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Home My WebLink AboutSenior MW - ForestryUpdated: August 2025 (Admin Review) CITY OF IOWA CITY – JOB DESCRIPTION Position Title: Senior Maintenance Worker – Forestry Department: Parks & Recreation Division: Parks & Forestry Supervisor: Superintendent of Parks & Forestry FLSA: Non-Exempt Civil Service: Yes Pay Grade: 12 Job Number: 1208 Job Summary Under general direction, performs skilled and supervisory work of a specialized and technical nature in the care and maintenance of the City’s tree resource and landscape plantings located in the City right-of-way, parks and other public areas. Assists Parks and Central Business District operations as required. Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities The following duties are normal for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. Other duties may be required and assigned. • Identiﬁes, directs and performs planting, pruning, removal and maintenance of trees located in the City right-of-way, parks and other public areas. • Identiﬁes, directs and performs transplanting of trees and shrubs from the City nursery to public areas, by locating the appropriate planting spaces and identifying utility and tree conﬂicts. • Monitors City nursery inventories; orders nursery stock; reports on available transplanting stock; and maintains trees by mechanical, chemical or other means. • Initiates, prepares and supervises contracts for tree trimming, removal, planting, and pest control. • Inspects complaints of violations of forestry ordinances and initiates proper enforcement procedures. • Serves as technical consultant to City departments on trees and plant materials, plant design, selection, identiﬁcation and maintenance. • Assists in maintaining a computerized service request and street tree inventory; inspects service requests; and closely monitors the issuance of private trim notices for private trees and plant material. • Distinguishes approximations of property lines and/or boundary lines. • Maintains appropriate records of daily work for monthly and other periodic reports as required, including requests for tree planting or removal, stump removal, and tree pruning. • Operates and supervises the operation of various equipment including bucket truck, chipper truck, chipper, tree spade, tractors, loaders, spray equipment and other specialized equipment related to Forestry practices. Updated: August 2025 (Admin Review) • Responds to emergency situations involving clean-up, pruning and removal of storm damaged trees. • Assists other divisions, contractors and agencies as needed. • Works with members of public, contractors, other City staﬀ and utility companies relative to division projects and needs. • Assists in monitoring and preparing the annual operating budget. • Develops divisional goals and objectives. • Supervises and performs snow and ice removal for trails, pedestrian areas and parking lots, storm damage clean-up, and ice-skating area maintenance. • Performs duties in a safe manner and participates in safety training, ensures safety protocol is followed. • Conducts self in a professional manner which demonstrates courtesy and respect for all community members and coworkers. • Performs other duties as assigned. Minimum Education, Experience, Certification/Licensure, Other • Associate’s degree from an accredited educational institution and one year of related experience; or three years of related experience and/or equivalent combination of education and experience. Degree in Forestry or related. Experience in urban forestry. • State of Iowa Ornamental and Turf Pesticide Applicator’s Certiﬁcation within 6 months of hire. International Society of Arboriculture arborist certiﬁcate within one year of hire. Satisfactory driving record. Valid State of Iowa commercial driver’s license instruction permit upon ﬁrst day in position. Valid State of Iowa Class A commercial driver’s license with air brake endorsements within 6 months of hire. Meet federal drug testing requirements. Requires a pre-employment drug screen. Must be 18 years of age. Must pass criminal background check. Preferred Education, Experience, Certification/Licensure, Other • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited educational institution; or four years of related experience and/or equivalent combination of education and experience. • Tree Risk Assessment Qualiﬁcation (TRAQ) training. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities • Ability to calculate ﬁgures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. • Ability to establish and maintain eﬀective public relations and relationships with supervisors and other employees. • Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. • Ability to lead, supervise and evaluate the work of subordinate employees. • Ability to plan, organize and perform daily maintenance schedules to provide for eﬃcient operations. Updated: August 2025 (Admin Review) • Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. • Ability to reliably and predictably carry out duties. • Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. • Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. • Knowledge of arboricultural techniques including heavy rigging required for removal of trees and dead or hazardous limbs. • Knowledge of propagating, cultivating and caring for trees and landscape materials. • Skill in identifying and controlling tree diseases and insect damage. • Skill in mixing and applying pesticides and fertilizers safely and professionally. • Skill in operating and maintaining forestry and landscaping equipment. • Skill in using computers and applicable software applications (Microsoft Oﬃce – Word, Excel, Outlook). Supervision Involves leadership role such as regularly guiding, training, and providing direction to permanent staff in completing basic, entry-level daily tasks and assignments. Does not carry out disciplinary action, does not hire or fire, is not responsible for writing or delivering performance review. Physical Demands The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties and responsibilities. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and talk or hear. The employee regularly lifts and/or moves 25 pounds and will occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds with or without assistance. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Work Environment The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential duties and responsibilities of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties and responsibilities. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to moving mechanical parts, high or precarious places, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, risk of electrical shock, vibration, confined space, and traffic hazards. The employee Updated: August 2025 (Admin Review) is frequently exposed to outside weather condition, dampness, direct sunlight, dust, pollen, insect stings, and animals. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud. Involves more than moderate exposure to dangerous situations. Involves more than moderate exposure to stress due to the work environment and/or crisis situations. Iowa City is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act as Amended, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer. Reviewed/Approved by: Juli Seydell Johnson, Parks & Recreation Director (4/2024) I have read and understand the duties and requirements of this job description, and I agree that I can perform the duties of this position with or without reasonable accommodation. Employee Date ________________________________ __________________