Job Detail

Arborist

Location: Seattle, WA
Salary: $49.49 - $57.55 Hourly

Position Description

About Seattle Parks and Recreation:
Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is a national leader and innovator in the services and programs we provide to our residents who enjoy our public spaces such as parks, community centers, specialty gardens, and swimming pools. Our mission is to provide welcoming and safe opportunities to play, learn, contemplate and build community, as well as to promote responsible stewardship of the land. We support healthy people, a healthy environment, and strong communities. We strive to deliver excellent customer service to each visitor and participant. SPR is also deeply committed to advancing the City of Seattle's Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI) by working to end institutional and structural racism.
 
SPR manages a 6,414-acre park system of over 485 parks and extensive natural areas. SPR provides athletic fields, tennis courts, play areas, specialty gardens, and more than 25 miles of boulevards and 120 miles of trails. The system comprises about 12% of the city's land area.

About the Position:
SPR's Urban Forestry Section is seeking a Parks Arborist who, under minimal supervision, will manage, develop, implement and coordinate SPR Urban Forestry Section's tree programs and policies, collaborate with interdepartmental landscape architects and project managers on park renovation design, oversee tree protection and replacement, and review SPR requests for planting, pruning and removal of plant material within property owned or controlled by SPR. The Parks Arborist will exercise considerable independent judgment in making decisions concerning program goals and work activities and will engage in public outreach, customer service, and direct communication with SPR Natural Resources Unit Manager and the Parks and Environment Division Director.

The Parks Arborist will have advanced professional knowledge of the theory, principles, and practices of urban forest management, landscape design, and arboriculture. They will be the department's leader in planning, promoting, and implementing improvement programs citywide and for the public. The candidate's success will depend on their knowledge and experience of local land-use and environmental codes and standards, public park planning and development, and best management practices in urban forestry. The work requires technical knowledge of trees, including but not limited to assessing, diagnosing, and suggesting corrective treatments for declining trees. The Arborist is responsible for the Urban Forestry Section's budget, operations, and organizational schedules.
 
Leadership qualities we are seeking in the Parks Arborist are one who leads by example, is accountable, is able to promote their team, and communicates effectively with crew members. They will be supervising two (2) Arboriculturists and three (3) Lead Tree Trimmers in the SPR Urban Forestry Section.

Job Responsibilities

 

• Develop long-term plans, goals, and programs for SPR's urban forestry needs.
• Implement SPR Tree Policy and Parks Tree Procedures.
• Provide technical information concerning the selection, planting, and maintenance of SPR trees to other agency staff, developers, contractors, and the public.
• Review SPR tree-related plans presented by developers, public, and City personnel for compliance with City guidelines, codes, and ordinances.
• Prepare promotional information relating to SPR tree programs; make presentations to citizens, outside agencies, and community groups; provide advocacy to preserve urban forests.
• Ensure the SPR is following the Urban Forest Stewardship Plan
• Conduct public outreach, provide customer service, and communicate directly with SPR Natural Resources Unit Manager and Parks and Environment Division Director.
• Monitor activities of landscape maintenance and tree crews to ensure proper care and maintenance of City-owned plant materials; coordinate and conduct training programs for City landscape maintenance personnel.
• Conduct field inspections of park renovation projects to determine compliance with designs, plans, and bid specifications.
• Assist in the development of codes, policies, and guidelines pertaining to the care and maintenance of trees.
• Comply with the City’s Two-for-One Tree Replacement Policy and report numbers quarterly to Office of Sustainability and Environment 
• Participate in the City’s Urban Forestry Core Team, Management, and Interdepartmental Teams
• Address forest health issues resulting from impacts such as noxious weeds, invasive pests, and climate change.
• Provide guidance to landscape crews and technical expertise to other municipal, county, and state agencies.
• Review and prepare reports including but not limited to: tree appraisals, tree risk assessments, or claims.
• Oversee and track the progress of the Preventative Tree Maintenance Program.
• Maintain and increase existing tree canopy above current baseline in urban areas, prioritizing areas with low canopy cover and support urban forest projects based on LIDAR report from 2022
• Increase tree canopy with improvements focused on areas subject to high levels of summer heat and/or pollution or other human health disparities, which are often in BIPOC communities.
• Manage the SPR Tree Inventory and Preventative Maintenance Plan.
• Required to respond to tree or departmental emergencies, not limited to tree failures, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Most work is performed in an office environment. Requires periodic site inspection and selection activities in nurseries.
• Serve on the City-Wide Urban Forest Pest Readiness Committee
• Assist SPR Natural Resources Unit Manager and Parks and Environment Division Director with departmental assignments related to urban forestry.
• Perform other related duties of a comparable level/type as assigned.
• Participate in Green Seattle Partnership Management Team

 

Qualifications

 

Minimum Qualifications:

• Requires five years of experience as an Arborist or Landscape Architect with experience preferably in street use or urban landscape design, of which at least two years must involve supervisory, management and/or planning duties, and a baccalaureate degree in horticulture, landscape architecture or forestry or a closely related field (or a combination of education, training and/or experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform the work of the class).

The Successful Candidate Will Have:

• ISA Certified Arborist Municipal 
• ISA Tree Risk Assessor Qualified
• ISA Board Certified Master Arborist
• American Society of Consulting Arborist- Registered Consulting Arborist.
• Experience in appraising plants using standard industry methods.
• Experience in writing arborist reports including plant appraisals, tree risk evaluations, and performing tree inventories.
• Experience in assessment and evaluation of tree-work procedures to industry standards.
• Knowledge of Best Management practices for Arboriculture and current industry standards.
• Knowledge of industry-standard tree protection during construction projects.
• Knowledge of Certified Tree Worker Climber Specialist work
• Able to prioritize competing tasks with various deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills with the public via email, written reports, and at public events.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office.
• Proficient with ARCGIS.
• Proficient or able to learn AMWO- Asset Management Work Order system.

Licensing and Other Requirements:

• ISA Certified Arborist
• ISA Tree Risk Assessor Qualified

Additional Licenses Recognized (not req'd):

• ISA Board Certified Master Arborist WSPA (applicators license)
• TPAQ Tree and Plant Appraisal Certified with ASCA

 

 

Additional Information

The Parks Arborist may be called to attend night and weekend meetings and support the department's emergency storm responses.

Why work at the City?

The City of Seattle recognizes every City employee must play a role in ending institutional and structural racism. Our culture is the result of our behavior, our personal commitments, and the ways that we courageously share our perspectives and encourage others to do the same. To cultivate an antiracist culture, we seek employees who will engage in the Race and Social Justice Initiative by working to dismantle racist policies and procedures, unlearn the way things have always been done, and provide equitable processes and services. 
 
Applications will be accepted for this position until 4:00 pm Pacific Time on Tuesday, June 14, 2022. To be considered for this position, in addition to completing your application fully, please attach:

• A PDF of your current resume
• Cover Letter

This hiring process includes a pre-employment physical.
 
This hiring process involves a background check of conviction and arrests records in compliance with Seattle’s Fair Chance Employment Ordinance, SMC 14.17.  Applicants will be provided an opportunity to explain or correct background information.
 
Questions? Contact [email protected]

SPR's Core Competencies are:

• Accountability & Action: Holding yourself accountable for achieving goals, completing tasks, and delivering quality work. Demonstrating thoughtful initiative in actions and decision-making and promoting high-quality standards. 
• Equity and Inclusion: Supporting the goals of the Race and Social Justice Initiative and the City's commitment to workforce equity. 
• Communication: Sharing and exchanging information and ideas with people in a variety of ways to help them understand and remember the information. 
• Service: An ongoing commitment to base decisions and actions on the needs and priorities of the City. 
• Teamwork: Participating as an engaged member of a team to achieve group goals. Effectively working with internal and external people to complete tasks and achieve work group goals.

 

 

Agency

City of Seattle

Address

Seattle Municipal Tower
700 5th Avenue, Suite 5500
Seattle, Washington, 98104

Website

http://www.seattle.gov/jobs

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