Job Detail
Plant Health Care Technician
Location: Saint Paul, MN
Salary:
Summary:
This position is responsible for providing fertilization, weed, pest and fungi controls on client properties by performing the following duties:
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Provides integrated pest management (IPM) on client properties using spray, injection, and other equipment with the direction of sales arborists. IPM products generally include pesticides, fertilizers, bio-stimulants, and potentially others as needed.
Works primarily on their own (after appropriate training), first meeting as a team each day then completing most daily routes independently.
Provides excellent customer service, answering client questions as able and necessary. Clients include private homeowners/residences, townhome associations, and commercial properties.
Hours sometimes variable. Most routes can be completed in an 8-10 hour workday, though longer days are a possibility when workloads increase with peak insect and pest activity. Shorter days may be available when timing of work is more flexible.
All other duties as assigned.
ATTENDANCE:
Must be consistently punctual and timely in work attendance and throughout independent daily duties and tasks.
QUALIFICATIONS:
An individual must be able to perform essential job duties. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:
High school or GED diploma required.
Completed or in progress bachelor’s or associate degree in urban forestry, environmental science, biology, horticulture, or another related natural resource field preferred but not required.
Courses and/or experience in tree species identification, common tree pest and pathogen identification, and basic plant biology strongly preferred.
Experience as a pesticide applicator in tree care or a related field preferred.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:
Valid driver’s license required, CDL class B or above is a plus.
MN Commercial Pesticide Applicator License categories A & E or ability to obtain license within 2-3 weeks of hire required (we will provide study books and cost of testing).
ISA Certification is a plus but not required.
LANGUAGE SKILLS:
Able to communicate clearly and professionally with management and other crew members.
Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from managers, clients, and the general public.
COMPUTER SKILLS:
To perform this job successfully, an individual should have general working knowledge of Android or iPhone mobile devices (tablets or cell phones are used for work orders and daily routes).
OTHER SKILL, ABILITIES, AND QUALIFICATIONS:
Leadership experience and a desire for career growth will be given a priority.
POSITION DURATION:
Plant health care is inherently seasonal work, running approximately 7 months of the year (April-October). Exact start date is dependent on the timing of spring and the beginning of the growing season.
Beginning and ending work along with the end and start of a school year (approx. May-August) is a possibility. Part time work may be available into the fall in a scenario like this.
COMPETENCIES:
To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:
Intellectual
Analytical - Uses intuition and experience to work productively and efficiently, improving procedures where possible.
Detailed - Demonstrates consistent attention to detail, especially a commitment to accurate and thorough plant health care services.
Problem Solving - Identifies and works to resolve problems efficiently; Able to find creative solutions to problems independently and with the assistance of a manager and shop mechanics.
Developmental - Assesses own strengths and weaknesses; Pursues training and development opportunities; Strives to continuously build knowledge and skills; Shares expertise with others.
Interpersonal
Customer Service - Manages difficult or emotional customer situations; Responds promptly to customer needs; Solicits customer feedback to improve service; Responds to requests for service and assistance; Meets commitments.
External Working Relationships – Develops and maintains courteous and effective working relationships with clients, vendors, and/or any other representatives of external organizations.
Leadership – Innovative ideas and ability to communicate them with management and the rest of the team are valued and highly encouraged.
Organization
Business Necessity – The needs of the employer may be dependent on responding to and anticipating rapidly changing external and internal demands in all aspects of how business is conducted. This may include, but is not limited to, organization structure, finances, goals, personnel, work processes, technology, and customer demands. Therefore, it may become necessary to make modifications to how business is conducted, and work is accomplished, with minimal or no advance notice to employees. Accordingly, the employee must be capable of adapting, with minimal or no advance notice, to changes in how business is conducted, and work is accomplished, with no diminishment in work performance.
Safety and Security – All employees are responsible for observing safety and security procedures as applicable and reporting potentially unsafe conditions to management.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, stoop, and kneel. The employee is frequently required to sit; reach with hands and arms and climb or balance. The employee is occasionally required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear.
The employee must regularly lift and/or move more than 10 pounds, frequently lift, and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to outside weather conditions. The employee is frequently exposed to moving mechanical parts and fumes or airborne particles. The employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, high, precarious places, toxic or caustic chemicals, extreme cold, and extreme heat.
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