SENIOR TREE TRIMMER

City of Columbia SC; Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Complete benefits package

Job summary

The City of Columbia SC is looking for a crew lead to trim and remove trees in city rights‑of‑way and on City properties. You will drive and operate trucks and bucket trucks, use chain saws and wood chippers, and climb with ropes when needed. Heavy lifting and physical work are required.

You will provide instruction and leadership to junior crew members, train crew, and help ensure safety, quality, and policy compliance while assisting in forestry supervision and interviews.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED.
• Three (3) years of relevant prior experience.
• Valid South Carolina Class B Driver's License.

Responsibilities

• Prunes or removes trees in City rights-of-way and other properties.
• Operates trucks, bucket truck and specialized tree felling equipment.
• Climbs trees with ropes and saddles as needed.
• Loads/unloads materials; cleans work sites.
• Inspects and maintains equipment; reports defects.
• Trains and leads lower-level crew members; enforces safety rules.
• Supports supervision of forestry operations and interviews.

Skills

Tree trimming knowledge

Leadership ability

Heavy equipment operation

Safety awareness

Reading & following procedures

Climbing and rigging

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

Truck and bucket truck

Chain saws

Wood chippers

Stump grinders

Job description

This position provides leadership and participates in the work of crews engaged in trimming and removing trees in City rights-of-way and on other City properties; and performs other work as required. The incumbent works according to some procedures but decides how or when to do things; work is reviewed regularly by supervisor.

The work is considered heavy in nature and involves constantly lifting, pushing or raising objects, exerting between 50 and 75 pounds of force on a recurring basis and over 100 pounds of force on a frequent basis. The work requires the following physical abilities to perform the essential job functions: balancing, climbing, crawling, crouching, fingering, handling, hearing, kneeling, lifting, mental acuity, pulling, pushing, reaching, repetitive motion, speaking, standing, stooping, talking, visual acuity, and walking.

Work environment may involve exposure to bright/dim light, dusts and pollen, extreme heat and/or cold, wet or humid conditions, extreme noise levels, vibration, traffic, moving machinery, electrical shock, heights; and spends time working in a physically threatening environment that requires life and death decisions.

Essential Job Functions

• Prunes or removes trees in City rights-of-way and on other properties as directed;
• Drives and operates trucks and bucket truck; operates specialized tree felling equipment, small and large chain saws, wood chippers stump grinders and other tools and equipment as necessary to complete assigned duties;
• Climbs trees with ropes and saddles when necessary;
• Loads / unloads materials onto vehicles;
• Cleans and removes debris from work sites;
• Inspects equipment to ensure proper and safe working condition; reports defects or required maintenance to the supervisor;
• Performs routine maintenance and cleaning of assigned tools and equipment;
• Provides instruction and leadership of lower-level crew members as assigned; trains crew members;
• Assists in ensuring crew compliance with all policies and procedures and standards of quality and safety;
• Assists in supervisory of forestry section;
• Assists in pre-employment interviews;
• Attends training as required to enhance job knowledge and skills; and
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements to Perform Work

• High school diploma or GED;
• Three (3) years of relevant prior experience;
• Valid South Carolina Class "B" Driver's License.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Knowledge of addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, and/or calculating ratios, rates and percentages;
• Ability to compare or inspect items against a standard;
• Ability to provide information, guidance or assistance to people to directly facilitate task accomplishment; may give directions or assignments to helpers or assistants;
• Ability to lead, operate or repair complex machinery or equipment that requires extended training and experience, such as tree felling equipment, heavy equipment, power tools, etc.;
• Ability to perform skilled work involving rules/systems with almost constant problem-solving;
• Ability to read routine sentences, instructions, regulations, procedures or work orders; writing routine sentences and completing routine job forms and incident reports; speaking routine sentences using proper grammar;
• Ability to perform clerical, manual or technical tasks prescribed by standard practices but which may require computation, the use of several procedures, and the use of independent judgments with obvious choices; requires normal attention for accurate results; and
• Ability to guide others, requiring frequent decisions affecting co-workers and others who depend on the service or product; works in a somewhat fluid environment with rules and procedures but with many variations from the routine.

The City of Columbia is proud to offer a complete benefits package to full-time employees. This package includes health care, dental, vision, retirement, deferred compensation plans, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, long-term disability, holidays, vacation, and sick leave.

Part-time or temporary employees, including interns, are not eligible for City benefits.