Tree Trimmer

Salary : $64,957.68 - $78,947.28 Annually
Location : Sacramento, CA
Job Type: Permanent Full-Time
Job Number: 28529-B
Department: Transportation
Opening Date: 11/10/2026
Closing Date: 12/9/2026 5:00 PM Pacific


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: 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: Positions in this class require the incumbent to be able to:

• 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: Positions in this class require the incumbent to be able to:

• 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
APPLICATION
Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. All applicants must complete and submit an online County of Sacramento employment application by 5:00 PM on the posted cut-off date. Click here to apply.
County of Sacramento

Department of Personnel Services

Employment Services Division

700 H Street, Room 4667

Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone View phone number on click.appcast.io; 7-1-1 California Relay Service

Email View email address on click.appcast.io

Inter-Office Mail Code: 09-4667

• Employment applications and all documentation requested in this announcement must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.
• Employment Services is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by an applicant's computer or web browser. Applicants will be automatically logged out if they have not submitted their applications and all documentation prior to 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.
• Your application should highlight all relevant education, training, and experience, and clearly indicate how you meet the minimum qualifications for the position as of the cut-off date.
• Application information must be current, concise and related to the requirements in this job announcement. You may only apply for this recruitment once. Duplicate and incomplete applications will be disqualified.
• A resume may be included with your application, however it will not substitute for the information requested on the application.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE

Applicants are required to provide a full and complete response to each supplemental question. The Supplemental Questionnaire is located in the tab marked "Supplemental Questions". Please be descriptive in your response.
Note: Responses of "See Resume" or "See Application", or copy and paste of work experience are not qualifying responses and will not be considered.

• Supplemental Questionnaires must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date. Employment Services is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by an applicant's computer or web browser. Applicants will be automatically logged out if they have not submitted their applications and all documentation prior to 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.
• The supplemental questions are designed to elicit specific information regarding a candidate's experience, education, and training. Responses should be consistent with the information on your application and are subject to verification.
• Please provide place of employment, pertinent dates, and concise, descriptive and detailed information for each question.
• If a job included responsibilities applicable to several questions, separate the different functions of the job to answer all the questions completely.
• Resumes or referral to the application or other questionnaire responses will not be accepted in lieu of completing each question.
• If you have no experience, write "no experience" for the appropriate question.
• For many individuals, it is more efficient to develop responses to the supplemental questions in a word processing document and then paste them into the final document to be submitted. Changes or corrections to your Supplemental Questionnaire cannot be made once your application packet has been submitted.
• If the Supplemental Questionnaire is used in the Formula Rate exam, failure to complete all of the questions or incomplete responses will result in a lower score. While scoring the Supplemental Questionnaire, the candidate's application and/or attachments will not be reviewed, therefore, a candidate's responses to the questions should be accurate, thorough, detailed, and complete.

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.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Click here for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
For information regarding County jobs:
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 or View phone number on click.appcast.io, CA Relay 711. For more information, visit:
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS


At Sacramento County, we strive to provide benefit programs designed to meet our employees' current and future needs and help them as they balance their careers and personal life. County of Sacramento employees have a variety of benefits available. These benefits include:

• Dental Insurance
• Vision Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Health Insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Life Insurance
• Critical Illness
• Retiree Health Savings Plan (RHSP)
• Deferred Compensation

More information can be found on the


TEMPORARY POSITIONS:
Most benefits do not apply to temporary positions.


VACATION:
Generally, vacation with pay begins at 10 days annually. With increase over a period of years, the maximum annual vacation with pay is 25 days.


HOLIDAYS:
14.5 holidays per year as recognized by the Board of Supervisors.


SICK LEAVE:
Equivalent to 15 days annually, unlimited accumulation.
TUITION REIMBURSEMENT:
Regular County employees may be eligible to receive Tuition Reimbursement. The costs for course tuition/registration fees and required books/supplies may be eligible for reimbursement. Tuition reimbursement amounts may vary depending upon union agreement.


RETIREMENT:
The County's defined-benefit pension plan is provided by the County Employees' Retirement Law of 1937 and is managed by the Sacramento County Employees' Retirement System (SCERS) Board of Retirement. For more information, visit the SCERS website,


DENTAL INSURANCE:
For more information, visit the


LIFE INSURANCE:
The County of Sacramento provides a basic life insurance benefit to all eligible employees at no cost. Additional coverage may be purchased through payroll deduction.

For more information, visit the


DEFERRED COMPENSATION:
A deferred compensation program is available through the County 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan. For more information, visit the


EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM:
The County of Sacramento provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for employees and their eligible dependents. The EAP offers confidential, professional counseling services in areas such as:

• Legal Advice/Difficult Decisions
• Marriage or Family Relationships
• Financial or Credit Worries/Elder Care
• Alcohol and Drug Abuse

More information can be found on the
WELLNESS INCENTIVE PROGRAM:
The County will recognize and award time off to eligible employees who maintain an excellent attendance record.


FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT:
The County offers regular employees two separate Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA's). These accounts allow employees to set money aside, on a pre-tax basis via payroll deduction, to pay for medical, dental or dependent care expenses.

DEPENDENT CARE REIMBURSEMENT ACCOUNT:
Employees may set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for qualified childcare or dependent care expenses that are necessary for the employee and/or spouse to continue working.

MEDICAL REIMBURSEMENT ACCOUNT:
The Medical Reimbursement Account allows pre-tax dollars to be set aside to pay for out-of-pocket expenses that are not paid by insurance or reimbursed by any other benefit plan.


WORKERS' COMPENSATION:
In case of injury while on the job, each employee is protected under the Workers' Compensation laws of California.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT OUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

VETERAN'S PREFERENCE:
Military veterans who have served during wartime shall be given preference in initial appointment to County service. Such preference shall apply, provided the veteran has first achieved a minimum passing score in the examination. The passing score of a veteran shall be annotated to indicate the veteran's score shall be regarded as 5 points or higher, OR 10 points higher for disabled veterans, only for the purpose of determining the three ranks along with which the veteran's name shall be certified. No score shall actually be changed and no new rank shall be created as a result of application of veteran's preference for certification purposes.

"Disabled Veteran" means any veteran who has served during wartime and, who, as of the final filing date for an examination is declared by the United States Veterans Administration or military service department to be 10% or more disabled as a result of his/her military service. Persons claiming eligibility for disabled veteran's preference must submit to the employment office, on or before the application deadline date, a certification from the United States Veterans Administration or a military service department, dated within 1 year, which certifies the present existence of a service related disability of 10% or more, or other acceptable proof of such disability as a result of his/her military service.
Persons claiming eligibility for veterans preference must submit a copy of Form DD 214 or other acceptable proof of veteran's status on or before the final filing date for the examination. For purpose of this rule "reserve" status does not constitute active duty.


SPECIAL SKILL QUALIFICATIONS (WHEN SPECIFIED ON THE JOB ANNOUNCEMENT):
Persons who have special skills required by some (but not all) positions in a class may be certified ahead of others provided that:
Such special skills are based on the duties and requirements of the positions and are in conformance with merit system and equal opportunity principles, and
The certification of eligibles who possess special skills have been approved by the Civil Service Commission.
01


The following Supplemental Questionnaire is the Civil Service Exam for this position and will be used to determine your exam score. All experience, education, and/or training used to answer the supplemental questions must be included on your application.

In order to receive every consideration in the selection process, you must complete all questions with concise but detailed answers and provide all requested information. Each answer will be scored separately. References such as 'See Resume' as a response will not be scored.


By continuing in the exam process, you are certifying that all information provided in the Supplemental Questionnaire is true to the best of your knowledge.

• I have read and understood the above instructions.

02


NOTE: If you meet the minimum qualifications (via the information you provided on your application and requested documentation), your exam score (based on your supplemental questionnaire responses) places you within the reachable ranks on the resulting eligible list and you are invited to interview; you will be asked to expand on, clarify, and/or provide examples to support the selections you made on this exam (supplemental questionnaire).

• I have read and understood the above information.

03


Select the one box that best describes your full-time paid experience performing professional tree climbing and trimming.

• None or less than one (1) year
• One (1) but less than two (2) years
• Two (2) but less than three (3) years
• Three (3) but less than four (4) years
• Four (4) or more years

04


List your full-time paid work experience that qualifies you for the Tree Trimmer position. For all experience listed, provide the following:

• Employer
• Dates of employment
• Position title
• Position level (e.g. apprentice, journey, lead, supervisory, management, etc.)
• Primary duties and responsibilities

If you have no qualifying experience, type "None".
05


Select all the boxes that best describe the types of tasks you perform on a regular basis while trimming and/or removing trees in the course of your work.

• None
• Utilizing ropes, cables, rigging equipment, and knot use in trees for the safest removal of limbs
• Using climbing gear, ropes, hooks, and spurs to climb trees
• Trimming trees using an aerial lift
• Trimming tree limbs from power lines
• Trimming trees using hand and power saws
• Trimming trees using tools such as: pole saw, pole pruner, etc.
• Completing daily vehicle inspection reports
• Removing large trees using ropes and rigging equipment

06


Select all the boxes that best describe the types of duties you perform on a regular basis for your employer.

• None
• Inspecting trees for physical evidence of structural stability, vitality, and parasitical and fungus infestations
• Trimming, spraying, and removing shrubs, trees, and weeds along roadways
• Participating in a vegetation management program including inventory of trees
• Responding to and resolving customer inquiries and complaints
• Providing work direction, training and instruction to crew members

07


Select all the boxes that best describe the types of specialty experience you have.

• None
• Training in emergency response or aerial rescue
• Registration as a Certified Arborist from the International Society of Arboriculture
• Possession of a current Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) 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

08


Select all the boxes that best describe the safety courses you have taken.

• None
• Defensive driving course
• Workplace Safety/Accident Prevention course
• Workplace Violence course
• Traffic control including placement of cones and warning signs
• Chain saw safety
• Brush chipper use and safety practices
• Other safety courses

09


Select all the boxes that best describe your current valid Endorsements or Certificates.

• None
• Double Trailer
• Hazardous Materials
• Tank Vehicle
• Triple Trailer
• Air Brakes Endorsement
• Forklift Certificate

10


Select the one box that describes your current valid California Driver License.

• None
• California Class C Driver License
• California Class B or higher Driver License
• Driver license from another state

11


If you have a current valid California Driver License please list the license class, license number, and expiration date. List any valid Endorsements you possess including State of Issuance and expiration date. If you have no license or endorsements, type None.
12


I have read the General Requirements and Other Requirements as stated on the job announcement.

• Yes

13


The County of Sacramento is committed to maintaining a drug and alcohol free workplace. All persons selected for appointment must pass a drug test administered by the County and at no cost to the applicant.

I understand, if offered conditional employment, I will be subject to a drug test administered by the County as described in Sacramento County Personnel Ordinance Section 2.78.030.

• Yes.
• No.

14


Select the one box that best describes whether you have attended a career fair and/or job event where you have interacted with representatives from Sacramento County.

• Attended in the last one (1) - three (3) months
• Attended in the last four (4) - six (6) months
• Attended in the last seven (7) months - one (1) year
• Attended an event more than one (1) year ago
• Have attended a career fair and/or job event but did not interact with Sacramento County representatives
• Have not attended a career fair and/or job event

15


List the following for the career fair and/or job event you attended:

• Name of event
• Location of event
• Month and year of event

If you have not attended an event where you interacted with representatives from Sacramento County, please type "None".
Required Question