The Position

The City of Oakland is an equal opportunity employer that values workforce diversity, inclusion, and equity. Oakland has a long history of activism around issues of justice and equity. Both oppression and this resistance to oppression have shaped the city’s historical roots and the lives of its residents to this day. As public servants in one of the most diverse cities in the nation, we strive to develop employees who understand the harm and impacts of systemic inequity to create lasting, meaningful outcomes for everyone. Oakland strives to establish an environment that embraces the richness of culture, community, and individualism of employees.

Why Join Oakland Public Works or the Department of Transportation?
Are you interested in being part of an urban forestry program in a diverse and dynamic city? The City of Oakland has an excellent opportunity for individuals who enjoy being outdoors, interacting with the public, and working for the benefit and beauty of the community!

The City of Oakland is currently recruiting to fill three (3) Arboricultural Inspector vacancies within the Oakland Public Works Department and one (1) vacancy within the Department of Transportation. The ideal candidate is a certified arborist with industry experience and a strong foundation in arboricultural education or field practice, who is self-motivated, comfortable working autonomously, and committed to contributing to a positive team culture and helping the team grow and succeed.

We are looking for someone who is:

Knowledgeable in tree industry safety, proper work techniques, and arboricultural practices.
A strong collaborator who can work closely with other departments, CIP, plan review, and tree preservation staff to coordinate tree-related work and support projects.
Safety-focused when assessing tree health and structural conditions to identify hazards and minimize risks to the public and property.
Decisive and able to make quick, sound decisions during emergency situations and respond appropriately to immediate safety concerns.
Thoughtful and able to carefully consider policy guidance and arboricultural practices when making decisions and developing standards for the Tree Division.

What you will typically be responsible for:

Inspecting trees in City parks and along streets to assess their health and condition, helping preserve the urban forest, and identifying potential hazards to the public.
Reviewing tree removal permits for development and non-development projects on private property to ensure proposed work complies with the City’s protected tree requirements.
Training staff and others on tree inspection practices, safety procedures, and applicable arboricultural standards.
Responding to tree-related emergencies and assessing hazardous conditions to help protect the public and property.
Preparing and maintaining accurate records, reports, inspection findings, and other documentation related to tree inspections and permit activities.

Working for the City of Oakland

A few reasons you might love this job:

You will have the opportunity to assist the community by caring for Oakland’s trees, helping sustain and grow the urban forest, and supporting the benefits of green infrastructure.
You will have opportunities to grow professionally by applying arboricultural standards and practices in the field, while building a career in the Tree Division and beyond.
You will work outdoors throughout a beautiful city while being part of an organization that prioritizes employee safety and long-term career longevity.

A few challenges you might face in this job:

You will perform physically demanding work in challenging conditions, including emergency response work during storm events
You will have to pivot work activities based on changing priorities throughout each workday that may be due to short staffing
You will learn and master a diverse set of skills, including operating several types and models of heavy equipment

Competencies Required:

Action & Results Focused (Taking Initiative): Initiating tasks and focusing on accomplishment
Attention to Detail: Focusing on the details of work content, work steps, and final work products
Building & Maintaining Relationships: Establishing rapport and maintaining mutually productive relationships
Critical Thinking: Analytically and logically evaluating information, propositions, and claims
Customer Focus: Attending to the needs and expectations of customers
Decision Making: Choosing optimal courses of action in a timely manner
Fact Finding: Obtaining facts and data pertaining to an issue or question
Legal & Regulatory Navigation: Understanding, interpreting, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations
Oral Communication: Engaging effectively in dialogue
Professional & Technical Expertise: Applying technical subject matter to the job
Professional Integrity & Ethics: Displaying honesty, adherence to principles, and personal accountability
Reading Comprehension: Understanding and using written information
Safety Focus: Showing vigilance and care in identifying and addressing health risks and safety hazards
Thinking & Acting Systematically: Formulating objectives and priorities, and implementing plans consistent with the long-term interests of the organization in a global environment
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing

Minimum Requirements for Application

This recruitment will produce two eligible lists. The restricted list will be for full-time, permanent part-time, or part-time City and Port of Oakland employees who maintain employment for the duration of the recruitment and pass all stages of the recruitment process. The open list will be for all other applicants who pass all stages of the recruitment process.

Any combination of education and experience that is equivalent to the following minimum qualifications may be acceptable:

Education:
High school diploma or equivalent, plus 12 college units in forestry, horticulture, arboriculture, botany, or a closely related field. College-level coursework in supervision is highly desirable.

Experience:
Five (5) years of experience working as an arborist, including one year of experience inspecting trees to determine hazardous conditions or trimming needs. Note: A related bachelor's degree in arboriculture, horticulture, forestry, botany, or a closely related field may substitute for two (2) years of experience. One year of experience as a team leader in the care and maintenance of trees is highly desirable.

License or Certificate / Other Requirements:

Possession of a valid California Driver's License, Class C, to be maintained throughout employment with the City of Oakland.

Possession of a valid Certified Arborist certificate from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) is required and must be maintained throughout tenure of employment.

Must be willing to work outdoors, subject to inclement weather.

Must be willing to work irregular days and hours, as needed, for emergency response.

Desirable Qualifications:

Tree Risk Assessment Qualification from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Urban Forest Professional from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)

Supplemental Information

The Recruitment Process

The City of Oakland works with a Civil Service system. Applicants apply online, and HR staff reviews their experience, education, and training listed on the application against the “minimum qualifications” listed for each position.

Candidates who demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements are then invited to participate in an assessment process (or testing) to measure their knowledge, skills, and abilities in job-related areas.

Candidates who do not demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements will have an opportunity to request a final review. Candidates must request a final review within 5 business days of being notified that they did not meet the minimum qualifications.

In the final review, candidates may clarify information already provided on their application. No additional work history, education, or certifications will be accepted. Any decisions made during this review process will be final.

For this recruitment, all qualified applicants will be invited to the structured interview (sometimes referred to as an Oral Exam) (weighted 100%), which will be evaluated and rated by subject matter experts. The structured interview will be conducted as a one-way video interview, where you will record your responses to a set of questions. You will have 7 days from the time you receive the interview link to complete and submit your video responses. The tentative date of the structured interview is the week of October 5, 2026.

Candidates requesting reasonable accommodations for the examination process must request accommodations no later than one week before they are scheduled to take the exam; otherwise, it may not be possible to arrange accommodations for the selection process. Please complete the Request for Reasonable Accommodation in Testing form by copying and pasting the link into your browser to open it:https://cao-94612.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/Request-for-Reasonable-Accommodation-in-Testing-2.9.22-Fillable.pdf. Send the completed form and any supporting documentation to the exam analyst: Alanna Butler at abutler@oaklandca.gov.

Candidates who pass each stage in the process will be placed on an eligible list. Some candidates may receive extra points, for example, if you are a Veteran with an honorable discharge, or if you are a current City of Oakland resident. If you’re applying to a “restricted” posting and you are eligible as a current City employee, you may also receive additional points for your City service. Extra points are only applied to passing scores, so if you do not pass every element of the testing process, you cannot use extra points to pass.

The City of Oakland reserves the right to modify the selection process and date of examination as necessary to conform to administrative or business necessity. The information contained in this announcement is subject to change and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.

What’s in it for you?

Work/Life Balance: 40-hour work weeks
15 paid holidays
Vacation: 2 weeks per year minimum with the ability to accrue more depending on public sector years of service
Retirement: CalPERS (California Public Employees’ Retirement System) with a pension formula of 2.5% @ 55 (for Classic CalPERS members) and 2% @ 62 for new CalPERS members. Classic Employees contribute 8% of pre-tax wages. The City of Oakland does not participate in Social Security
Health: The City of Oakland pays the full cost of employee and eligible dependent coverage at the Kaiser rate. Other plans include Anthem, Blue Shield, United Health Care, and other HMO and PPO plans
Dental: Delta Dental full premium for employees and eligible dependents
Vision: VSP full premium for employees and eligible dependents
Sick leave: Employees accrue 12 days per year
Deferred Compensation: 457(b) pre-tax plan and an after-tax ROTH 401(k)plan
Other benefits include a Flexible Spending Account, Wellness Program, Employee Assistance Program, Tuition Reimbursement, Life Insurance up to $200k & Employee Training.

*Benefits described here do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

Applicants are required to submit criminal history information upon request after receiving a conditional offer of employment. If the requested information is not furnished in a timely manner, applicants will not qualify for further consideration and will be removed from the eligible list.

Disaster Service Workers

All employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

How to Apply

Apply prior to the closing time of the job announcement and allow at least two to three hours to submit your application if you are a new user of the system. APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED ONLINE ONLY. You may apply and view current openings by visiting our employment opportunities webpage at:

http://agency.governmentjobs.com/oaklandca

If you do not have access to a computer, there are computer stations available at any City of Oakland Public Library. There are also workstations at the Human Resources Management Department, 150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 2nd Floor, Oakland, CA 94612. Workstations are available during regular business hours (normally10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.).

Our online application system is provided by GovernmentJobs. If you have problems while applying online, please contact GovernmentJobs Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday. You may also call the City of Oakland Human Resources Management Department during regular business hours at (510) 238-3112 for information; however, we are unable to provide technical support for the online application system. For recruitment-specific questions, please contact Alanna Butler, HR Analyst, at abutler@oaklandca.gov.

The City of Oakland is committed to the wellbeing of its employees and offers comprehensive health and wellness services along with an array of other benefits for most positions. Benefits may include*:

CalPERS Medical
Dental
Vision
Medical Waiver Plan – Cash-In-Lieu
Flexible Spending Accounts
Commuter Benefits
Group & Supplemental Life Insurance
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Guaranteed Ride Home (GRH)
Pension Benefits
Deferred Compensation

Specific benefits may vary depending on the assigned specific bargaining unit.

City of Oakland, CA

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