Tree Pruner

City of Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 39,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Pittsburgh seeks an experienced tree care worker to prune, remove and maintain trees on city property. You will operate bucket trucks, chippers and hand tools, and climb trees to perform pruning and removal tasks.

You must follow safety protocols, keep detailed daily records, and collaborate with other city departments. Willingness to work variable hours and respond to emergencies is essential.

Qualifications

• Two years of full-time, paid experience as a tree pruner-climber.
• High School Diploma or GED certification is required.
• Equivalency is not permitted for this position.

Responsibilities

• Perform tree care maintenance including pruning, removal, planting, mulching and watering.
• Operate heavy equipment such as bucket trucks and chippers.
• Climb trees using ropes and saddle and use safety equipment.
• Maintain accurate time and equipment records daily.
• Respond to emergencies and work evenings, weekends or holidays as needed.

Skills

Tree pruning

Equipment operation

Safety awareness

Record keeping

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

GPS

Microsoft Office

Cartegraph

Job description

Position Summary

Provide professional tree care, under minimal supervision, on city right-of-ways, in parks, and on other city property.

Department

Public Works, Bureau of Operations

Salary

$28.49 per hour.

Union

This position is included in the Pittsburgh Joint Collective Bargaining Committee and will be filled in accordance with the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement

Union Bid Form

Not required. Your application for this position will serve as your union Bid Form.

Civil Service Classification

Non-Competitive

Requirements

General Requirements: You must submit or show proof of all the following at the time of application (unless otherwise indicated below), or your application will be disqualified. Disqualifications based on any of these General Application Requirements are not subject to a Civil Service appeal.

• Applicants must submit a complete application, including education, work experience, a resume (if applicable), and completed supplemental questions.
• Applicants must become residents of the City of Pittsburgh prior to employment and remain a resident throughout employment.
• A current, valid Pennsylvania Class C Driver's License is required prior to appointment and must be maintained throughout employment. Written requests for accommodation based on the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act will be considered by the Department of Human Resources & Civil Service on an individual basis.

NOTE

The City of Pittsburgh, as a matter of policy, conducts pre-employment and promotional background investigations on all candidates being considered for positions. The background investigation includes, but is not limited to, criminal background, driver's license, and City of Pittsburgh real estate tax payments. Candidates may be disqualified from consideration based on the results of their background investigation, as it relates to the job for which the applicant is being considered.

Qualifying Requirements

Your City of Pittsburgh application will be reviewed, and your work experience and education/training will be evaluated to determine if you meet the qualifying eligibility requirements listed below for this position. You will be sent an eligibility letter regarding your eligible/ineligible status.

• WORK EXPERIENCE: The application must clearly show two (2) years of full-time, paid experience as a tree pruner-climber. (Less than full-time experience will be calculated on a pro-rated basis.)
• EDUCATION/TRAINING: The application must clearly show a High School Diploma or GED Certification.
• EQUIVALENCY : None permitted for this position.

CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS

Civil Service Examination(s)

If you meet the qualifying requirements listed above, you will be sent a letter of admission (when applicable) for the following examination(s). You must pass the written and/or performance examination(s) in order to have your name placed on the official Civil Service eligibility list for this position. Candidates who receive job offers must pass a medical examination (when applicable) prior to start date.

There will be a pretest demonstration of the Civil Service Examination. The date is to be determined based on applicant volume and weather conditions. Candidates who meet the qualification requirements stated above will receive further information about the demonstration.

• Written: Based on the knowledge/abilities listed in the Position Description section of this announcement.
• Performance: The performance exam is based on the knowledge/abilities listed in the Job Description. To view the full job description, please click the link at the bottom of the Position Duties section of this announcement. The exam dates are not yet established and will be scheduled based on applicant volume and weather.
• Medical: Required.

The Pre-Test Demonstration and Civil Service Examination dates are yet to be determined and depend on applicant volume and weather conditions.

POSITION DUTIES

• Performs tree care maintenance such as pruning, removal, planting, mulching, staking, fertilizing and watering.
• Operates heavy equipment (e.g., aerial portion of the bucket truck, chipper truck, chipper, etc.) utilized to prune and remove trees.
• Operates manual and motorized equipment (e.g., chain saws, power pruner, stump grinder, root pruner, hand tools, etc.) at ground level and at heights up to 70 ft.
• Trims trees using climbing ropes and saddle.
• Uses proper safety equipment; monitors working conditions, and reports problems to supervisor.
• Interacts with other city departments and the public to accomplish work.
• Provides feedback to supervisors to enhance operations.
• Keeps accurate records of time spent and equipment used on each job.
• May work evenings, weekends and holidays as required in response to emergencies (e.g. storms, tornadoes, floods, mudslides, etc.) related to public tree removal.
• May work in harsh weather conditions (e.g., extreme hot or cold temperatures, rain, snow, etc.) with frequent exposure to environmental hazards (e.g., pollens, poison ivy, dust, etc).
• Uses a variety of technological hardware (ie, computers, laptops, tablets, smart phones, GPS, cameras, etc.) and/or software (ie, email, Microsoft Office, Cartegraph, etc.) to maintain records and prepare accurate reports on work performed daily, weekly, monthly, or as assigned or required.
• Completes written daily work sheets as required.
• Performs other duties as assigned or required.