Arborist Small Tree Specialist

JOB LOCATION

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 Environment:

• Works both indoors and outdoors with exposure to all weather conditions, noise, fumes, dust, and chemicals

Equipment Used:

• Water tanker truck
• Forklift
• 1-ton Pickup
• Chipper truck
• Aerial lift
• All loaders
• Skid steers and all attachments.
• Chipper
• Stump grinder.
• Chainsaws
• Other hand tools and equipment common to forestry work
• Computers and typical MS Office software
• This position may require the incumbent to use personal equipment (e.g. vehicle, cell phone, tools, etc.) in the course of their employment.

The city of Aurora will implement furlough days (unpaid days off) for most employees in 2026. The scheduled furlough dates are January 16, April 10, July 2, and December 24.

For Veterans preference:  Please show all of your employment history, including military service and related documentation (DD214) on the application.
           
The City of Aurora is an equal opportunity employer.  We are required by state and federal agencies to keep certain statistical records on applicants.  It will not be used in any way to discriminate against you because of your sex, race, age, sexual orientation, creed, national origin, disability or military status, gender identity, unless related to a bona fide occupational qualification as defined by the Colorado Civil Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunity Commission.
                                         
Despite the changes in Colorado law, the City of Aurora maintains a drug-free workplace.  A positive test of marijuana is grounds for disqualification and ineligibility for employment with the city for one year or termination once hired.
 

Drug Testing, Thorough Criminal Background Check, and Employment References:
As a condition of employment, all applicants selected for employment with the City of Aurora must undergo a thorough criminal background check. 

Applicants selected for safety-sensitive positions are required to complete and pass a drug screening as a condition of employment. Safety sensitive positions include Civil Service positions within Police and Fire Departments and positions where their job responsibilities have direct and substantial responsibility that would impact the health and safety of others.  

Employment references will be conducted on finalists for City of Aurora vacancies.