What are the responsibilities and job description for the Tree Trimmer position at City of Roanoke, Virginia?
Do you love the outdoors and want to make a lasting impact on your community’s environment? The City of Roanoke is looking for a passionate, skilled individual to care for and expand our urban forest, playing a vital role in the environmental health and beauty of our city.
In this hands-on role, you’ll work outdoors, using your expertise to maintain and enhance our diverse urban forest in line with the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) standards. As a member of our team, you’ll be involved in crucial tasks like pruning, tree planting, and selective removal, helping to create a thriving, resilient canopy for future generations.
Key Responsibilities:
- Climb trees using specialized equipment, ensuring safety and precision
- Prune and shape trees for safety, aesthetics, and ecological health
- Plant, transplant, and maintain diverse tree species across city landscapes
- Use tools like chainsaws, stump grinders, and aerial lifts to support tree care activities
- Engage in environmental stewardship by applying safe pest control measures
Qualifications:
- High school diploma or GED
- At least three years’ recent experience in arboriculture or utility pruning, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
- Valid driver’s license; Class B CDL with air brake certification preferred
Working with Roanoke’s urban forest means immersing yourself in the outdoors, directly contributing to a cleaner, greener, and more inviting city. It’s a role that makes an impact you can see every day, supporting both public safety and environmental resilience.
The City of Roanoke is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity/AA/M/F/Disability Employer, actively fostering a workplace where all employees are valued, respected, and empowered. Our inclusive approach enhances our commitment to providing excellent service and building a vibrant community.
If you’re ready to embrace a rewarding, active role that supports both environmental health and city beautification, we’d love to have you on our team. Apply today to be part of Roanoke’s green future!
The City of Roanoke is an Equal Employment Opportunity/AA/M/F/Disability Employer.To elevate the performance of the organization, we are committed to respecting, celebrating, and embracing the collective mixture of differences and similarities between our employees as a rich tapestry. Our behaviors will demonstrate open communication, and we will seek opportunities to learn, recognizing and rewarding actions that promote acceptance while suspending judgment. By doing this, we will foster an inclusive, open work environment that delivers excellent service and creates a more vibrant and inviting community.
This is a non-exempt position.
SUMMARY
Performs skilled work in the care and pruning of trees.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
Climbs trees using rope and saddle, tree spikes, and ladders
Performs tree pruning in accordance with ISA standards for purposes of public safety, environmental enhancement, and aesthetics
Removes trees by felling using directional control or by topping and piecing down
Plants and transplants trees
Applies pesticides to trees for the purposes of insect or disease control as well as control of unwanted vegetation
Applies fertilizer to shade and ornamental trees
Performs cabling, bracing, bark tracing, and other tree surgery procedures
Operates an aerial lift device
Uses and maintains in good repair all power and hand tools including: chainsaws, handsaws, ropes, saddles, axes, etc.
Operates a backhoe/tractor
Operates a brush chipper
Operates a stump grinder/cutter
Operates a telescopic crane truck
Performs snow removal as needed
May serve as lead worker in absence of supervisor
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
This job has no supervisory responsibilities.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
High school diploma or general education degree (GED); three years recent experience working as a trimmer and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.LANGUAGE SKILLS
Ability to read and comprehend instructions. Ability to understand and follow specific oral instructions.
REASONING ABILITY
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with standardized situations with only occasional or no variables.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Possession of a valid appropriate driver's permit issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include ability to adjust focus.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to outside weather conditions. The employee is frequently exposed to wet and/or humid conditions and vibration. The employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles, and risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.
This is a job description and not an individualized position description. A job description defines the general character and scope of duties and responsibilities of all positions in a job classification, but it is not intended to describe and does not necessarily list the essential job functions for a given position in a classification.
Salary : $35,975 - $41,371
