Tree Trimmer

City-of-Seattle; Washington; On-site; USD 82,000 - 88,000; Full time

Job summary

Seattle Parks and Recreation is hiring a Tree Trimmer in its Urban Forestry unit to support the city’s park system. You will participate in a tree crew, prune and remove trees, and respond to emergencies to safeguard public safety.

The role requires climbing experience, operating various equipment, and knowledge of ANSI/WAC standards. A CDL with proper certification and a Washington driver's license are required.

Qualifications

• One year of urban forestry or tree trimming experience with pruning methods and safety practices.
• Current Washington State Driver's License.
• CDL with air brake restriction removed and valid medical certificate.
• Current First Aid/CPR certification.
• Washington State Flagging/Traffic Control certification.
• ISA Certified Arborist (desired).
• ISA Tree Risk Assessor Qualified (desired).
• WSDA Certified Public Operator (desired).
• Washington Pesticide Operator’s License (desired).
• Familiarity with ANSI/WA C standards and arboriculture regulations (desired).

Responsibilities

• Prunes, removes green belt, arterial, park and street trees to maintain public safety.
• Climbs trees using rope, saddles, spurs, ladders or aerial lift for pruning/removal.
• Fells trees and salvages timber; handles storm-damage response.
• Operates hydraulic aerial lift trucks, saws, chippers, winches and other equipment.
• Performs tree health evaluations and hazard assessments.
• Assists with routine maintenance of trees and equipment.
• Responds to emergency calls for hazard tree mitigation.
• Adheres to safety standards and city policies during operations.

Skills

Safety awareness

Rope & harness climbing

Aerial lift operation

Arboricultural practices

Team collaboration

Education

Washington State Driver's License

CDL with air brake restriction removed

First Aid/CPR certification

Washington State Flagging/Traffic Control certification

Job description

About Seattle Parks and Recreation:

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is a national leader and innovator in the services and programs we provide to our residents who enjoy our public spaces such as parks, community centers, specialty gardens and swimming pools. Our mission is to equip employees and the public for well-being as we support healthy people, a thriving environment and vibrant community. We provide safe and accessible spaces for residents and visitors to work, recreate, rejuvenate and enhance quality of life and wellness for children, teenagers, adults and seniors. Delivering excellent customer service to all is a core value.

Equity & Inclusion

Seattle Parks and Recreation commits to advancing equity and social justice in our department and in every neighborhood by growing a dynamic and diverse workforce, developing strong investments, growth opportunities and beneficial partner strategies as we acknowledge and pledge to close disparities created by historical practices which often hindered workforce development, environmental justice, access to quality open spaces, programs and facilities.

Under the Department of Natural Resources Unit in the Citywide Services Division, the Urban Forestry program oversees the stewardship of tree preservation, protection and enhancement of tree canopy development in nature and developed parks’ property. The bodies of work in Urban Forestry unit comprises of tree maintenance operations with priorities for public safety and accountability, tree inspection program, permit and capital project development works, inter-agency work relating to trees, tree planting, tree watering and young tree care establishment maintenance. SPR Urban Forestry works and collaborates closely with city-wide agencies to maintain, develop and grow the city’s urban forest to provide the benefits of greenery equitably to communities and mitigate climate change.

SPR Urban Forestry is seeking well-qualified candidates to fill one full-time Tree Trimmer, position. SPR manages a 6,414-acre park system of over 485 developed parks and natural areas. The Tree Trimmer plays a key role in participating in the SPR tree crew to respond to tree emergencies such as storm response, work requests in pruning or any other hazard tree mitigation work within parks’ managed properties such as developed parks, natural areas, parks boulevards and areas of Right-of-way (ROW) that are under the maintenance responsibilities of SPR.

To be successful in this position, the candidate must have excellent customer service skills, value diversity equity and inclusion, have a passion for preserving and caring for trees, and be a good team-player to support crew members and interdepartmental needs. Other preferred skills are to have basic knowledge of tree risk assessment techniques, have experience working with storm-damaged trees, hazard tree felling and performing tree climbing and aerial tree work operations. Candidates must have knowledge of the methods and equipment used in pruning and removing trees and knowledge of and adherence to American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards and applicable Washington Administrative Code (WAC) for tree care is required.

This is a separate posting from the Tree Trimmer Lead position and you will need to submit an application to 2026-01310 to be considered.

• Participates in the work of a tree crew.
• Prunes, and removes green belt, arterial, park, and street trees to provide public safety and maintain healthy trees.
• Climbs trees of varying heights using rope, saddles, spurs, ladders, or aerial hydraulic lift truck in order to safely prune or remove trees.
• Fells trees and salvages fallen timber, removes trees and stumps.
• Responds to emergency calls to remove damaged sections or entire trees.
• Maintains, inspects, and operates a variety of equipment such as hydraulic aerial lift trucks, hand and power saws, compressors, woodchippers, winches, blowers, and stump cutters.
• Weeds tree pits; fertilizes, waters, and prunes young trees; sprays or injects trees for insects, diseases, or weed control.
• Evaluates tree health for potential hazard to property and public safety.
• Performs other related duties of a comparable level/type as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

One year experience in urban forestry, landscape maintenance, tree farming, or tree trimming which involves the use of safety harnesses, climbing equipment, aerial hydraulic lift trucks, rigging, and chain saws and includes the application of arboricultural practices, proper pruning methods, and related safety practices (combinations of education, training, and experience will be evaluated on an individual basis for comparability).

Required Qualifications (or to be obtained within 6 months of hire)

• Current Washington State Driver's License,
• Class B Commercial Driver's License (CDL) with air brake restriction removed and valid medical certificate,
• Current First Aid/CPR certification
• Washington State Flagging/Traffic Control certification

Desired Qualifications

• ISA Certified Arborist.
• ISA Tree Risk Assessor Qualified.
• WSDA Certified Public Operator
• Additional training and Washington Pesticide Operator’s License
• Familiarity with State, Federal and industry standards and regulations on arboriculture work operations

Special Working Conditions

Work Environment/Physical Demands

Required to stand, walk, climb trees, or bend for extended periods. Frequently required to lift objects weighing in excess of 50 pounds. May require handling or working with toxic/hazardous substances. Required to work outdoors in all types of weather. Required to be on-call at all times in case of emergencies. Required to work at varying heights and within legal/safe distances to electrical hazards and with the possible dangers of falling. Required to operate machinery and equipment with extreme caution and safety, including hydraulic aerial lift trucks, wood chippers, stump cutters, winches, chainsaws, and handsaws.

Please note this job advertisement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

The full salary range for this position is $39.31 to $42.50 per hour.

Who May Apply

This position is open to all candidates that meet the qualifications. Seattle Parks and Recreation values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Seattle Parks and Recreation encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experiences.

Job offers are contingent on the verification of credentials and other information required by the employment process, including the completion of a background check. The background check will involve a criminal history check, which includes conviction and arrest records in compliance with the Seattle’s Fair Chance Employment Ordinance, SMC 14.17 and the City of Seattle Personnel Rule 10.3. A driving history review may be conducted in compliance with SMC 4.79.020. Applicants will be provided an opportunity to explain or correct background information.

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation time, 12 paid holidays, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents. More information about employee benefits is available on the City’s website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits

Want to know more about Parks and Recreation? Check out our web page: Seattle Parks and Recreation - Parks | seattle.gov

SPR’s Core Competencies are:

Accountability & Action: Holding yourself accountable for achieving goals, completing tasks, and delivering quality work. Demonstrating thoughtful initiative in actions and decision-making and promoting high quality standards.

Equity and Inclusion: Supporting the goals of the Race and Social Justice Initiative and the City's commitment to workforce equity.

Communication: Sharing and exchanging information and ideas with people in a variety of ways to help them understand and remember the information.

Service: An ongoing commitment to base decisions and actions on the needs and priorities of the City.

Teamwork: Participating as an engaged member of a team to achieve group goals. Effectively working with internal and external people to complete tasks and achieve work group goals.

We recognize that artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as chatbots, automated response generators, or language models, can be helpful during the job search process. If you choose to use them, please carefully review all materials before submission to ensure accuracy, as you will be required to affirm that your responses are true and correct during the application process. Submitting inaccurate or misleading information may result in disqualification. Please also note that relying on AI to complete text-based supplemental questions or during interviews may not accurately represent your skills and experiences, which are critical to applicant success. In some cases, you may be instructed not to use AI tools during the selection process. Learn more about the City of Seattle AI Policy here.