Sr. Arborist

City of Fort Worth; Fort Worth (TX); On-site; USD 27,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

11 Paid Holidays

Medical

Dental

Vision

Paid Time Off

Pension Plan

Professional Development Opportunities

Job summary

The City of Fort Worth is seeking a Senior Arborist in the Forestry Section of the Park & Recreation Department. The role supports crew leaders in essential tree care and monitors team performance while ensuring a safe environment for staff and the public.

Responsibilities include interpreting landscape plans, verifying surveys, and ensuring pruning/planting standards are followed. Fort Worth offers benefits and opportunities for professional development.

Qualifications

• High School diploma/GED.
• Three (3) years of responsible experience in field construction, tree maintenance, tree climbing, or other operational activities related to Forestry.
• Valid Driver’s License.
• Valid Texas Commercial Driver’s License (CDL-B).
• ISA Certified Arborist (preferred).

Responsibilities

• Proper pruning and removal of limbs, trees and stumps in a safe and efficient manner.
• Knowledge and experience operating equipment used in tree pruning and removals.
• Identification of occupational hazards and ability to instruct based on standard safety practices.
• Training, monitoring and evaluation of subordinate staff.
• Operating and troubleshooting forestry-related equipment (chainsaws, blowers, chippers, bucket trucks, etc.).
• Expertise in using assigned equipment and safety devices.
• Ability to work in trees at extreme heights using aerial lifts, elevated platforms and using rope and saddle methods.
• Comprehension and interpretation of landscape plan sets and tree surveys.
• Inspecting completed tree work ensuring compliance to proper standards and specifications.
• Participating in job site cleanup (raking, sweeping, shoveling debris); feeding brush and logs into a chipper.
• Other duties as assigned to support the overall function of the Forestry Section

Education

High School diploma/GED

Job description

Pay Range: $19.74 - $24.67 hourly | $41,050 - $51,313 annual compensation

Job Posting Closing on: Wednesday, November 18, 2026

This position may qualify for a $2,000 Sign-On Incentive: 50% paid on the completion of first pay period, 50% paid after 6 months of employment.

Workdays & Hours: Monday - Friday 6:30am - 3pm, ability to work a nontraditional schedule on some nights and weekends.

Benefits for this position include:

• 11 Paid Holidays
• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Paid Time Off
• Pension Plan
• Professional Development Opportunities

The City of Fort Worth is one of the fastest growing large cities in the U.S. Our employees serve the needs of over 1,000,000 residents, promoting our values of exceptional customer experience, mutual respect, embracing our diversity, continuous improvement, ethical behavior, and accountability.

A Senior Arborist position is available with the City of Fort Worth Park & Recreation Department – Forestry Section. The Parks & Recreation Department maintains nearly 300 parks and public spaces citywide as well as provides recreational activities and educational programming that makes Fort Worth a great place to live, work and play. Fort Worth also has one of the most respected municipal forestry programs in the state and is recognized as the oldest Tree City USA in Texas.

The role of the selected candidate includes assisting and/or filling-in for crew leaders to perform essential functions in the overall care and maintenance of trees and monitoring crew performance. The position will also ensure the maintenance of a safe working environment for fellow employees and the general public when addressing tree hazards. The selected candidate may also be utilized to interpret landscape plans, verify tree surveys and ensure compliance with proper pruning and planting standards.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School diploma/GED
• Three (3) years of responsible experience in field construction, tree maintenance, tree climbing, or other operational activities related to Forestry area.
• Valid Driver’s License
• Valid Texas Commercial Driver’s License (CDL-B)

Preferred Qualifications

• ISA Certified Arborist

Senior Arborist Job Responsibilities Include

• Proper pruning and removal of limbs, trees and stumps in a safe and efficient manner
• Knowledge and experience operating equipment used in tree pruning and removals
• Identification of occupational hazards and ability to instruct based on standard safety practices
• Training, monitoring and evaluation of subordinate staff
• Operating and troubleshooting forestry-related equipment (chainsaws, blowers, chippers, bucket trucks, etc.)
• Expertise in using assigned equipment and safety devices
• Ability to work in trees at extreme heights using aerial lifts, elevated platforms and using rope and saddle methods
• Comprehension and interpretation of landscape plan sets and tree surveys
• Inspecting completed tree work ensuring compliance to proper standards and specifications
• Participating in job site cleanup (raking, sweeping, shoveling debris); feeding brush and logs into a chipper
• Other duties as assigned to support the overall function of the Forestry Section

Working Conditions and Physical Demand

Depending on assignment, positions in this class typically require touching, talking, hearing, seeing, grasping, standing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, walking, repetitive motions, climbing, balancing, pushing, pulling and lifting; Incumbents may be exposed to moving mechanical parts, odors, dusts, poor ventilation, chemicals, oils, extreme temperatures, inadequate lighting, intense noises, gases, vibrations and workspace restrictions.

Medium work – Depending on assignment, positions in this class typically exert up to 100 pounds of force occasionally, up to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 20 pounds of force constantly having to move objects.

Conditions of Employment

The City of Fort Worth is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. It is the policy and practice of the City to recruit, hire, train and promote a diverse workforce without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, parental status, military service, or another non-merit factor.

The City of Fort Worth is committed to full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to participate in the job application or interview process and to perform essential job functions.

Candidates who do not meet the Education requirement, may be considered if they have more relevant work experience than the position requires. Those selected for employment will be required to pass Pre-Employment checks depending on the position requirements. Those could include, but are not limited to: criminal background check, drug screen, education verification, etc. criminal convictions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Employees are paid by direct deposit only.