Tree Trimmer

Sacramento County; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Sacramento County is seeking a Tree Trimmer to plant, remove, prune, and care for ornamental and shade trees and shrubs under general supervision. This is a continuous filing exam with upcoming cut-offs.

The role requires climbing, rigging, and operating trimming tools, plus maintaining safety and records. Candidates should have one year of full-time paid professional tree climbing experience, a valid California Driver License, and the ability to perform aerial rescue and customer-focused

Qualifications

• One year of full-time paid experience in professional tree climbing and trimming.

Responsibilities

• Rig ropes and climb trees in a safe and efficient manner.
• Tie the various knots used in rigging and climbing trees.
• Operate and use tree trimming tools and equipment including aerial lifts, power and hand saws, trucks, chippers, hooks, loppers and other equipment used in the tree industry.
• Determine limbs and branches to be removed for safety, aesthetics, and tree maintenance.
• Provide work direction, training and instruction.
• Develop and maintain effective, cooperative working relationships with others.

Skills

Tree trimming

Climbing safety

Rig knots

Customer service

Aerial rescue

Tool operation

Record keeping

English usage

Tools

Aerial lift

Power saws

Hand saws

Chipper

Ropes

Knots

Job description

The Position

This is a continuous filing exam. Next filing cut-offs are at 5:00 pm on: 11/25/2026, 12/9/2026 (Final) Under general supervision, the Tree Trimmer plants, removes, prunes, and cares for ornamental and shade trees and shrubbery.

Examples Of Knowledge And Abilities

Knowledge of

• Methods, materials, and equipment used in trimming and caring for trees and shrubs
• Common names and growth characteristics of the more common types of ornamental and shade trees grown in Sacramento County
• Occupational hazards relative to climbing, trimming and felling trees and the safety practices to be observed including aerial rescue procedures
• Proper maintenance of tools and equipment
• Traffic control including the placement of cones and warning signs
• Basic climbing techniques
• Basic tree removal techniques
• Basic record keeping principles and practices
• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation
• Principles and practices of effective customer service

Ability to

• Rig ropes and climb trees in a safe and efficient manner
• Tie the various knots used in rigging and climbing trees
• Operate and use tree trimming tools and equipment including aerial lifts, power and hand saws, trucks, chippers, hooks, loppers and other equipment used in the tree industry
• Determine limbs and branches to be removed for safety, aesthetics, and tree maintenance
• Identify parasitical and fungus infestations from physical evidence
• Provide work direction, training and instruction
• Keep accurate records of daily activity
• Understand and follow oral and written instructions
• Apply customer service skills, including the identification of customer needs and follow up to ensure customer commitments have been met
• Perform aerial rescue within accepted arboriculture standards
• Develop and maintain effective, cooperative working relationships with others

Employment Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

One year of full-time paid experience in professional tree climbing and trimming.

Desirable Qualifications

The following credentials are desirable, but not required:

• Possession of a certificate from the International Society of Arboriculture
• Possession of a current Qualified Applicator Certificate for the application of herbicides and pesticides from the Department of Pesticide Regulation, State of California

Note:

Note: The word "experience" referenced in the minimum qualifications means full-time paid experience unless the job announcement states that volunteer experience is acceptable. Part-time paid experience may be accumulated and pro-rated to meet the total experience requirements.

General Qualifications

License Requirement: A valid California Driver License, Class C or higher, is required at the time of appointment. Failure to obtain or maintain the appropriate California Driver License may constitute cause for personnel action in accordance with Civil Service Rules or the applicable bargaining agreement. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to disability will be reviewed on a case-by‑case basis.

NOTE: An employee in this class must possess a Class B, California Drivers License within 90 days of appointment.

Physical Requirements

• Climb trees using hooks and ropes
• Work at considerable heights, sometimes in precarious positions
• See in the normal visual range with or without correction
• Lift and use tools and equipment weighing up to 60 pounds without assistance
• Maneuver pieces of wood and brush weighing up to 100 pounds
• Bend, stoop, crouch and reach at and above shoulder height
• Drive for periods up to four hours to worksites within the County
• Operate and work in an aerial lift within its maximum weight capacity limits

Individuals who do not meet these requirements due to disability will be reviewed on a case-by‑case basis.

Working Conditions

• Work outside in all kinds of weather and under hazardous conditions
• Work around dust, dirt, noise, contaminated and non-contaminated water, chemicals, machinery and equipment with moving parts, moving repair and maintenance vehicles, traffic, fumes and/or odors
• Work night shifts, weekends, holidays, overtime and on-call

Probationary Period

The probationary period for this classification is six (6) months.

Application and Testing Information

County of Sacramento

Department of Personnel Services

Employment Services Division

700 H Street, Room 4667

Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone [phone]; 7-1-1 California Relay Service

Email [e-mail]

Inter-Office Mail Code: 09-4667

www.SacCountyJobs.net

FORMULA RATE EXAMINATION (Weighted 100%)

All candidates meeting the minimum qualifications by the cut-off date will have their Supplemental Questionnaire scored in the Formula Rate Examination.

This examination will evaluate the relevance, level, recency, progression and quality of candidate's education, training and experience. The candidate's application or other materials will not be included in this examination. Therefore, the candidate's responses to the supplemental questionnaire should be thorough, detailed and complete. The score from the Formula Rate Examination will determine the ranking on the eligible/employment list for this job.

All candidates competing in the testing process will receive written notice of their examination results by email. Notices can also be accessed in their governmentjobs.com inbox. Applicants achieving a passing score will be placed on the eligible list in rank order. The rank is determined by the test score attained from the examination.

For information regarding County jobs:

www.governmentjobs.com/careers/sacramento

Sacramento County is about enriching communities to thrive. We strive to create inclusive workplaces that reflect the communities we serve. We value and celebrate the unique perspectives, backgrounds, abilities, and diverse dimensions of our employees and residents. Through transparency, courage, innovation, and trust we are committed to advance equity and transformational change.

We are a proud equal opportunity employer. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability for any phase of the hiring process, please contact our Disability Compliance Office at [e-mail] or 916-874-7642, CA Relay 711. For more information, visit: Reasonable Accommodation Requests - Job Applicant Instructions