Job Description

Under supervision, the Urban Forestry Inspector performs duties involving the evaluation and inspection of trees and other vegetation for maintenance, removal, and/or planting.

** Important and Essential Duties:**
As an Urban Forestry Inspector, your duties may include but are not limited to the following:

• Assess and evaluate conditions of trees and other vegetation.
• Maintain tree inventory and database.
• Implement the Urban Forestry Ordinance, Article 16 of the Public Works Code, including issues related to street planting and removal, public notification, maintenance needs, responsibility for street trees, and investigation of code violations.
• Prepare and distribute work order requests for tree maintenance and sidewalk repairs related to City-maintained trees.
• Handle emergency tree situations that may require immediate evaluation and recommendation for abatement.
• Assist property owners with tree removal and planting permit application process; respond to inquiries and complaints from the public and other government agencies regarding tree removals and maintenance responsibilities.
• Educate and inform the public regarding proper arboricultural practices and relevant City, State, Federal laws and guidelines.

Working conditions:
The nature of work may also include using safety equipment, using a hand saw or operating a power saw or chain saw to remove limbs, stacking, chipping, and loading brush in preparation for disposal; driving trucks; reading maps; and performing related duties as required. Positions in this job code may engage in some activity that requires physical demands and manual dexterity with exposure to inclement weather and other arduous and disagreeable working conditions.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications
Experience:
Three (3) years of verifiable experience in tree planting and maintenance activity, inspecting and evaluating trees; writing reports, and making presentations. Experience pruning trees alone is not qualifying experience, AND

License and Certification:
Possession of Arborist Certification through the International Society of Arboriculture or ability to obtain certification within 18 months of appointment,

AND

Possession and maintenance of a valid Class C Driver License.

Substitution: College-level coursework equivalent to two years (60 units) in arboriculture, urban forestry or horticulture may be substituted for up to one (1) year of the required experience.

Note(s):

• One-year full-time employment is considered equivalent to 2000 hours (2000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on a 40 hour work week). Any overtime hours that you work above forty (40) hours per week are not included in the calculation to determine full-time employment.
• A valid out-of-state driver’s license is acceptable during the application process. A valid California driver's license must be obtained prior to appointment and maintained throughout employment.
• Some positions require employees to obtain a class B Driver's License within one year of hire.
• Applicants must meet the minimum qualification requirement by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.

Desirable Qualifications:
The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify job finalists at the end of the selection process when candidates are referred for hiring.

• Ability to educate public/property owners regarding urban forestry policies and maintenance schedules.
• Ability to work with the public and neighborhood groups.
• Ability to implement programs and analyze their effectiveness.

Verification:
Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://sfdhr.org/how-verify-education-requirements

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

All work experience, education, training, and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.

Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility, disqualification or may lead to lower scores.

Selection Procedures:
After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following:

Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire (MQSQ):
Candidates may be required to complete a MQSQ as part of the employment application. This MQSQ is designed to obtain specific information regarding an applicant's experience in relation to the Minimum Qualifications (MQ) for this position. The MQSQ will be used to evaluate if the applicant possesses the required minimum qualifications.

DRUG TESTING REQUIREMENT:
Applicants for positions in this classification who are not currently employed by the City and County of San Francisco in a safety-sensitive position represented by (Laborers, Local 261), are required to pass pre-employment drug and alcohol testing. All employees in this classification may also be subject to drug and alcohol testing upon reasonable suspicion or after a work-related accident. Applicants with a positive result from a pre-employment drug test will be restricted from hire in safety-sensitive function positions for six-months after the date of the positive test.

Additional Information

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

• Information About The Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: At the City and County of San Francisco, we share a commitment to a diverse, inclusive and equitable community. Each member of our organization is responsible and accountable for what they say and do to make San Francisco an inclusive and equitable place to live and work by employing fair and just practices to and for all.

Applicants will receive a confirmation email that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.

If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the Analyst, Eric Chan, at Eric.K.Chan@sfdpw.org.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.