Senior Tree Planting Specialist (Botanic Specialist II - Forestry)
Salary
$81,556.80 - $104,062.40 Annually
Location
Urban Forestry, 10910 N Denver Ave, Portland, OR 97217, OR
Job Type
Regular
Job Number
2026-00604
Bureau
Portland Parks & Recreation
Opening Date
07/06/2026
Closing Date
7/20/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
The Position
Job Appointment: Full-Time
Work Schedule: Mon-Fri. 7:00 am - 3:30 pm
Work Location: In person at PP&R Urban Forestry, 10910 N. Denver Ave., Portland, OR 97217. There is opportunity for limited remote telework. These positions are predominantly in person. Remote work must be performed within Oregon or Washington.
Benefit: Please check our benefits tab for an overview of benefits for this position
Language Pay Premium Eligible: This position is or may be eligible for Language Pay Differential for qualifying employees.
Union Representation: PROTEC17. To view this labor agreement, please click here.
Application Material: Please click APPLY to submit your application via the City of Portland's online portal. You will need to respond to the supplemental and attach a resume. Note: Do not include your age, date of birth, or the dates you attended or graduated from school. Only provide this information if it is specifically requested to meet job requirements or to follow federal, state, or local laws or rules.
About this Position:
Our Tree Planting Program is growing, and were hiring a Senior Tree Planting Specialist (Botanic Specialist II-Forestry) to help lead that growth. In this role, youll help shape the future of Portlands urban forest by managing the planting, establishment, and pruning of thousands of trees each year.
Our goal is to coordinate the annual planting of 10,000 urban trees, with a focus on large, native, and evergreen species. We work to grow tree canopy in underserved communities, especially neighborhoods that have faced years of underinvestment, fewer public resources, and greater environmental challenges. By growing tree canopy where it is needed most, we support healthier neighborhoods, improved environmental quality, and greater community resilience.
This work is guided by Portlands citywide tree planting strategy, Urban Forest Plan, and the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund.
As a Senior Tree Planting Specialist, you will serve the public by co-managing urban tree planting and establishment initiatives, including the Free Street Trees program. You will also lead our young tree structural pruning program, coordinating contractor work to prune up to 4,000 young trees each year. Your work will involve close collaboration with city work groups, contractors, community partners, and residents. Senior Tree Planting Specialists plan, implement, evaluate, and continuously improve programs that support Portland's urban forest goals.
In this role, you will work alongside nine other Senior Tree Planting Specialists to provide technical leadership and support to staff. You will train and mentor colleagues and contractors, coordinate work, delegate tasks, and provide feedback to support successful project delivery.
Your work will be in the field and the office, all year round. Examples of field work include finding planting locations, leading planting events, inspecting trees for quality control, and meeting contractors on site to ensure contract specifications are met. Examples of office work include leading planning meetings, entering and analyzing data, documenting procedures, and preparing reports.
Successful Senior Tree Planting Specialists have excellent communication, collaboration, and organization skills. They are flexible, take initiative to solve challenges, and welcome feedback. They are motivated to promote environmental justice and collaborate with diverse communities. When it comes to trees, they are proficient in urban forestry practices. They also enjoy sharing their knowledge in accessible ways and are eager to continue learning.
We are seeking candidates with diverse skills and experiences. If you have experience building strong connections with community groups, marginalized populations, and others who are often excluded from government programs, we encourage you to apply. Additional language skills beyond English are also valued.
What you'll get to do:
About Portland Parks & Recreation Urban Forestry
Urban Forestry cares for our vibrant and diverse urban forest-the 1.2 million trees in parks and natural areas, 333,000 street trees, and 2.9 million trees on private property.??
Valued at $9.5 billion, Portlands trees are critical city infrastructure. Urban Forestry protects and grows this shared asset through tree planting and care, education, volunteer stewardship, and community partnerships-with research, data, and community feedback guiding our programs and services. Our work is informed by thePortland Urban Forest Plan, which provides a roadmap for protecting, expanding, and caring for Portlands trees.?
We are proud of our long history protecting this vital asset, reflected in the City's nearly 50-year recognition as a Tree City USA, our designation as a Tree City of the World, and our accreditation for urban forestry excellence by the Urban and Community Forestry Society.
About the Bureau:
Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) is committed to the overall Citywide vision that race will have no detrimental effect on people of color, refugee, and immigrant communities in accessing our parks and natural areas, or from the benefit of our services. We recognize, understand, and encourage celebration of the differences that surround us. Diversity and equity are vital to PP&R's ideals and values. The City of Portland, Oregon is a growing and diverse city of 650,000 residents, nearly 20% of whom speak languages other than English at home. PP&R values a diverse workforce and seeks ways to promote equity and inclusion within the organization and with the public. PP&R encourages applications from candidates with knowledge, ability and experience working with a broad range of individuals and communities with diverse racial, ethnic, abilities, and socio-economic backgrounds. Although not required, PP&R encourages candidates who can fluently speak another language to include that information in their application materials. Multilingual candidates are encouraged to apply.
To Qualify
The following minimum qualifications are required for this position:
Applicants must also possess:
The Recruitment Process
The Recruitment Process:
How to Apply:
If this is your first time applying with the City of Portland, or if you haven't requested veteran preference before (and would like to now), please attach your DD214-Member 4 and/or VA Benefit Letter to your application. Once we verify your eligibility, we'll record your veteran preference in our system, so it automatically applies to your future applications.
What to Expect:
Additional Information
Learn More About:
We're committed to providing a fair, inclusive, and accessible hiring process. If you need assistance with your application or would like to request a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, pregnancy, or religious belief, please contact the recruiter listed below.
Questions? Were here to help!
If you have questions about this recruitment or need assistance, contact:
Amanda Hillebrecht, Senior Recruiter
Amanda.Hillebrecht@portlandoregon.gov
Bureau of Human Resources
A Career with the City of Portland offers many Employee Benefits
We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to
AND SO MANY MORE!
Benefits may vary depending on bargaining unit and employment status. Click here to review the many different benefits the City of Portland offers.
01
Thank you for considering joining the City of Portland. We sincerely value your time and hope to make your application experience as positive as possible.
The following supplemental questions are an important step in the examination and selection process to assist us in determining if you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities to succeed in the posted vacancy.
A lack of a complete and thorough response to each of the supplemental questions in the space provided may result in disqualification from the examination. In addition, the selections you make and responses you provide in the questionnaire must accurately reflect what is documented in your resume.
Have you read and understood the information listed above?
02
Where did you first learn about this job opportunity? (If on a website or job board, please specify which one)
03
The City of Portland receives public records requests at times. Please indicate which response you find appropriate: (Answer will not disqualify you from the process)
04
Do you have experience leading urban forestry projects, such as site evaluation, tree procurement, tree planting, young tree pruning, and/or tree establishment?
05
Provide a detailed example(s) of your experience leading urban forestry projects, such as site evaluation, tree procurement, tree planting, young tree pruning, and/or tree establishment.
In your response, include details that clearly reflect how you meet this minimum qualification. Such as:
06
Do you have experience planting and structurally pruning young trees in an urban forestry or arboriculture setting following arboricultural best management practices?
07
Provide a detailed example(s) of your experience planting and structurally pruning young trees in an urban forestry or arboriculture setting following arboricultural best management practices.
In your response, include details that clearly reflect how you meet this minimum qualification. Such as:
08
Do you have experience working effectively with underserved or marginalized communities and communicating effectively across cultures?
09
Provide a detailed example(s) of your experience working effectively with underserved or marginalized communities and communicating effectively across cultures.
In your response, include details that clearly reflect how you meet this minimum qualification. Such as:
10
Do you have experience managing projects involving multiple partners and stakeholders, including community organizations, contractors, and property owners, to achieve program goals and meet deadlines?
11
Provide a detailed example(s) of your experience managing projects involving multiple partners and stakeholders, including community organizations, contractors, and property owners, to achieve program goals and meet deadlines.
In your response, include details that clearly reflect how you meet this minimum qualification. Such as:
12
To be considered, you must meet every required qualification listed below. Please check all that apply:
Required Question
Employer City of Portland
Address 1120 SW 5th Ave, Room 987
Portland, Oregon, 97204