Tree Trimmer

The Position

The City of Oakland is an equal opportunity employer that values workforce diversity, inclusion, and equity. Oakland has a long history of activism around issues of justice and equity. Both oppression and this resistance to oppression have shaped the city's historical roots and the lives of its residents to this day. As public servants in one of the most diverse cities in the nation, we strive to develop employees who understand the harm and impacts of systemic inequity to create lasting, meaningful outcomes for everyone. Oakland strives to establish an environment that embraces the richness of culture, community, and individualism of employees.

Why join the City of Oakland? Are you interested in being part of an urban forestry program in a diverse and dynamic city? The City of Oakland has an excellent opportunity for individuals who enjoy being outdoors, interacting with the public, and working for the benefit and beauty of the community! The City of Oakland is currently recruiting to fill three (3) Tree Trimmer vacancies within the Oakland Public Works Department. The ideal candidate will be an enthusiastic team player, with exceptional communication skills, capable of following oral and written directions to complete assignments, eager to learn a variety of tree maintenance tasks, and have an interest in long-term professional development. The ideal candidate will also demonstrate a solid work ethic, including a strong commitment to maintaining the City's urban forest. We are also recruiting to fill our Tree Worker and Tree Trimmer Crew Leader positions. If you would also like to be considered for these positions, you must submit separate applications for each posting.

We are looking for someone who is:

• Knowledgeable about climbing safety protocol and tree growth, planting, and trimming.
• Skilled at climbing and operating tree maintenance equipment and trucks.
• Skilled at establishing excellent working relationships with their colleagues.
• Positive and has a can-do attitude.

What you will typically be responsible for:

• Climbing and working up to fifty-five feet to prune, shape, strip, and remove trees over roadways, in parks, and at other City properties.
• Using a variety of tree maintenance equipment such as power saws, chainsaws, and other specialized trimming tools.
• Responding to emergency work orders in all weather conditions.
• Maintaining a variety of tree maintenance equipment, including aerial lifts, knuckle boom cranes, stump grinders, and chippers.
• Supporting team members with maintenance activities.
• Identifying and reporting hazardous tree conditions, safety hazards, and work conditions.
• Planting, staking, watering, and mulching young trees.

A few reasons you might love this job:

• You will be provided with a stable job with great health and retirement benefits for you and your family
• You will work at a place that prioritizes worker safety and longevity
• You will have an opportunity for career growth within and beyond the Tree Department
• You will be working outdoors in a beautiful city with a moderate climate

A few challenges you might face in this job:

• You will perform physically demanding work in challenging conditions
• You will perform emergency response work during storm events
• You will have to pivot work activities based on changing priorities throughout each work day that may be due to short staffing

Competencies Required:

• Action & Results Focused (Taking Initiative): Initiating tasks and focusing on accomplishment
• Adaptability : Responding positively to change and modifying behavior as the situation requires
• Building & Maintaining Relationships: Establishing rapport and maintaining mutually productive relationships
• Critical Thinking: Analytically and logically evaluating information, propositions, and claims
• Displaying Ownership and Accountability: Holding self and others accountable for measurable, high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results
• Environmental Exposure Tolerance: Performing under physically demanding conditions
• General Physical Ability: Using strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, and coordination
• Manual Dexterity: Using senses, hands, and fingers in manipulating objects quickly and efficiently
• Mechanical Insight: Comprehending how mechanical, electrical, and structural systems operate and interact
• Oral Communication: Engaging effectively in dialogue
• Professional & Technical Expertise: Applying technical subject matter to the job
• Professional Integrity & Ethics: Displaying honesty, adherence to principles, and personal accountability
• Safety Focus: Showing vigilance and care in identifying and addressing health risks and safety hazards
• Teamwork: Collaborating with others to achieve shared goals

Minimum Requirements for Application

This recruitment will produce two eligible lists. The restricted list will be for full-time, permanent part-time, or part-time City and Port of Oakland employees who maintain employment for the duration of the recruitment and pass all stages of the recruitment process. The open list will be for all other applicants who pass all stages of the recruitment process. Any combination of education and experience that is equivalent to the following minimum qualifications may be acceptable: Education: Completion of an academic course equivalent to twelfth grade and possession of a G.E.D. or its equivalent. Experience: Two years of experience in tree trimming. License or Certificate / Other Requirements: Possession of a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certificate. Possession of a valid California Driver's License, Class B, with the ability to drive vehicles with air brakes and a tank endorsement included, must be obtained by the end of the probationary period and maintained throughout employment with the City of Oakland. License requirements are subject to changes in State and Federal law, and the City of Oakland must comply with mandated changes at all times. Desirable Qualifications:

• Certification as an Arborist or Tree Worker from the International Society of Arboriculture

Supplemental Information

The Recruitment Process: The City of Oakland works with a Civil Service system. Applicants apply online, and HR staff reviews their experience, education, and training listed on the application against the "minimum qualifications" listed for each position. Candidates who demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements are then invited to participate in an assessment process (or testing) to measure their knowledge, skills, and abilities in job-related areas. Candidates who do not demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements will have an opportunity to request a final review. Candidates must request a final review within 5 business days of being notified that they did not meet the minimum qualifications. In the final review, candidates may clarify information already provided on their application. No additional work history, education, or certifications will be accepted. Any decisions made during this review process will be final. For this recruitment, all qualified applicants will be invited to the Performance Exam (weighted 100%). The tentative date of the performance exam is the week of August 31, 2026. Candidates requesting reasonable accommodations for the examination process must request accommodations no later than one week before they are scheduled to take the exam; otherwise, it may not be possible to arrange accommodations for the selection process. Please complete the Request for Reasonable Accommodation in Testing form by clicking on this link or by copying and pasting the link into your browser to open it: (Download PDF reader) . Send the completed form and any supporting documentation to the exam analyst: Alanna Butler at View email address on click.appcast.io. Candidates who pass each stage in the process will be placed on an eligible list. Some candidates may receive extra points, for example, if you are a Veteran with an honorable discharge, or if you are a current City of Oakland resident. If you're applying to a "restricted" posting and you are eligible as a current City employee, you may also receive additional points for your City service. Extra points are only applied to passing scores, so if you do not pass every element of the testing process, you cannot use extra points to pass. The City of Oakland reserves the right to modify the selection process and date of examination as necessary to conform to administrative or business necessity. The information contained in this announcement is subject to change and does not constitute either an expressed