URBAN FORESTRY LABORER

Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee is an urban hub bursting with energy. Milwaukee provides a casual sophistication – big city appeal without the big-city hassles. We are accessible and affordable, and our residents are welcoming. Milwaukee has evolved through the years, bringing together its unsurpassed historic charm with a breathtaking Art Museum, top-flight arts and cultural attractions, professional sports, lakefront festivals, recreational opportunities and great restaurants.

The City of Milwaukee is proud to employ a diverse workforce that is committed to providing exemplary service to the City’s residents. If you have a passion for being a part of an inclusive team of public servants, please consider the following opportunity.

Urban Forestry Laborers perform various horticultural work activities in the establishment, maintenance, and renovation of boulevards and other City greenspaces and provide ground level support for tree maintenance crews performing more technical tasks on City trees.

Urban Forestry Laborers function in an emergency capacity to remove fallen branches and tree debris and perform snow and ice control operations.

• Plant, maintain, and remove trees, shrubs, flowers and turf on city boulevards and other greenspaces, including site preparation and planting, bed building and repair, mowing and trimming, application of pesticides and fertilizers, pruning and removal of small trees and shrubs, brush removal, stump removal, irrigation repair, and litter clean-up.
• Operate and drive large vehicles and specialized outdoor power equipment and hand tools, including one-ton and 2.5-ton dump trucks with trailers, snow plows and de-icing equipment, topsoil and mulch spreaders, trenchers, commercial riding mowers, push mowers, turf sweepers, brush chippers, chainsaws, string and hedge trimmers, lawn edgers, sprayers, tree injection equipment, saws, loppers, pruners, and other hand and motorized equipment used in the industry.
• Perform emergency services on an on-call and scheduled basis, including snow plowing, salting, and anti-icing of City streets, emergency storm clean-up (cutting, chipping, and hauling of fallen branches and tree debris), and assisting with irrigation repairs.

We welcome qualified individuals with disabilities who are interested in employment and will make reasonable accommodations during the hiring process in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008.

Urban Forestry Laborers must be willing and able to do the following:

• Work extended work shifts as needed during emergency operations.
• Work for prolonged periods outdoors in variable weather and environmental conditions, and tolerate noise, vibration, and exposure to airborne contaminants.
• Perform work requiring physical exertion and agility, including walking distances; climbing stairs and ladders; bending and crawling; reaching, pushing, and pulling; and doing repetitive movements.
• Exert up to 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
• Maintain awareness of surroundings, with visual acuity at the machine operator level and hearing sensitivity to be able to receive oral communication and make fine discriminations in sound (no less than a 40 dB loss).
• Adhere to departmental standards for work clothing and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
• By law, persons in these positions are required to pass pre-employment drug tests and are subject to random drug and alcohol testing while employment. Candidates must sign a release authorizing the City to receive the results of any drug and alcohol tests conducted by previous employers during the past two years if those tests were required by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

By the application closing date:

1. Eighteen years of age or older.

At time of the application closing date, throughout the selection process, and throughout employment:

2. Valid State of Wisconsin driver’s license.

3. Good driving record. Driving records will be reviewed and evaluated.

Within six months of appointment and throughout employment:

4. Class B Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) without Air Brakes Restriction.

5. Residency within 15 miles of the jurisdictional boundaries of the City of Milwaukee pursuant to Rule III, Section 4(f) of the Rules of the City Service Commission. A map defining the jurisdictional boundary is located on the Fire and Police Commission website at: http://city.milwaukee.gov/fpc/Residency-Map.htm#.WPTR5E11qAg.

Passing probation in the Urban Forestry Laborer position is contingent upon meeting the requirements listed in #4 and #5 above.

Within one year of appointment and throughout employment:

6. State of Wisconsin Pesticide Applicator Certification.

7. First Aid Certification and CPR Certification.

8. Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) Ground Operations Specialist credential.

· Forestry managers will provide guidance to Urban Forestry Laborers in the attainment of the credentials listed above.

Technical and Physical

• Ability to read and understand documents such as work rules, policies, and regulations.
• Ability to understand and follow written and verbal instructions.
• Ability to read and interpret maps.
• Ability to construct, repair, and maintain irrigation systems.
• Ability to learn and identify common tree and landscape plant species and signs and symptoms of common insects and diseases.
• Ability to plant, maintain, and remove small trees, shrubs, flowers, and turf.
• Ability to document daily activity accurately.

Safety and Judgment

• Ability to learn and follow American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety regulations, rules, practices, and procedures applicable to the arboricultural and landscape industry.
• Ability to safely operate and provide field maintenance for outdoor power equipment such as chainsaws, blowers, trimmers, mowers, chippers, and rototillers.
• Ability to safely use job-related hand-held tools and equipment such as shovels, rakes, saws, loppers, and pruners.
• Ability to safely apply pesticides after obtaining a Wisconsin Pesticide Applicator license.
• Ability to safely operate and drive large vehicles and heavy equipment such as a 2.5-ton dump and snow plow and salting truck (including on city streets), a 1-ton truck with trailer, a powered soil and mulching trailer, commercial mowers, and brush chippers.
• Ability to monitor the work site vicinity, including pedestrian and vehicle traffic, to ensure the safety of the work crew and the public.  
• Ability to remain calm and work safely and effectively during emergency situations.
• Ability to safeguard City equipment and resources.

Interpersonal and Customer Focus

• Ability to work effectively as a team member and interact with the public courteously.
• Ability to serve the public in a professional, courteous, and diplomatic manner.
• Ability to work cooperatively, effectively, and fairly with coworkers and residents whose background may differ from one’s own.

The current pay rates (PG 8EN) are as follows (rates shown below are hourly and biweekly):

• Non-Resident Starting Wage: 18.76 hourly ($1,501 bi-weekly)
• Incentive Starting Wage for City of Milwaukee Residents: 19.32 hourly ($1,546 bi-weekly)

Appointment will be made in accordance with the provisions of the City of Milwaukee Salary Ordinance.

The City of Milwaukee provides a comprehensive benefit program that includes the following:

• Defined Benefit Pension Plan
• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan
• Health and Dental Insurance
• Paid Parental Leave
• Comprehensive Wellness Program
• Onsite Clinic Services
• Onsite Employee Assistance Program
• Alternative Work Schedules
• Long Term Disability Insurance
• Group Life Insurance
• Tuition Benefits
• Paid Vacation
• 12 Paid Holidays
• Paid Sick Leave and other paid leaves
• Flexible Spending Arrangement
• Commuter Value Pass

For full details of the benefits offered by the City of Milwaukee, please visit https://city.milwaukee.gov/der/benefits.

THE SELECTION PROCESS will be job-related and will consist of two components:

1. WRITTEN & PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE TESTS

         Testing dates = Week of 7/10/2023 (Dates and timing subject to change).

Selection process component weights will be determined by further analysis of the job.

INITIAL FILING DATE - The selection process will be held as soon as practical after the application deadline listed above. Receipt of applications may be discontinued at any time after this date without prior notice. However, recruitment may continue until the needs of the City have been met. Qualified applicants will be notified of the date, time, and place of the selection process components. Unless otherwise required by law, the City of Milwaukee will not provide alternative selection process dates or times. The applicant is responsible for attending all phases of the job selection process at the time and place designated by the City of Milwaukee.

• APPLICATIONS and further information can be accessed by visiting www.jobapscloud.com/MIL.
• If you would like assistance completing an application, please contact the Department of Employee Relations at (414) 286-3751 or staffinginfo@milwaukee.gov.
• The Department of Employee Relations is in City Hall, 200 E Wells St, Room 706, Milwaukee, WI 53202.

EEO 802
The City of Milwaukee values and encourages diversity and is an equal opportunity employer.