Urban Forestry Inspector - Operations - Public Works (161423) (EXEMPT)

Job Description

Job Description

Company Description

Specific information regarding this recruitment process is listed below.

Application Opening :   Thursday, November 6th, 2025

Application Deadline :  Applicants are encouraged to apply immediately as this recruitment may close at any time, but no earlier than Friday, November 14th, 2025.

Compensation Range :   $93,392 to $113,516 annually

Recruitment ID : PEX-3435-161423, RTF0161290-01157598

Appointment Type :   Permanent Exempt (PEX), Category 18. This position is excluded by the Charter from the competitive Civil Service examination process and shall serve at the discretion of the Appointing Officer and shall not exceed 36 months.

San Francisco Public Works (Public Works) has a far-reaching portfolio with a $453 million annual operating budget, an active capital portfolio that exceeds $3 billion and a workforce of 1,700-plus employees. The department operates around the clock, touching every neighborhood in San Francisco. The staff designs and manages the construction of civic buildings and streets; cleans and greens the right of way; maintains civic buildings; manages multi-million-dollar bond programs; trains people for jobs; keeps the right of way free of hazards; paves the roads; repairs bridges and public stairways; expands accessibility; and works at the forefront addressing some of San Francisco’s biggest challenges. With a mission to enhance the quality of life in San Francisco for residents, visitors and business owners, Public Works is committed to providing outstanding public service through an equity lens.

Please visit the “About Us” section of our website at  https : / / www.sfpublicworks.org / about  to learn more about the department’s core values, Racial Equity Initiative, leadership team, history, budget and more.

Public Works currently has a vacancy for the position of Urban Forestry Inspector (3435) within our operations division.

Job Description

Under general supervision, as an Urban Forestry Inspector, you will be responsible for tree planting site inspection work related to the USDA Forest Service’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Tree Planting Grant for San Francisco Public Works.

The Urban Forestry Inspector will canvass potential street tree planting sites that have not yet been created in the sidewalk, identifies missing or vacant tree basins / tree wells, refers to specific grant funded areas of different neighborhoods, marks sites physically with spray paint to have the sites checked by utilities, re-inspects to confirm if site meets City tree planting guidelines and interacts with a high volume of customers in the public right-of-way during this process. Duties may also include using safety equipment, using a hand saw or operating a power saw or chain saw to remove limbs, stacking, chipping and loading brush in preparation for disposal. Driving vehicles and performing related duties as required.

This position requires working collaboratively as a team, with team contributions playing a vital role in delivering exceptional customer service and performing effectively to meet critical timelines.

The Project : The San Francsico Public Works Bureau of Urban Forestry (BUF) will plant and establish thirty-five hundred (3,500) trees in equity priority neighborhoods with community partners, to expand tree canopy while creating workforce development opportunities.

Important and Essential Duties :

The duties as an Urban Forestry Inspector may include, but are not limited to, the following :

• Make tree species planting recommendations based on San Francisco site conditions and micro-climates, in consultation with other Urban Forestry Inspectors and the Urban Forester.
• Pre-inspect vacant tree planting sites, marking existing planting sites and new potential cut sites so that they can be marked by Underground Service Alert (USA) to rule out any below-ground conflicts. After USA has made their markings, return to all sites to confirm if plantable.
• Document site-by-site findings in the City’s Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), to help track progress towards overall planting goals. This includes record keeping within each tree / site asset, taking photos, adding site notes and customer feedback to records.
• Meet customers on site to review proposed planting sites and answer questions about the goal of our tree planting grant, and the Department’s Urban Forest Plan.
• Work with the Public Works Contract Administration and Grants teams to share progress, work closely with other Urban Forestry Inspectors in the Bureau who will also be assisting with related grant coordination efforts.
• Deals with emergency tree situations.

Working Condition : Positions in this job code may engage in some activity that requires physical demands and manual dexterity with exposure to inclement weather and other arduous and disagreeable working conditions.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications :

Experience : Three (3) years of verifiable experience in tree planting and maintenance activity, inspecting and evaluating trees; writing reports and making presentation. Experience pruning trees alone is not qualifying experience.  AND

Training : Possession of Arborist Certification through the International Society of Arboriculture or ability to obtain certification within 18 months of appointment.  AND

License : Possession of a valid Class C Driver’s License.

Substitution : College-level course work equivalent to two years (60 units) in arboriculture, urban forestry or horticulture may be substituted for up to one (1) year of the required experience.

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT

Desirable Qualifications :   The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify candidates advancing to the interview process and / or to identify job finalists at the end of the selection process when referred for hiring.

What else should I know?

Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications listed in the job ad. Please review our articles on Employment Application and Minimum Qualifications and Verification of Experience and / or Education for considerations taken when reviewing applications.

Verification :

Please make sure your application is complete and demonstrates how you meet the minimum qualifications. Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. More information can be found at :   https : / / sfdhr.org / information -about-hiring- process#verification

All work experience, education, training and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications.

Resumes will not be accepted in place of a completed City and County of San Francisco application. You must complete the application online.

Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility, disqualification or may lead to lower scores.

Note :  Any misrepresentation or falsifying one's education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification from this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

SELECTION PROCEDURE / EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS

After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following :

The selection process will include an evaluation of applications in relation to minimum requirements. Depending on the number of applicants, the Department may establish and implement additional screening mechanisms to comparatively evaluate the qualifications of candidates. If this becomes necessary, only those applicants whose qualifications most closely meet the needs of the Department will move forward in the recruitment process.

Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire (MQSQ)(Weight : Qualifying) :

Candidates may be required to complete an MQSQ as part of the employment application. This MQSQ is designed to obtain specific information regarding an applicant's experience in relation to the Minimum Qualifications (MQ) for this position. The MQSQ will be used to evaluate if the applicant possesses the required minimum qualifications.

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through all of the steps in the selection procedure.

Terms of Announcement

Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules, or regulations. Clerical errors may be corrected by posting the correction on the Department of Human Resources website at  https : / / careers.smartrecruiters.com / CityAndCountyOfSanFrancisco1 / .

Additional Information

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco :

Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion :  At the City and County of San Francisco, we share a commitment to a diverse, inclusive and equitable community. Each member of our organization is responsible and accountable for what they say and do to make San Francisco an inclusive and equitable place to live and work by employing fair and just practices to and for all.

Applicants will receive a confirmation email that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records.  Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.

If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the analyst, Raquel Knighten, at raquel.knighten@sfdpw.org.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV / AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.