Job Description

The Montana Veteran Affairs Division is seeking a Landscape Technician who has exceptional multitasking abilities and strong attention to detail. This position works as part of a small team in the Western Montana State Veterans Cemetery in Missoula, MT. The Montana State Veterans Cemetery Program has three cemeteries located in Fort Harrison, Miles City, and Missoula. The Landscape Technician provides landscaping for the cemetery grounds and maintenance for the equipment and irrigation. This position reports to the Cemetery Manager and does not supervise others.
The Montana State Veterans Cemetery Program follows National Cemetery Administration guidelines and must adhere to the National Shrine Standards. The Landscape Technician will be responsible for applying National Shrine Standards and policies to the cemetery grounds.
The following documents must be submitted to be considered for this position (be sure to mark all attachments as relevant):

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• State of Montana Application

Duties:

• Operate equipment, such as mowers and string trimmers
• Water lawns, trees, and plants
• Gather and remove litter and perform upkeep duties
• Care for lawns and landscaped areas performing tasks, such as mulching, aerating, weeding, removing thatch, trimming, edging, routine pruning, and planting
• Provide proper upkeep or minor repair of sidewalks, parking lots, or other grounds features
• Perform snow removal using tools such as shovels and spread ice melt
• Perform preventative maintenance for equipment, such as maintaining fluid levels, tire pressure, etc.
• Operate snow removal equipment, such as truck-mounted snowplows and snow blowers
• Follow planned landscaping designs
• Operate specialized equipment, such as tool cat, stump grinder, dump truck, sweeper truck, backhoe, loader, and excavator.
• Troubleshoot and prioritize the repair of specialized equipment.
• Troubleshoot underground irrigation systems for issues involving valves and clocks and perform advanced services, such as startups and blowouts.
• Provide expertise and assistance to coworkers in areas such as tree and shrub health and care, gardening, and horticulture.
• Perform janitorial duties in cemetery shop, office, and bathrooms.
• Assist the Cemetery Manager in projects and any additional assigned tasks.

This position is open until it is filled. The first review of applications will be on December 1, 2025
Qualifications
Education and Experience:

• High School Diploma or Equivalence
• Three years of experience performing landscape duties
• Other combinations of education and experience may be substituted

Minimum Physical/Mental Requirements:

• May require on-call work
• Fluctuation in workload may require more than a 40-hour work week
• Outdoor exposure to weather conditions
• Requires working over uneven terrain, continual walking, standing, climbing, stooping, bending, kneeling, and reaching
• Lifting and carrying items up to 75 pounds

Typical Work Environment:

• Work occurs outdoors in all types of weather
• The work environment involves harsh or caustic fumes, dust, extreme temperatures, wind, rain, and snow
• Work with and around machinery, such as snow blowers, weed eaters, edgers, mowers, trimmers, chainsaws, and aerators
• Work with and around heavy machinery, such as tool cat, stump grinder, dump truck, sweeper truck, backhoe, loader, and excavators
• May work with and around hazardous materials such as pesticides, fertilizer, ice melt, and other chemicals
• Safety equipment is issued

Condition of Employment:

• Must pass a background check and have a good driving record
• Safety training is required within the first six months of employment
• May require additional training or licensing for specialized equipment operations
• One-year probationary period, unless transferring from another State agency

Skills Required