Tree Pruner

Tree Pruner

Salary

See Position Description

Location

Pittsburgh, PA

Job Type

CS Non-Competitive, Full Time

Job Number

26-TPNZ-01

Department

Public Works

Opening Date

10/09/2026

Closing Date

Continuous

FLSA

Non-Exempt

Bargaining Unit

04

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

POSITION SUMMARY

Provide professional tree care, under minimal supervision, on city right-of-ways, in parks, and on other city property.

Department: Public Works, Bureau of Operations

Salary: $28.49 per hour.

Union: This position is included in the Pittsburgh Joint Collective Bargaining Committee and will be filled in accordance with the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement

Union Bid Form: Not required. Your application for this position will serve as your union Bid Form.

Civil Service Classification: Non-Competitive

REQUIREMENTS

General Requirements: You must submit or show proof of all the following at the time of application (unless otherwise indicated below), or your application will be disqualified. Disqualifications based on any of these General Application Requirements are not subject to a Civil Service appeal.

• Applicants must submit a complete application, including education, work experience, a resume (if applicable), and completed supplemental questions.

• Applicants must become residents of the City of Pittsburgh prior to employment and remain a resident throughout employment.

• Click here to view a map of City of Pittsburgh neighborhoods.

• A current, valid Pennsylvania Class C Drivers License is required prior to appointment and must be maintained throughout employment. Written requests for accommodation based on the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act will be considered by the Department of Human Resources & Civil Service on an individual basis.

NOTE: The City of Pittsburgh, as a matter of policy, conducts pre-employment and promotional background investigations on all candidates being considered for positions. The background investigation includes, but is not limited to, criminal background, drivers license, and City of Pittsburgh real estate tax payments. Candidates may be disqualified from consideration based on the results of their background investigation, as it relates to the job for which the applicant is being considered.

Qualifying Requirements:

Your City of Pittsburgh application will be reviewed, and your work experience and education/training will be evaluated to determine if you meet the qualifying eligibility requirements listed below for this position. You will be sent an eligibility letter regarding your eligible/ineligible status.

• WORK EXPERIENCE: The application must clearly show two (2) years of full-time, paid experience as a tree pruner-climber. (Less than full-time experience will be calculated on a pro-rated basis.)
• EDUCATION/TRAINING: The application must clearly show a High School Diploma or GED Certification.
• EQUIVALENCY: None permitted for this position.

CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS

Civil Service Examination(s):

If you meet the qualifying requirements listed above, you will be sent a letter of admission (when applicable) for the following examination(s). You must pass the written and/or performance examination(s) in order to have your name placed on the official Civil Service eligibility list for this position. Candidates who receive job offers must pass a medical examination (when applicable) prior to start date.

There will be a pretest demonstration of the Civil Service Examination. The date is to be determined based on applicant volume and weather conditions. Candidates who meet the qualification requirements stated above will receive further information about the demonstration.

• Written: Based on the knowledge/abilities listed in the Position Description section of this announcement.
• Performance: The performance exam is based on the knowledge/abilities listed in the Job Description. To view the full job description, please click the link at the bottom of the Position Duties section of this announcement. The exam dates are not yet established and will be scheduled based on applicant volume and weather.
• Medical: Required.

Click HERE to view and/or print the Candidate Preparation Guide which contains performance examination event descriptions.

The Pre-Test Demonstration and Civil Service Examination dates are yet to be determined and depend on applicant volume and weather conditions.

POSITION DUTIES

• Performs tree care maintenance such as pruning, removal, planting, mulching, staking, fertilizing and watering.
• Operates heavy equipment (e.g., aerial portion of the bucket truck, chipper truck, chipper, etc.) utilized to prune and remove trees.
• Operates manual and motorized equipment (e.g., chain saws, power pruner, stump grinder, root pruner, hand tools, etc.) at ground level and at heights up to 70 ft.
• Trims trees using climbing ropes and saddle.
• Uses proper safety equipment; monitors working conditions, and reports problems to supervisor.
• Interacts with other city departments and the public to accomplish work.
• Provides feedback to supervisors to enhance operations.
• Keeps accurate records of time spent and equipment used on each job.
• May work evenings, weekends and holidays as required in response to emergencies (e.g. storms, tornadoes, floods, mudslides, etc.) related to public tree removal.
• May work in harsh weather conditions (e.g., extreme hot or cold temperatures, rain, snow, etc.) with frequent exposure to environmental hazards (e.g., pollens, poison ivy, dust, etc).
• Uses a variety of technological hardware (ie, computers, laptops, tablets, smart phones, GPS, cameras, etc.) and/or software (ie, email, Microsoft Office, Cartegraph, etc.) to maintain records and prepare accurate reports on work performed daily, weekly, monthly, or as assigned or required.
• Completes written daily work sheets as required.
• Performs other duties as assigned or required.

CLICK HERE to view the full job description including knowledge, skills, and abilities and working conditions for this position. Locate and click on the position title to view the complete job description.

Full-time City employees receive a comprehensive benefit package including:

• Health, Dental and Vision Benefits
• Pension
• Voluntary Deferred Compensation Plan
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Vacation
• Personal Days

(Benefits may be modified based on collective bargaining unit terms.)

01

The City of Pittsburgh welcomes all applicants, including those who would need to relocate to satisfy the Residency Requirement prior to starting this position. Please elaborate on your plans to relocate to Pittsburgh if you do not already live within the City of Pittsburgh municipality. If you already reside within the City of Pittsburgh, please write N/A.

02

Do you have a current, valid Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Operators License (Class C - regular) or a current valid drivers license from another state or the U.S. Armed Forces? If you do not possess a current, valid PA Class C Drivers License: Are you able to obtain one prior to appointment if you are selected to fill this position?

• N/A- I already possess the required drivers license.
• YES, I AM able to obtain a PA Class C Drivers License prior to appointment if I am selected to fill this position.
• NO, I am NOT able to obtain a PA Class C Drivers License prior to appointment if I am selected to fill this position.

03

Do you possess at least two (2) years of paid professional experience as a tree pruner-climber? Qualifying experience must include regularly and manually climbing trees using a climbing saddle, rope, and appropriate tie-in techniques to perform pruning, trimming, or removal work at heights up to 70 feet. Experience limited to ground-level tree maintenance, bucket truck operation, or ornamental pruning does not satisfy this requirement.

• Yes.
• No.

Required Question

Employer City of Pittsburgh

Address 414 Grant Street

Room 431

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15219

Phone 412-255-2710

Website http://www.pghjobs.net