Park Specialist - Urban Forestry

City of Bellingham; Bellingham (WA); On-site; USD 79,000 - 102,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation leave

Paid holidays

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Life insurance and long-term/dis

Retirement plan (DRS)

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

The City of Bellingham is seeking a Park Specialist – Urban Forestry to plan, perform, and supervise technical arboriculture work in city parks, open spaces, and right-of-way areas. This role uses climbing, rigging, and aerial lifts, with a focus on safe, healthy, and resilient landscapes.

You will lead staff, coordinate with City departments and contractors, and provide hazard assessments and written reports.

Qualifications

• Four years of recent experience in technical arboriculture including removals, pruning, rope and saddle work, aerial lifts and rigging.
• Two years of arboriculture coursework may substitute for one year of experience.
• Two years of experience in arboriculture planning and execution in urban/rural environments with hazard assessments and written reports.
• Must possess ISA Certified Arborist credential at time of hire.

Responsibilities

• Plan, schedule, implement, monitor and evaluate work for trees and forest stands in parks, open spaces and right-of-way areas.
• Lead staff in the program area and provide day-to-day direction and training.
• Coordinate activities with other City departments, developers and contractors.
• Provide consulting arborist input and written reports for City tree issues and budget input.

Skills

Arboriculture

Rigging

Climbing

Team leadership

Hazard assessment

Education

ISA Certified Arborist credential

Two years arboriculture coursework substitution

Tools

Rope and saddle gear

Aerial lifts

Rigging equipment

Pesticide license

Flagging/traffic control certification

First Aid/CPR certification

TRAQ Certification

Job description

Join the Parks and Recreation Department in shaping the future of the city’s urban forest as a Park Specialist – Urban Forestry, where your expertise helps protect and elevate our most valued natural spaces. In this role, you’ll combine advanced arboriculture knowledge with technical aerial tree work, ecosystem stewardship, and strong teamwork to support safe, healthy, and resilient landscapes. Whether you’re growing within the organization or bringing fresh experience from outside, this is your opportunity to make a meaningful and lasting impact on the community’s urban forests.

JOB SUMMARY

This position plans, schedules, implements, monitors, and evaluates work for trees and forest stands in City parks, public spaces, open space areas and right-of-way areas. Performs technical tree work, provides tree hazard assessments, makes recommendations for forest stand management, removals and plantings. Responsible for selection, care, operation, maintenance and replacement of equipment in program. The work requires a variety of specialized techniques and equipment for climbing and rigging. Serves as lead to staff assigned to program area; provides training, technical guidance, day-to-day direction and provides input on performance evaluations. Coordinates activities with other sections of the Parks Department, other City departments as well as developers and contractors. Represents the City as a consulting arborist for City departments, providing a professional opinion and written reports on City tree issues. Provides input on budgetary requirements, tracks and orders materials, equipment and supplies for program area, including price and product evaluation as well as bid packet creation and evaluation.

For more information, please review the job classification.

WHY JOIN OUR TEAM?

Joining the City of Bellingham means becoming a part of a team that believes our greatest impact comes from working together with purpose, humility and a shared commitment to our community. Every employee contributes to delivering meaningful results for the people who live, work and visit here. We value people who approach challenges with curiosity, respect and collaboration. If you are motivated by building a career in public service, we encourage you to apply.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

This position will start at Step 1 ($37.75/hour). Employees receive step increases annually in accordance with the Guild of Pacific Northwest Employees, Local 1937 Collective Bargaining Agreement and City policy. The full hourly range for this position is $37.75 - $49.24. For internal candidates, placement within the range is based on City Pay Placement Procedures.

At the City of Bellingham, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that helps you thrive in both your career and personal life. Join our team and enjoy the peace of mind knowing that you and your loved ones are well cared for. Here’s a closer look at the outstanding benefits that come with being part of our team. You can find more details on our employment benefits page and labor agreements page.

• 10 hours of vacation leave per month, with increased accrual over time
• 12 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday per year
• 8 hours sick leave accrued monthly
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families
• Life insurance and long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts and medical insurance opt-out program
• Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Washington State Retirement plan (DRS) for retirement security
• Optional 457 deferred compensation (Retirement Savings Plan) with employer match

Leave accruals are based on 1.0 FTE, accruals are pro‑rated if part‑time and require employees to be in paid status at least 120 hours/month.

Closing Date/Time: Fri. 10/23/26 4:30 PM Pacific Time

• Four (4) years of recent experience in technical arboriculture including technical tree removals and pruning, rope and saddle, spurs and flip line, aerial lifts, rigging and related tools and equipment.
• Successful completion of two (2) years of coursework related to arboriculture may be substituted for one year of required experience.
• Two (2) years experience participating in the planning and execution of arboriculture in significant rural or urban environments including hazard tree assessment and written reports.
• Current International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist credential required at time of hire.
• One (1) year lead worker experience preferred.

• Employment contingent upon passing a criminal convictions check, child and adult abuse records check and local background check (see Fair Hiring Practices below).
• Verification of ability to work in the United States by date of hire.
• Valid Washington State driver’s license by time of hire and good driving record. A three-year driving abstract must be submitted prior to hire, with periodic submission of driving abstract per City policy.
• Ability to secure a Washington State Pesticide License within 12 months of hire.
• Ability to secure a valid flagging/traffic control certification within 12 months of hire.
• Ability to secure a valid First Aid and CPR certification within 12 months of hire.
• Ability to secure Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) Certification within 12 months of hire.
  • Must possess and maintain International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist certification throughout employment.
• Employment contingent upon passing a pre‑employment drug test. (This position is considered a safety sensitive position; therefore, the pre‑employment drug test includes testing for cannabis. Positive test results will exclude an applicant from being hired.)
• Willingness and ability to respond to emergency callouts on weekends and evenings or when special circumstances require.

Final candidates will be referred to the department for additional examination, assessment, or test.

This recruitment process will create a Civil Service eligibility register that will be used to fill current and future vacancies as they become available. There is currently 1 full‑time vacancy in Parks and Recreation - Urban Forestry. This position is represented by a union.

If you wish to claim Veterans’ Preference Points, please complete the Veterans Scoring Criteria Declaration Form and upload it to your application with your DD214.

Please Note: Candidates will receive updates regarding application status via email. Please be sure to check your email frequently, including your spam folders for messages filtered by your email providers.

Equal Opportunity

The City of Bellingham is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not make decisions on the basis of an individual's race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, age (40+), disability, retaliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. All are encouraged to apply for employment.

Fair Hiring Practices

• The City provides individuals who have been arrested or convicted of a criminal offense an equal and fair opportunity to obtain employment.
• The City will not inquire about an applicant's criminal history until after a conditional job offer has been made.
• The City will disregard the prior arrest and conviction record of an otherwise qualified individual unless the offense is directly related to the job position for which the individual has applied.
• The City will notify an otherwise qualified applicant about a potentially disqualifying conviction and give the applicant an opportunity to submit information regarding the accuracy of the criminal records as well as evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation, as appropriate.