Arborist Small Tree Specialist

JOB LOCATION
13645 E Ellsworth Ave Aurora, Colorado 80012-1331
City of Aurora, Colorado
It is an exciting time to work for the City of Aurora, we're growing and looking for dedicated and collaborative individuals to join our team of talented and valued employees. Excellent organizations have a set of principles, or core values, that are used to implement their mission and vision. Those values represent the touchstone for the organization, guiding the decisions of the individuals and the organization. At the City of Aurora, we demonstrate our excellence by modeling the CORE 4 Values of: Integrity, Respect, Professionalism, and Customer Service, and we welcome all who share these values to apply.
Why Work for Aurora?
Make a difference in the lives of real people every day
Diverse community
Competitive total compensation package
Well-Funded General Employees Retirement Plan
Light rail station minutes away
On-site fitness center and overall employee well-being programs Internal educational programs to assist with career advancement
Access to innovation workspaces
PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
The City of Aurora Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Department's mission is to encourage active lifestyles and create healthy environments for people, nature, and community.
The award-winning operation consists of seven divisions (Golf, Open Space and Natural Resources, Parks Operations, Planning, Design and Construction, Recreation, Business Services and Communications) that collectively manage more than 8,000 acres of open space, 100+ parks, 180+ athletic fields, over 100 miles of trails, three nature centers, two reservoirs, five recreation centers, five golf courses, indoor and outdoor aquatic facilities and one of Colorado's largest municipal urban forestry programs.
Aurora PROS is committed to delivering exceptional public service while being responsible stewards of its diverse system of parks, programs, natural resources and amenities that enhance the daily quality of life for Aurora residents.
The hiring range for this role is $28.10 - $35.12/hour.
Salary to be commensurate with experience.
The application deadline is October 22, 2026. The City of Aurora will conduct ongoing application screenings on a first-come, first-served basis; once we determine we have a qualified pool of applicants, this position may close quickly and without notice.
Position overview:
This role serves as the primary organizer of our street and park tree replacement program. The Arborist Small Tree Specialist serves as a lead worker over staff and manages stump grinding and tree planting contracts.
PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Assist in organizing and executing ongoing tree planting projects for street and park trees.
Responds to citizens about the tree planting program, stump grinding, and young tree maintenance.
Plants, monitors, waters, and prunes young trees from the ground and aloft with an aerial lift.
Organizes and executes stump grinding process to continually prepare planting spaces.
Trains, supervises, and organizes staff in stump grinding, planting, establishment, and young tree maintenance.
Quality controls stump grinding and tree planting contracts.
Updates planting site and new tree information in the GIS inventory and internal databases.
Receives tree deliveries and cares for trees during staging and transport.
Manages our experimental tree nursery.
Maintains fleet and equipment used in stump grinding and tree planting operations.
Assists tree crews with trimming and removal operations.
Performs emergency storm response and snow removal duties in coordination with other departments.
Serves as a crew leader on volunteer workdays.
Performs other duties as assigned.
The listed primary duties and responsibilities are not a comprehensive list of expectations for the job. Duties and responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS & WORKING CONDITIONS
An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that demonstrates required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.
Education:
High school diploma or GED
Experience:
At least three (3) years of green industry experience
Preferred Qualifications:
College-level coursework in plant sciences and/or arboricultural industry certification preferred.
ISA Certified Arborist
Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ)
ISA Certified Aerial Lift Specialist
NALP Certified Horticultural Technician
CO Dept of Agriculture Pesticide Applicator License
TCIA Chipper Specialist
TCIA Ground Operations Specialist
TCIA Chainsaw Specialist
TCIA Aerial Lift Specialist
Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) within 5 years of hire date
Knowledge:
Knowledge of tree biology
Principles, practices, methods, and techniques of plant health care
Principles, practices, methods, and techniques of tree establishment and structural pruning
Principles and techniques of job site safety and maintaining a safe workspace
Principles, methods, and techniques of natural resources monitoring
Principles and techniques of collecting GIS information
Principles, practices, and methods of natural resource management
Skills:
Driving CDL class vehicles
Operating aerial lift
Tree planting and small tree care
Project management
Operating a variety of equipment safely
Tree species identification
Teaching tree planting, tree pruning, and equipment operation
Strong customer service skills
GIS data collection and maintaining inventory records
Abilities:
Plan both ongoing maintenance activities and discrete projects
Ability to interact with staff and residents from a variety of cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds
Manage shifting priorities
Manage time independently
Delegate and organize work for staff
Communicate effectively both orally and in writing
Able to learn technical material quickly and apply lessons consistently
Ability to learn skills and do tasks that require physical endurance
Licenses and Certifications Required:
Driver’s license with a good driving record
Ability to obtain within first six (6) months of employment:
o Successful completion of a defensive driving course
o Class B CDL with tanker endorsement
WORKING CONDITIONS
Essential Personnel:
When a local announcement of emergency or disaster is declared by the city, all City of Aurora employees may be required to work as essential personnel.
Physical Demands:
Medium to heavy physical work depending upon assigned function.
May require ability to lift and carry objects weighing up to 50 pounds or 100 pounds with assistance.
Considerable walking and standing
Frequently performs activities requiring a full range of body movement including bending, stooping, pushing, pulling, and climbing.
Hand/eye and hand/foot coordination for operation of tools, equipment, and vehicles; vision to read manuals, record data, and monitor/observe instruments and gages.
Hearing/listening for troubleshooting and warning signals.
Speech communication to provide technical information and communicate with employees and citizens.
Work Env