TREE TRIMMER

Position/Program Information

With more than 10 million residents, Los Angeles County has the largest population of any county in the nation. As the largest employer in Southern California, with more than 37 diverse departments and over 2,300 different job descriptions, the County offers a lifetime of opportunities and careers.

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We are Los Angeles County Public Works, the largest municipal Public Works agency in the nation. With more than 4,000 employees, Public Works offers over 500 different types of career opportunities that promote professional and personal growth as well as a rewarding and exciting work environment.

Don't miss an opportunity to join our team!

We will be accepting applications for the Tree Trimmer position beginning:

October 13, 2021, at 7:00 a.m. Pacific Time (PT) - Until the needs of the service are met and is subject to closure without prior notice.

EXAM NUMBER:
C-0391-J

This announcement is being reposted to add COVID-19 vaccine information in the Additional Information Section.

Essential Job Functions

• A Tree Trimmer is responsible for performing a combination of the following essential job functions:
• Climbs trees of various heights in order to perform crown restoration, trimming, shaping, removing hazardous branches and trees according to arboricultural standards for the safety of property or life.
• Utilizes rigging-methods and techniques which may include ropes, knots, lines, pulleys, blocks, slings, and cables in climbing trees and lowering branches and trees to the ground; may instruct crew in tree surgery, cabling, and bracing of tree limbs.
  
• Maintains public roadway sidewalk clearance, access roads, public parks, trail ways, which includes equestrian, hiking and biking paths, by trimming and shaping trees using various tree trimming tools such as pruners, chainsaws, telescoping power saws, pole saws, loppers, brush chippers, stump grinders, hand-held or backpack blowers, and aerial lifts.
  
• Cuts, limbs, bucks, and fells trees into logs for removal and disposal.
  
• Plants and transplants trees; stakes, irrigates, cultivates, root prunes, and fertilizes as necessary.
  
• Operates and maintains various hand and power-driven cutting tools such as axes, hand saws, pruners, loppers, pole saws, chainsaws, telescoping power saws, and hand-held or backpack blowers.
  
• Operates and maintains equipment such as aerial lifts, water trucks, brush chippers, and stump grinders.
  
• Sharpens and maintains saws and other cutting tools used in the care and conservation of trees.
  
• Inspects and maintains climbing equipment such as bull ropes, climbing lines, tackles, climbing harnesses, lanyards and spurs.
  
• Inspects, maintains, and installs guy wires, cabling, and bracing equipment.
  
• Interacts with the public to answer questions regarding the care and conservation of trees, and seeks their assistance in moving obstacles which are blocking the work area, obtaining a tree removal consent form, or other forms.
  
• Drives equipment to transport crews, tows equipment and hauls debris, and operates aerial lifts, or similar equipment on the truck.
  
• Required to drive vehicles, such as water trucks, or equipment with gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, or containing more than 115 gallons of liquid, as needed.
  
• Operate tree maintenance equipment during emergency or disaster recovery situations, as needed.
  
• Performs various activities pertaining to arboricultural care of trees in and around hazardous conditions such as overhead utility lines or within major highways requiring lane closures impacting high speed and heavy volume traffic, as needed.
  

Requirements

Minimum Requirements:

Option I: One year of experience climbing trees, performing crown restoration, removing hazardous branches or trees, using rigging and related knots and using tree trimming tools and equipment. Successful completion of the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation training program in tree maintenance will be accepted for six months of the required experience.

Option II: Possession of a valid International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Tree Worker Certification.

PHYSICAL CLASS:
Physical Class IV - Arduous: Involves frequent heavy lifting over 25 pounds, often combined with bending, twisting, or working on irregular surfaces; and occasionally requires extraordinary physical activity.

LICENSE:
A valid California Class C Driver License is required to perform job-related essential functions. Some positions may require a valid California Class A or B Driver License, and may require special endorsements to operate assigned vehicles.

License Information: Successful applicants for positions that require driving must obtain and present a copy of his/her driving record from the California State Department of Motor Vehicles before final appointment. Applicants should not present a copy of their driving history until asked to do so by the hiring department. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether an applicant’s driving history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job. License must not be currently suspended, restricted, or revoked.

The County is required to comply with the Federal regulations which require pre-employment, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, return to work, follow up, and random urine drug and breath testing of employees who carry commercial driver licenses and who are assigned to drive certain vehicles.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION:
In order to receive credit for the completion of the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation training program in tree maintenance OR if you possess a valid International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Tree Worker Certificate you must include a legible copy of the official certificate within five business days of filing. Please submit documentation to Mortega@dpw.lacounty.gov and indicate your name, the exam name, and the exam number.

Additional Information

OUR ASSESSMENT PROCESS:

Part I: A qualifying written test covering knowledge related to tree maintenance, safety operations, and basic math.

Only those candidates who achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on the written test will proceed to Part II of the examination.

THE WRITTEN TEST IS NOT REVIEWABLE BY CANDIDATES PER CIVIL SERVICE RULE 7.19.

Part II: A Performance Test consisting of inspection of safety equipment; knot tying; tree climbing; overview and proper use of a chain saw; procedure for cutting and lowering limbs; procedure for felling a tree; and correct use of a brush chipper weighted 50%.

Only those candidates who achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on the performance test will proceed to Part III of the examination.

Part III: An Interview weighted 50% covering training, experience, and general ability to perform the duties of the position.

Candidates must achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on each weighted part of the examination in order to be placed on the eligible register.

NO PERSON MAY COMPETE IN THIS EXAMINATION MORE THAN ONCE EVERY TWELVE (12 ) MONTHS.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION:
The names of candidates receiving a passing grade in the examination will be placed on the eligible register in the order of their score group for a period of twelve (12) months following the date of promulgation.

Applications will be processed on an as-received basis and promulgated to the list of eligible candidates accordingly.

SPECIAL INFORMATION:
The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except for a very limited number of positions, you will not be asked to provide information about a conviction history unless you receive a contingent offer of employment . The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and consider potential mitigating factors, including, but not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about a conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed.

All County workforce members must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Successful candidates for this position will be required to submit proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or request an exemption for qualifying medical or religious reasons during the onboarding process. Candidates should not present proof of vaccination until instructed to do so by the hiring department.

VACANCY INFORMATION:
The eligible register of successful candidates created from this exam will be used to fill vacancies throughout Public Works as they occur.

APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION:
Fill out your application completely. The acceptance of your application depends on whether you have clearly shown that you meet the REQUIREMENTS. Provide any relevant education, training, and experience in the spaces provided so we can evaluate your qualifications for the job. For each job held, give the name and address of your employer, your job title, beginning and ending dates, and description of work performed. All information included in the application materials is subject to VERIFICATION at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made.

Important Notes:

• FALSIFICATION of any information may result in DISQUALIFICATION or RESCISSION OF APPOINTMENT.
• Utilizing VERBIAGE from Class Specification and/or Requirements serving as your description of duties WILL NOT be sufficient to meet the requirements. Doing so may result in an INCOMPLETEAPPLICATION and you may be DISQUALIFIED.

APPLICATIONS MUST BE FILED ONLINE ONLY. APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED BY U.S. MAIL, FAX, OR IN PERSON WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Apply online by clicking on the green “Apply” button at the top right of this posting. You can also track the status of your application using this website.

Plan to submit your online application well in advance of the deadline as you may be required to verify your email address. This only needs to be done once per email address, and if you already have a job seeker account on www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacounty, you can verify at any time by logging in and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of your online application and to ensure you do not enter an incorrect email address.

For candidates who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, laptop computers and portable Wi-Fi are available for loan from various public libraries throughout Los Angeles County. For more information please visit: https://lacountylibrary.org/reopening .

Note: If you are unable to attach required documents, you must email them to mortega@dpw.lacounty.gov within five business days of filing. Please include your name, exam number, and exam title on the documents.

CLICK HERE FOR ADDITIONAL EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION!

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Department Contact Name: Monica Ortega
Department Contact Phone: (626) 458-2141
Department Contact Email: Mortega@dpw.lacounty .gov
ADA Coordinator Phone: (626) 458-2141
Teletype Phone: (626) 282-7829
California Relay Services: (800) 735-2922

For detailed information, please click here

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• Los Angeles County

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