Park Technician - Urban Forestry

City of Bellingham (WA)

Bellingham, WA

$33.59–$43.83 Per Hour

3 days ago

Job Description

Park Technician - Urban Forestry

Salary

$33.59 Hourly

Location

City of Bellingham, WA

Job Type

Full Time

Job Number

26-Park Tech Urb. Forest (Nov)

Department

Parks & Recreation

Division

Park Operations

Opening Date

11/06/2026

Closing Date

11/30/2026 8:30 AM Pacific

FLSA

Non-Exempt

Bargaining Unit

Local 1937

Description
Benefits
Questions

Nature of Work

Bring your urban forestry expertise to a city that values its canopy, and elevate your career where the North Cascades meets the Salish Sea. We are seeking a skilled individual to take on meaningful tree preservation and safety work across Bellingham's iconic urban forests. Step into this role with the Parks and Recreation Department where your technical skills directly shape the resilience of our green spaces.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Park Technician - Urban Forestry performs a variety of skilled technical duties and physical labor associated with technical tree work and other arboricultural duties. Assists with, and performs, aerial tree work including climbing and lift-truck operation. Organizes, prepares and sets up climbing and rigging gear, setting up anchors and rigging points, and operates lines and lowering devices. Reviews and comments on developers' Arborist Reports. Serves as lead to assigned staff, providing training, technical guidance and day-to-day direction in all areas of tree work. Work zones include interfacing with public and private properties, occasionally under stressful or hazardous conditions such as storm damage

For more information, please review the job classification.

WHY JOIN OUR TEAM?

Joining the City of Bellingham means becoming a part of a team that believes our greatest impact comes from working together with purpose, humility and a shared commitment to our community. Every employee contributes to delivering meaningful results for the people who live, work and visit here. We value people who approach challenges with curiosity, respect and collaboration. If you are motivated by building a career in public service, we encourage you to apply.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

This position will start at Step 1 ($33.59/hour). Employees receive step increases annually in accordance with the Guild of Pacific Northwest Employees, Local 1937 Collective Bargaining Agreement and City policy. The full hourly range for this position is $33.59 - $43.83. For internal candidates, placement within the range is based on City Pay Placement Procedures.

At the City of Bellingham, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that helps you thrive in both your career and personal life. Join our team and enjoy the peace of mind knowing that you and your loved ones are well cared for. Here's a closer look at the outstanding benefits that come with being part of our team. You can find more details on our employment benefits page and labor agreements page.

10 hours of vacation leave per month, with increased accrual over time
12 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday per year
8 hours sick leave accrued monthly
Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families
Life insurance and long-term disability coverage
Flexible spending accounts and medical insurance opt-out program
Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Washington State Retirement plan (DRS) for retirement security
Optional 457 deferred compensation (Retirement Savings Plan) with employer match

Leave accruals are based on 1.0 FTE, accruals are pro-rated if part-time and require employees to be in paid status at least 120 hours/month.

Closing Date/Time: Mon. 11/30/26, 8:30 AM Pacific Time

Experience and Training

Two years of experience in professional tree care including pruning, felling, removals, and using lowering systems.
Two years or coursework or training in horticulture, environmental science, arboriculture, or a related field may substitute for one year of required experience.
Two years of experience in climbing techniques and rigging systems.
Two years Tree Risk Assessment experience.

Necessary Special Requirements

Employment contingent upon passing a criminal background check and child and vulnerable adult abuse records check (see Fair Hiring Practices below).
Verification of ability to work in the United States by date of hire.
Valid Washington State driver's license and good driving record. A three-year driving abstract must be submitted prior to hire.
Must secure and maintain an I.S.A. Certified Arborist Certification within 24 months of hire.
Must obtain and maintain a Washington State Herbicide/Pesticide License within 12 months of hire.
Must obtain and maintain a valid Commercial Driver's License within 18 months of hire.
Must pass CDL-related drug and alcohol testing throughout term of employment in position
Must secure and maintain a Tree Risk Assessment Qualification Certification TRAQ within 12 months of hire.
Must secure and maintain a Flagging/Traffic Control Certification within 12 months of hire.
Must secure and maintain a valid First Aid and CPR certification within 12 months of hire.
Must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to hire (This position is considered a safety sensitive position; therefore, the pre-employment drug test includes testing for cannabis. Positive test results will exclude an applicant from being hired).
Must be willing and able to work weekends or evenings to respond to emergency call-out situations.

Selection Process

You are encouraged to print a copy of this job announcement for your reference as the process moves along

Please ensure your application is complete and all required information has been provided. Standard completeness means all application fields (contact information, personal information, education, work experience, references, and supplemental questions). Application materials should comprehensively document your experience and skills related to the position responsibilities and experience/training requirements. As part of the City's commitment to reducing bias in the hiring process, Human Resources redacts personally identifiable information for reviewers. Only the documents listed as required will be reviewed.

Minimum Qualifications: Applicants must provide specific, detailed information so an initial determination can be made regarding your level of qualifications for this position. Applicant status will be updated on or around December 2, 2026.
Oral Board Interview: All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be invited to participate in an Oral Board Interview, tentatively scheduled for the week of December 14, 2026. Applicants must have a passing score of 60% or higher to be placed on the eligibility register.
Applicants will be notified via email of Final Scores & Ranks. The final ranking of the register will be based on total scores for the following: Oral Board Interview (100%).

Final candidates will be referred to the department for additional examination, assessment, or test.

This recruitment process will create a Civil Service eligibility register that will be used to fill current and future vacancies as they become available. There is currently 1 full-time vacancy in Parks and Recreation. This position is represented by a union.

If you wish to claim Veterans' Preference Points, please complete the Veterans Scoring Criteria Declaration Form and upload it to your application with your DD214.

Please Note: Candidates will receive updates regarding application status via email. Please be sure to check your email frequently, including your spam folders for messages filtered by your email providers.

Equal Opportunity:

The City of Bellingham is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not make decisions on the basis of an individuals race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, age (40+), disability, retaliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. All are encouraged to apply for employment.

Fair Hiring Practices

The City provides individuals who have been arrested or convicted of a criminal offense an equal and fair opportunity to obtain employment.
The City will not inquire about an applicants criminal history until after a conditional job offer has been made.
The City will disregard the prior arrest and conviction record of an otherwise qualified individual unless the offense is directly related to the job position for which the individual has applied.
The City will notify an otherwise qualified applicant about a potentially disqualifying conviction and give the applicant an opportunity to submit information regarding the accuracy of the criminal records as well as evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation, as appropriate.

There are many good reasons for working at the City of Bellingham. The work is rewarding and you have an opportunity to serve your community. Another good reason is the great benefits that the City offers its employees. See our benefits section for additional information.

This position is represented by The Guild of Pacific Northwest Employees, Local 1937 bargaining unit. Specific benefit information including Holidays, Vacation Accruals, Health, Dental and Vision Plans with cost sharing and Deferred Compensation Match can be found in the Local 1937 labor agreement.

This position is covered by the State of Washington Department of Retirement Systems PERS plan. PERS requires mandatory employee and City contributions. Please visit the DRS website for more information on PERS.

Civil Service Information

This position is subject to the Bellingham Civil Service Commission. When a vacancy occurs, the top fifteen candidates or the top 25% of the register will be forwarded to the department for further consideration. All new Civil Service employees are subject to a one-year probationary period. A candidate may challenge the scope, content, or method of an examination or test, and a protest may be filed in writing with the Examiner within five (5) days following the date of the challenged examination. A candidate may also challenge the scoring of an examination or test, failure of the candidate on any part of an examination, or clerical error in examination results of any examination or test, and a protest may be filed in writing with the Examiner within five (5) days of notification of the challenged result. The Examiner shall consider all timely filed protests and make appropriate corrections if an error is demonstrated.

Veterans Scoring Criteria

Applicants who have been honorably discharged from active military duty may be eligible to receive veterans scoring criteria points as provided by Washington State Law (RCW 41.04.010). If you wish to claim Veterans' Preference Points, please complete the Veterans Scoring Criteria Declaration Form and upload it to your application with your DD214.

Thank you for your interest in this position at the City of Bellingham! To ensure a consistent review, only the City of Bellingham job application and required supplemental documents will be reviewed. Cover letters and resumes are not reviewed unless they are required as part of the process. When applying for this position, you must thoroughly complete each section of your application, and provide a thorough response to each of the supplemental questions. Please do not indicate "see resume" or copy content that is unrelated to the position being applied for from your resume when answering these questions.

Have you read and understood the information listed above?

Do you have two years of experience in professional tree care including pruning, felling, removals, and using lowering systems? How We Count Work Experience: Your experience must be equal to full-time paid work. If you worked part-time, we'll calculate your experience based on the total number of hours you worked in a year. For example, if you worked 10 hours per week for 12 months, that equals 3 months of full-time experience (10 hrs x 52 weeks= 520 hrs/173.33 full time hrs per month = 3 months).

If you answered NO to the above question, do you have two years or coursework or training in horticulture, environmental science, arboriculture, or a related field that may substitute for one-year of required experience? [Note: this must be listed on your application under Education and/or Work Experience.]

Do you have two years of experience in climbing techniques and rigging systems? How We Count Work Experience: Your experience must be equal to full-time paid work. If you worked part-time, we'll calculate your experience based on the total number of hours you worked in a year. For example, if you worked 10 hours per week for 12 months, that equals 3 months of full-time experience (10 hrs x 52 weeks= 520 hrs/173.33 full time hrs per month = 3 months).

Do you have two years Tree Risk Assessment experience? How We Count Work Experience: Your experience must be equal to full-time paid work. If you worked part-time, we'll calculate your experience based on the total number of hours you worked in a year. For example, if you worked 10 hours per week for 12 months, that equals 3 months of full-time experience (10 hrs x 52 weeks= 520 hrs/173.33 full time hrs per month = 3 months).

For this position, the majority of work is performed outdoors, in all weather conditions, performing technical tree work and assessing tree hazards and other situations in the City's areas of responsibility. The work environment creates potentially hazardous conditions, including working at considerable heights with chainsaws and rigging, and working in traffic zones. Work is conducted in natural areas, developed park sites, and urban streetscapes. Depending on the project or assignment, may be required to use appropriate safety equipment, wear a variety of protective high visibility clothing rain gear, safety boots, safety glasses and gloves. Occasional work indoors at a desk or computer for documentation, to attend meetings and training or perform equipment maintenance.

Have you read and understand the working conditions of this position?

Do you have or are you willing to obtain a Washington State drivers license and provide a 3-year driving history prior to hire?

Are you willing and able to secure and maintain Commercial Drivers License (CDL) throughout term of employment?

I currently possess a valid CDL license
I am willing to obtain a CDL within 18 months of hire
I do not have a CDL and will not obtain one

Do you have or are you willing to obtain the following certifications: - I.S.A. Certified Arborist Certification within 24 months of hire. - Washington State Herbicide/Pesticide License within twelve months of hire. - Tree Risk Assessment Qualification Certification TRAQ within 12 months of hire. - Flagging/Traffic Control Certification within 12 months of hire. - First Aid and CPR certification within 12 months of hire.

Are you willing and able to work weekends or evenings to respond to emergency call-out situations?

Please describe, in detail, your tree care experience in professional tree care including pruning, felling, removals, and using lowering systems.

Please describe your Tree Risk Assessment experience.

If you are requesting Veterans Preference points, a completed Veterans Scoring Criteria Status Declaration is required along with a copy of your DD214. The required form is in the Selections Process section of the Job Posting. Check "YES" here if you are attaching a Veterans Declaration form and DD214.

Required Question

Employer City of Bellingham

Address 104 West Magnolia Street

Bellingham, Washington, 98225

Phone 360-778-8220

Website http://www.cob.org/employment