Senior Arborist Specialist (Equipment Operator, Senior)

About the Job: In this position, you will perform technical duties in the field, including all aspects of arboriculture and general forestry to enhance safety and aesthetics of the City's urban forestry program. This role involves leading field crews in all aspects of arboriculture and general forestry, including tree hazard removal, pruning, and emergency response. The ideal candidate will have expertise in operating forestry equipment, supervising teams, and ensuring compliance with safety regulations to enhance the health and aesthetics of the city’s green spaces.

We're an accredited pay equity employer!

Your starting pay will be within the posted hiring range based on your years of experience and education. See the full potential of growth for this position here: 2026 Salary Schedule

This position is subject to budget required furloughs to be implemented in the 2026 calendar year.

As a Senior Arborist Specialist, you will:

• Review, assign, lead and participate in tree related hazard removals, tree removals, identify worksite hazards and potential wildlife conflicts
• Utilize aerial lifts, chippers, dump trucks, grapple loader, chainsaws, hand saws, climbing saddles, ropes, and lowering devices in accordance with ANSI (American National Standards Institute) and City Forestry rules and regulations
• Drive and operate class B CDL vehicles and use working knowledge of City codes and forestry rules and regulations to perform technical duties in the field; including all aspects of arboriculture and general forestry work to support the City's urban forestry program
• Supervise and oversee a crew of two or more and attend safety and other educational training to maintain International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certification
• Respond to and mitigate tree related hazards, emergencies, and storms that may require after-hour call-outs and extensive overtime in extreme and inclement weather and operations during dark hours; this includes remove diseased, hazardous, over mature, declining, and dead trees 
• Create, plan, and execute tasks using the Cartegraph program
• Prune trees to promote their health, correct visibility problems (i.e., obstructed traffic signs), and ensure traffic and pedestrian clearance
• Utilize worksite traffic control systems (barricading) in accordance with UTC (Uniform Traffic Control) safety standards to keep the public and employees safe
• Perform stump removal and grinding duties; call 811 for underground locates to ensure a safe dig and complete other miscellaneous duties, including mulching, recycling, and utilizing biomass
• Oversee snow plowing operations as needed, including operating trucks, loaders, or tractors to remove snow and ice from roadways, parking lots, and walkways and applying salt or sand for traction
• Other duties as assigned

Learn more about this job by reviewing the class specification on the City of Colorado Springs Class Specifications page.


Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Knowledge of:

• Operations, services, and activities of an urban forestry program
• Pertinent federal, state, and local codes, laws, and regulations
• Principles and practices of arboriculture 
• Characteristics of various trees, shrubs, and other plant life
• Methods and techniques of integrated pest management (IPM)
• UTC (Uniform Traffic Control)  and International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) standards 

Ability to: 

• Safely operate high-powered machinery (i.e. grinders, chippers, loaders, and heavy weight trucks)
• Organize work assignments for field operations
• Safely operate assigned vehicles and equipment, including aerial lifts while using chainsaws 
• Communicate clearly and concisely, orally and in writing
• Identify tree species that grow in the Colorado Springs area
• Perform basic functions on computers to enter work data and receive work assignments
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work

• High school diploma or GED
• Five years of full-time tree maintenance experience or related field
• Possess upon hire a Colorado Class B Commercial Driver's License (CDL) not subject to restriction related to alcohol and/or drug violations or pending charges is required for this position
• Possess or willing to obtain a Colorado Class A CDL within (12) months of hire, not subject to restriction related to alcohol and/or drug violations or pending charges is required for this position
• Possess Certified Arborist designation from the International Society of Arboriculture upon hire 

We value a diverse range of qualifications and experiences. Our organization views each year of further education as equivalent to each year of relevant work experience, and each year of additional relevant work experience as equivalent to each year of required education.

TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION YOU MUST REGISTER YOUR CDL (COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE) WITH THE FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse athttps://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov.

The following qualifications are not required, but they are considered desirable. If you possess any of the preferred qualifications, please include specific details in your application. This information may be used to identify a top group of applicants.

• Possess a valid, current Qualified Supervisor or Certified Operator certification from the State of Colorado Department of Agriculture
• Possess a valid, current Tree Risk Assessment Qualification from the International Society of Arboriculture

*This position requires availability for emergency after-hours call-outs and extensive overtime in extreme and inclement weather and operations in evening hours with minimal lighting.*Physical Demands: Exerting over 100 lbs. occasionally; 50-100 lbs. frequently; or up to 20-50 lbs. constantly
 
Environmental Conditions 
Primary Work Environment - Outdoors
Extreme Temperature - Daily
Wetness and Humidity - Seasonally
Respiratory Hazards - Daily
Noise and Vibrations - Daily
Physical Hazards - Daily
Mechanical and/or Electrical Hazards - Occasionally
Exposure to Communicable Diseases - Never