Technical Arborist

Forestry England; Cotswold District; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Civil Service pension

25 days annual leave (rising to 30)

STaRis employee benefits

Free parking

Free entry to National Arboretums

Career development support

Job summary

Forestry England at Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, GL8 8QS, is seeking a Technical Arborist to maintain and develop the arboretum for present and future generations. You will perform aerial rope-and-harness work and manage a range of tree operations, with a strong emphasis on health and safety.

The role offers a fixed-term contract until 30 June 2027, a 37-hour week, and a salary of £30,105 per annum, with benefits including pension and annual leave.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and develop the arboretum for present and future generations.
• Carry out aerial tree work using rope and harness techniques.
• Support tree management and remedial operations.
• Champion health and safety culture at work.

Job description

The following content displays a map of the jobs location - Westonbirt, Then National Arboretum

Job Reference forestryengland/TP/1885/768

Number of Positions:

1

Contract Type:

Fixed Term Appointment

Working Hours:

37

Location:

Westonbirt, Then National Arboretum

Closing Date:

20/09/2026

Job Category:

Operations

Region:

West

Business Unit:

Westonbirt

Job Introduction

We are Forestry England.

We live and breathe forests.

Job title – Technical Arborist

Salary- £30,105 per annum

Contract type – Fixed Term until 30th June 2027 with the possibility of extension or permanency

Vacancy closes - 20th September, 23:58

Join us. We're foresters, professionals and experts. We are a passionate team who love to share our enthusiasm and want to make a positive difference for you and the environment.

Together, we’re using our scale and expertise to grow the nation’s forests for everyone. We’re already adapting our landscapes for tomorrow, and getting stuff done today, like creating amazing places and experiences for you to enjoy. We're providing vital homes for wildlife, making our air cleaner to breathe and producing sustainable timber .

What you’ll do…

As part of the Westonbirt Tree Team, you will maintain & develop the arboretum for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations, in alignment with Westonbirt’s vision to be a world leader in trees, through conservation, education and participation. A key aspect of the role involves carrying out aerial tree work using rope and harness techniques, alongside a range of tree management and remedial operations. You will also be a champion of our health & safety culture demonstrating our value of ‘look out and look after’ in our work.

Please see the job description below for more information and details about what we need from you.

Where you’ll work…

Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, GL8 8QS

The National Arboretum is one of the most beautiful and important plant collections in the world. First laid out in the 1800s following Picturesque landscape principles, the collection contains more than 15,000 specimens representing 2,500 taxa from all over the temperate world. The arboretum plays an important role in research and conservation and holds Level Four ArbNet accreditation. The collection cares for five Plant Heritage National Collections and includes more than 250 Champion trees and 100 species of global conservation concern.

Alongside your salary, Forestry England contributes an average of 28.97% towards your pension. You will become a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.

• 25 days holiday a year, raising by one day every year’s service, up to 30 days (pro-rated for part time employees) plus additional days off such as bank holidays.
• STaRis our employee benefits scheme offering discounts on everyday supermarket shopping, as well as other things such as hotel stays clothes, mobile phones, other electrical items, medical and car insurance, holidays, gym discounts, household bills, Headspace wellbeing app.
• free parking at Forestry England sites and free entry to our National Arboretums at Westonbirt and Bedgebury.
• a commitment to lifelong learning through career development. Forestry England will support your career development in a variety of ways, including continual professional development, support for individual learning plans and sponsored membership of professional bodies.

Forestry England is part of the Civil Service . The Civil Service has a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS). This means candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria during the application process will be guaranteed an interview. We also offer a Redeployment Interview Scheme to current civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the role. This role is also part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans and Prison Leaver Recruitment initiative.

Within Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016, it is essential that applicants should have the ability to provide conversation in accurate spoken English.