Parks Technician II - Forestry chez City and County of Broomfield, CO

About the Department

The Parks Forestry Technician II plays a key role in maintaining the City and County of Broomfield’s developed and undeveloped park areas and cemetery. This position performs a variety of unskilled, semi-skilled, and skilled tasks of routine to moderate complexity related to park and cemetery operations, urban forestry, and grounds maintenance. The incumbent provides quality service to the community by delivering well-maintained public spaces and assisting staff and the public with information and support. This role works collaboratively with other departments, divisions, agencies, and community partners to deliver effective, integrated, and innovative public services.

Position Duties

(The following statements are illustrative of the essential functions of the job.  The City and County of Broomfield retains the right to modify or change the duties or responsibilities and additional functions of the job at any time.  Examples of duties are not intended to be all-inclusive or restrictive.)

• Performs technical work in the field of arboriculture and urban forestry to care for and manage Broomfield’s urban forest. 

• Identifies trees that are common to the Front Range of Colorado; monitors the tree population for diseases and insects including Emerald Ash Borer (EAB); assesses the health of the urban forest to determine which trees are candidates for treatment or removal.

• Performs technical skills, including pruning and removal of dead, diseased and hazardous trees and limbs, using rope and saddle, chainsaw, handsaw and other equipment related to tree maintenance.

• Operates a wide variety of equipment, including, but not limited to, stump grinder, chip truck and chipper, loader, chainsaws and boom lift. 

• Adheres to industry standards for arboriculture and safety policies and procedures. 

• Plants trees using proper techniques, waters newly planted trees, assists in wood disposal through the Tree Branch Recycling Program. 

• Applies pesticides to trees, as needed. 

• Participates in public outreach and education.

• Collects data and maintains the City’s tree inventory, using ArcGIS. 

• Responds to complaints from the public regarding parks and facilities conditions; ensures that problems are corrected in a timely and effective manner.

• Demonstrates exceptional customer service, integrity and teamwork. 

• Assists with Parks maintenance and other citywide duties, as needed, including, but not limited to trash pick up, special events, and installation and removal of holiday lights. 

• Position involves on-call duty which requires working weekends on a rotating basis and working all hours during emergency repairs, as needed. Assists with Parks maintenance and other citywide duties, as needed, including, but not limited to snow removal, trash pick up, special events, and installation and removal of holiday lights.

Minimum Qualifications

Training:  Must have I.S.A. Certified Arborist license or the ability to acquire one within six months of employment. 

Training or certificates in the following areas are preferred: Colorado Department of Agriculture Qualified Supervisor or Certified Operator license for pesticide application, ISA Certified Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ), ISA Certified Tree Worker Climber Specialist, ISA Certified Tree Worker Aerial Lift Specialist, Current First Aid/CPR certification. 

Experience - At least one year of progressively responsible urban forestry/arboriculture experience, including tree climbing experience using a rope and saddle, pruning, removal and planting of trees. Experience with ArcGIS preferred.

Years of related experience may be substituted for required education, however  education cannot be substituted for the necessary work experience. Candidates must meet the minimum required years of work experience. 

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: - Must be at least 18 years of age.  Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license and safe driving record for continued employment. New hires must, as a condition of employment, pass the following pre-offer and post-offer/hire processes:  written evaluation (if requested), oral board, reference checks, driving record check through DMV, background checks including local police check and sex-offender registry check, and pre-placement physical.

Other Qualifications

(The work environment characteristics and physical demands described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities and neuro-differences to perform the essential functions.)

• Physical demands are described as medium (exert up to 50 lbs. of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 lbs. of force frequently, and up to 10 lbs. of force constantly to move objects).

• Duties require a full range of physical motion and activities including manual Labor.

• Work is generally scheduled Monday through Friday with some weekend and holiday work required

• Required On-Call responsibilities

• Snow removal responsibilities

• Required to work special events on holidays, weekends, and outside normally scheduled working hours

• Regular contact is made with employees in other departments and the public.

Must be proficient in and able to perform the following tasks:

• Performing aerial lift operations and aerial rescues

• Rigging, including knowledge of climbing and rigging knots

• Operating and managing lowering devices

• Setting up safe and effective work zones

• Operating and maintaining chainsaws and chippers

• Climbing using rope and saddle techniques

  • Must be able to ascend a tree hoisting their body weight using a choice of ascenders and friction

  • Must be able to hoist a 10 pound chainsaw.