusion, and equity. Oakland has a long history of activism around issues of justice and equity. Both oppression and this resistance to oppression have shaped the City's historical roots and the lives of its residents to this day. As public servants in one of the most diverse cities in the nation, we strive to develop employees who understand the harm and impacts of systemic inequity to create lasting, meaningful outcomes for everyone. Oakland strives to establish an environment that embraces the richness of culture, community, and individualism of employees.
Why join the City of Oakland Public Works Department?
Are you interested in being part of an urban forestry program in a diverse and dynamic city? The City of Oakland has an excellent opportunity for individuals who enjoy being outdoors, interacting with the public and working for the benefit and beauty of the community! The City of Oakland is currently recruiting to fill multiple temporary, part-time Park Attendant, PT vacancies within the Oakland Public Works Department. The ideal candidate is an enthusiastic team player, capable of following oral and written directions to complete assignments, is eager to learn a variety of maintenance tasks, and has an interest in long-term professional development. The ideal candidate will also demonstrate a solid work ethic and a strong commitment to maintaining the City's urban forest.
Under general supervision in the Department of Oakland Public Works, the Park Attendant, PT performs a variety of maintenance duties which involve pruning, planting, weeding, sweeping, clearing drains, loading, and unloading soil and materials, and driving, loading and unloading vehicles.
We are looking for someone who is:
- Dependable and reliable, with strong and consistent attendance. Showing up on time every day is very important to do well in the training program and as an employee with the City of Oakland.
- Adaptable and flexible, and able to adjust quickly to new tasks and changes. You will learn many different things in a short amount of time, so being open to change and willing to take on different assignments will help you succeed both in the program and as a future full-time employee.
- Eager to grow and learn new skills, especially if you're someone who takes initiative and wants to build a stable, long-term career.
- A strong communicator with personal responsibility, who is able to talk and work well with supervisors and coworkers, while also taking ownership of the work you are assigned.
- A team player who can also work independently and is able to help on group projects and stay focused when working on your own.
- Organized and good at managing time. You must be able to handle many tasks, set priorities, and meet deadlines to keep your work on track.
What will you typically be responsible for?
- Planting, pruning, trimming and maintaining ground covers, trees, shrubs, flowers, and grass.
- Supporting skilled workers with tree trimming, root pruning, reshaping, planting, and removing trees.
- Sweeping, raking, and clearing grounds; removing stumps and tree hazards; cutting tree limbs and trunks into smaller pieces; splitting firewood; salvaging fallen trees.
- Preparing ball fields by leveling the infield, watering to reduce dust, and marking foul lines and batter's boxes; checking the field, home plate, bases, and pitcher's mound for safety.
- Performing heavy physical work like digging and leveling dirt with hand tools.
- Loading and unloading soil and other materials; transporting trash to the dump.
- Driving, loading, and unloading vehicles.
A few reasons you might love this job:
- You will gain job skills and tailored help in creating and strengthening a resume, identifying and explaining transferrable skills, applying for the City of Oakland jobs, and interviewing.
- You will develop or enhance your existing skills and talents while building productive relationships with coworkers and Oakland residents.
- You will participate in tailored trainings to enhance and strengthen social, interpersonal, and career building life-skills that will support your overall personal and professional development.
- You will make professional connections, learn from the inside about hiring processes, and become familiar with the City of Oakland to culture to be more prepared and capable to acquire a full-time, permanent job with the City of Oakland.
A few challenges you might face in this job:
- This is a temporary, part-time job, and you are not guaranteed to secure a full-time permanent job while you are in this position.
- Your job assignment may be demanding and engaging from the beginning of the shift to the end of the workday.
- Depending on your job assignment, your work shift may require you to do different things from the day before or your work shift will require you to do the same exact thing every work shift. It is highly variable.
Competencies:
- Action & Results Focused (Taking Initiative): Initiating tasks and focusing on accomplishment.
- Displaying Ownership and Accountability: Holding self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results.
- General Physical Ability: Using strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, and coordination.
- Safety Focus: Showing vigilance and care in identifying and addressing health risks and safety hazards.
- Teamwork: Collaborating with others to achieve shared goals.