JOB DESCRIPTION

The Restoration Tree Specialist position performs a wide variety of skilled landscape, restoration monitoring, and organizational tasks to support the creation and management of habitat restoration projects, tree mitigation projects, and the improvement of park visitor use areas in various Ventura and Los Angeles County locations. The MRCA’s expanding portfolio of large-scale tree mitigation projects necessitates a Restoration Division position that requires specialized knowledge, skills, certifications, licenses, and abilities prior to hire.

Applications for this position are accepted online at https://www.calopps.org/mountains-recreation-conservation-authority. Please contact us at employment@mrca.ca.gov if you need an accommodation in the recruitment process. Learn more about the MRCA team at https://mrca.ca.gov/about/employment/.

This position requires the possession of both the following two arborist certifications: 1) International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist, and 2) International Society of Arboriculture Tree Risk Assessment Qualification.

This position requires a motivated, responsible, organized, and self-starter individual who can handle an array of tasks at the same time as part of his/her/their workload and works well independently and as part of a small team. The individual must be able to come up with multiple solutions to any given problem in areas that may be outside their expertise and be willing to take on uncertain challenges.

The position requires demonstration of a minimum three (3) years of work experience in a plant nursery specializing in California native plants, grounds maintenance installing and maintaining California native plants, or other relevant field work to demonstrate sufficient expertise with California native plant and tree identification, installation, monitoring, and maintenance.

The position necessitates frequent driving of water trucks and pulling of water trailers that both require holding and maintaining a valid Class B California Commercial Drivers’ License with Tank Endorsement (details below).

The position requires organizational and mapping skills for the long-term monitoring of tree planting.

Supervision

This position reports to, and takes direction from, Restoration Field Supervisors, Restoration Field Program Manager, and the Chief of Natural Resources and Planning. This position supervises no staff.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

• Perform as the Restoration Division’s staff arborist.
• Follow written and verbal directions from Division supervisors to conduct habitat restoration, landscape, and clean up assignments efficiently and independently.
• Install and maintain native trees and plants with deer/gopher caging and mulch as directed.
• Monitor installed native trees, plants, and soil conditions to determine appropriate adaptive management response(s).
• Trim and/or recommend tree limb pruning to minimize hazard tree risks.
• Fill, operate, and drive agency-owned and/or rented water trucks and water trailers that require a Class B California Commercial Drivers’ License with Tank Endorsement.
• Maintain assigned MRCA fleet vehicle.
• Install and maintain various park features including landscaping, irrigation, fencing, signs, and site furnishings.
• Properly operate and care for power equipment including weed whips, blowers, augers, and related equipment.
• Assume full responsibility for the adequate watering of plants in restoration sites as assigned.
• Demonstrate the ability to distinguish between a majority of native and non-native invasive plants on all work sites.
• Demonstrate an absolute ability to recognize key desired or legally protected plant species on all relevant work sites.
• Demonstrate continued interest in learning about both native and non-native plant growth characteristics.
• Install, maintain, and repair basic restoration irrigation systems as directed.
• Purchase materials, tools and supplies as directed.
• Conduct site cleanups with hazardous and heavy debris.
• Work in remote areas alone for an entire day.
• Work cooperatively with other crew members and contractors.
• Maintain assigned inventory of hand and power tools.
• Assist field data collection for annual monitoring reports.
• Perform physical labor including the ability to lift and carry items weighing up to 90 pounds for 75 feet over rough terrain multiple times per day.
• Perform other duties as required.

NON-ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Outgoing individual with experience dealing with the public.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to lift and carry items weighing up to 90 pounds for 75 feet over rough terrain multiple times per day, frequently operate heavy equipment as well as hand tools, work in outdoor weather conditions, frequently move about work sites, communicate and exchange information, observe site
conditions, transport equipment and tools between vehicles and work sites on a daily basis, and occasionally ascend/descend a ladder to access areas of work.

Required Hours and Location

Tuesday through Friday, 10 hours per day, 40 hours per week. Occasionally start/end times may vary. Occasional overtime work upon prior approval by Supervisors. The position requires both office work (remote and at MRCA offices) and travel to various agency locations. The work is spread over numerous job sites from the Santa Clarita Valley, the full length of the Santa Monica Mountains, Simi Hills, Santa Susana Mountains, and the western San Gabriel Mountains. The headquarters of the MRCA Restoration Division is in the Calabasas area at King Gillette Ranch; however, most days employees drive directly to a different job site. Based upon vehicle availability, most crew members are assigned a truck and gas card soon after a probationary period.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Education and Experience

• High School Diploma
• Demonstrated three (3) years of experience in plant nursery specializing in California native plants, grounds maintenance installing and maintaining California native plants, or other relevant field work.
• Ability to speak Spanish is highly desired.

Training and Certification

• International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist and ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification.
• Possession of a valid DMV Commercial Learner's Permit (CPL). Obtainment and continued valid holding of a Class B California Commercial Drivers’ License with Tank Endorsement (within 3 months of hire) with the ability to train and test on vehicles provided by the MRCA in that three-month period.
• Possession of a Class C California Drivers’ License in good DMV standing with a satisfactory driving record.
• Current CPR and First Aid Certificate or EMT certificate.

Knowledge of:

• Common Windows-based programs including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and remote meeting software.
• Southern California native plants and invasive, non-native plants.
• GIS, GPS, and geospatial mapping software.
• Photo monitoring techniques, procedures, and data management.
• Common inhibitors to robust tree growth and adaptive management responses.

Ability to:

• Absorb instructions and work independently.
• Once licensed, to drive and operate water trucks and tow water trailers.
• Perform physical labor including lifting and carrying objects weighing up to 90 pounds for 75 feet over rough terrain multiple times per day.
• Perform demanding labor on multiple consecutive days outdoors in hot weather.
• Follow proper safety practices and procedures necessary to operate various types of equipment.
• Operate and maintain a variety of hand saws, chainsaws (with approved MRCA training) and tree pruning equipment.
• Work for an entire day alone in a remote area.
• Work independently and as part of a team.
• Prioritize varying tasks and projects and revise work approach to address changed conditions.
• Read maps and navigate through greater Los Angeles in both urban developed and undeveloped open space areas.
• Interface on a limited basis with the public.

Competencies:

• Effective oral and written English language skills. Not required to be a native English speaker but fluency in English is required.
• Effective organizational skills.
• Establish and maintain cooperative relations with those contacted in the course of work including vendors, contractors, and the public.
• Bilingual skills in Spanish are highly desired.

This job announcement is not intended to, and does not, create an employment contract of any kind and does not create any express or implied contractual obligations. Employment at MRCA is at-will without exception. The employee and MRCA may terminate employment at any time with or without advance notice and with or without cause.

Any provision contained in this job announcement may be modified or revoked at any time without notice.