Arborist
Reports to: Director, Design, Environment & Construction
Department: Community and Economic Development
Work Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Flexible scheduling is available. May be required to work occasional weekends, evenings, holidays, and emergency call-ins.
Salary Range: $50,482 - 64,626 Annually DOQ (Exempt)
Purpose of Work:
The purpose of this position is to ensure that the City's urban forest, greenspaces and landscaped areas are vibrant and thriving through planned acquisition, on-going maintenance, and strategic replanting. This position will serve as a City Arborist and will evaluate and confer with residents, business owners and the development community to provide assistance and education to assure that trees are recognized as a community resource and the community has a stake in their maintenance, preservation and replanting.
Major Responsibilities:
- Conducts field inspections before, during, and after construction for compliance to the Decatur tree ordinance.
- Receives and reviews applications, then issues tree removal permits.
- Responds to citizen inquiries and concerns regarding potential tree ordinance violations, and takes corrective actions when necessary, leading up to the issuance of citations.
- Reviews tree preservation plans during the permitting process for compliance to the Decatur tree ordinance.
- Assess publicly owned trees for health, risk to life/property, and survivability and makes recommendations to city staff or contractors for maintenance and/or removal.
- Assists with construction management by participating in field decisions that affect construction projects.
- Prunes trees or directs pruning for structuring and maintenance.
- Inspects trees for safety, clearance, and visibility purposes.
- Recommends the placement of cables, braces, and guy wires to trees.
- Recommends schedules for mowing, weeding, mulching, and fertilizing soil for proper tree care, growth, and weed abatement; designated removal for dead and dying trees.
- Inventories trees using computer applications including GIS.
- Plants and cares for new trees, including staking/guying, mulching, and watering the trees during the early care maintenance period.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Horticulture, Arboriculture, Forestry, Landscape Architecture, or related field.
- Minimum of five (5) years active experience performing arboricultural duties, including, but not limited to: assessing trees for health/risk, planting and maintaining trees,
- International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist® Certification required.
- International Society of Arboriculture Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ), or the ability to become qualified within 90 days after start of employment.
- Certification or the ability to become certified as a Georgia Soil and Water Conservation (GSWCC) Level 1B Certified Inspector.
- Valid State of Georgia Driver's License with satisfactory motor vehicle record (MVR).
- Knowledge of State regulations/requirements with regards to soil conditions and preparation, planting, pruning techniques, and tree surgery.
- Thorough knowledge of safety, methods, equipment and materials used in tree maintenance and care, tree health problems, diseases and pests.
- Ability to plan, organize, and implement maintenance and repair programs for tree inventorying, maintenance and removal.
- Working knowledge of, or the ability to learn and become proficient in, computers and Microsoft Office applications required.
Physical Requirements:
- Ability to work in a variety of extreme weather conditions.
- Ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, lift, climb, and perform repetitive motions on a daily basis for extended periods of time.
- Ability to operate a vehicle.
- Ability to lift and carry heavy objects (50-75 lbs.) and walk, bend, squat, twist, crawl, and climb on a daily basis for extended periods of time.
Other Requirements:
- Ability to follow and direct others to follow safe work practices.
- Ability to prepare and maintain records and reports.
- Exemplary team player with the ability to establish and maintain cooperative relationships with others contacted in the course of work.
- Ability to supervise, train and evaluate the work of others in both installation and maintenance of landscaping.
- Ability to read and interpret site surveys, site plans, tree plans, and other related construction documents.
- Knowledge of urban design fundamentals and the role of landscape planning in urban design.
- Practical knowledge of sustainability.
- Experience managing projects and the work of contractors/vendors delivering on awarded bids.
How to Apply: All applications and resumes must be submitted online at https://www.decaturga.com/jobs
*We do not accept e-mailed resumes as a part of the application process.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The City of Decatur is committed to having a workforce that reflects diversity at all levels and is an equal opportunity employer. Therefore, qualified applicants are considered for employment, and employees are treated during employment without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, familial status, or veteran/military status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.
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