Climber and Pruner

NYC Parks manages more than 30,000 acres, 14% of the city’s land, encompassing more than 5,000 individual properties. Our diverse set of assets includes recreational facilities, nature centers, historic buildings and structures, trees, forests, wetlands, golf courses, athletic fields, playgrounds, tennis courts, public pools, retaining walls, and nearly 14 miles of beaches.
NYC Parks offers competitive pay and a generous benefits package, including pension, excellent health, dental and vision coverage, competitive vacation/sick days, and a healthy work-life balance.

Major Responsibilities
• Under supervision, perform all types of work required for the planting, maintenance and removal of trees and large shrubs.
• Climb, prune, brace, cut and fell trees and large shrubs.
• Operate bucket truck, including aerial lift and cherry picker, as well as chipper and other similar equipment.
• Identify hazard defects of trees and ensure public safety.
• Spray trees and large shrubs and perform tree inspections.
• Identify trees by species and inspect for the Asian Longhorned Beetle and other pests and diseases.
• Prepare and use composting sites.

Qualification Requirements
Six months of satisfactory, full-time experience as a climber and pruner or arborist performing all types of tree work required for the planting, maintenance and removal of trees and shrubs including climbing, pruning, bracing, cutting and felling trees and large shrubs and operating manual, power driven and motorized equipment required for the performance of these duties. Experience as a ground person is not acceptable towards meeting this requirement.

Special Working Conditions: When responding to emergency conditions, Climber and Pruners may be required to work shifts including nights, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
Some of the physical activities performed by Climber and Pruners and environmental conditions experienced are: climbing in and out of an aerial lift device (bucket truck); climbing up in a tree using rope and harness or bucket; operating a chainsaw; operating heavy motorized equipment such as bucket truck, chipper, loader, and stump grinder; lifting and moving heavy objects; standing for extended periods of time; and working outdoors in a restricted space in an urban environment in all kinds of weather, including severe weather conditions.

This position is exempt from NYC residency requirements.

License Requirement
Driver License Requirement: At the time of appointment, eligibles must possess a motor vehicle driver license valid in the State of New York, and a Class B Commercial Driver License valid in the State of New York within one year of being appointed to this position. Serious moving violations, license suspension or accident record may disqualify you. This Class B Commercial Driver License must be maintained for the duration of your employment. Such license must not include any restrictions which would preclude the performance of Climber and Pruner work.

Preference will be given to applicants who file and take the Climber & Pruner Civil Service Examination (Exam No. 4033). The filing period started May 1, 2024 and ends on May 21, 2024. For exam information, visit www.nyc.gov/dcas and click on "Employment".