Salary : $88,188.00 - $107,448.00 Annually
Location : City Hall, 1055 South Grady Way Renton WA 98057, WA
Job Type: AFSCME
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: 26-00115
Department: PR - Parks & Trails
Opening Date: 07/15/2026
Closing Date: 7/29/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Job Description
The City of Renton is seeking a knowledgeable and motivated
Inspecting Arborist to support the care and long-term sustainability of our urban forest. This position is responsible for conducting tree inspections, assessing tree health and risk, and providing expert recommendations for maintenance and preservation. A successful candidate brings strong technical skills, sound judgment, and a commitment to public service. Work in this role directly supports community safety, environmental quality, and Renton's urban forestry goals. If you are passionate about trees and dedicated to helping communities thrive, we invite you to apply.
Working for the City of Renton comes with an
excellent benefits package, including:
- Deferred compensation with the City contributing 3% of the employee's salary.
- VEBA Plan with the City contributing 1% of the employee's salary.
- Medical, dental, vision and life insurance at affordable rates
- Paid leave for vacation, sick, eleven holidays and two "personal" holidays a year
- State of Washington Department of Retirement Systems Public Employee Retirement Systems (PERS) plan enrollment
Telework Program: The City of Renton supports workers performing in a hybrid capacity (partial telework/in-office) where job responsibilities can be performed remotely. This position may be eligible for a telework arrangement, working certain days/times remotely (up to 2 days per week) based on the operational needs of the City and specific Department. Regardless of job title or telework arrangement, City of Renton employees must reside in Washington State and within a reasonable distance to their worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.
EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND LICENSE REQUIREMENTS:
- Bachelor's Degree in Biology, Forestry, Horticulture, Environmental Science, or related field.
- 2 years of certified arborist experience or combination of closely related work, including project management experience.
- Or minimum 6 years of relevant education and experience.
- ISA Certified Arborist designation required.
- ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) required within 6 months of date of hire.
- First aid and CPR certificates within 6 months of employment.
- Valid drivers' license.
- Successful passing of a required driving record check.
- Successful passing of a required background check.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Maintain and manage digital GIS database for tree inventory.
- Support code enforcement of tree regulations and site investigations.
- Assist the Community Economic Development Department with the review of tree permits for tree removals and site inspections for tree protection requirements on development parcels.
- Assist the Urban Forestry and Natural Resource Manager with inquiries and inspections arising from Renton Responds.
- Assist the Urban Forestry and Natural Resource Manager with education and outreach efforts.
- Coordinate work with City departments including Community and Economic Development, Executive Services (GIS), Parks and Recreation, Public Works (Street Maintenance and Transportation divisions).
- Lay out new projects, assist in site management, create worklists of trees requiring maintenance, and locate assets using GIS database as directed.
- Respond to inquiries via the website, emails, online portal, walk-ins, and personal customer interaction in the field.
- Prepare worklists and spreadsheets.
- Assist with bidding and contracting as directed.
- Assist with contractor supervision for new projects, perform site management duties, and identify maintenance locations, as directed.
- Manage work orders
- Document tree inspections or evaluations, assess tree health, risk and maintenance needs.
- Contribute to an environment of teamwork and respect.
- Foster a culture of equity and inclusion by recognizing the diverse needs and perspectives of groups and individuals.
- Remain current with relevant technological advancements as it relates to field.
- Participate in and help provide cross-training in processes as directed by management to ensure a well-rounded team for coverage purposes.
- Maintain regular, reliable, and punctual attendance.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
- May be assigned to support City priorities during emergencies.
See for a complete job description.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
- Drive to offsite locations to perform essential functions.
- Move throughout City facilities and buildings.
- Operate a computer and other office equipment.
- Communicate with City employees and residents.
- Lift or move items weighing up to 50 pounds on occasion.
- Climb and work from ladders, climb stairs.
- Bending, stretching, and standing for extended periods.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
- Work is performed in an office environment and outdoors in all weather conditions.
- Noise level out in the field is moderately loud.
- Noise level in the office is moderately quiet.
- Work evening and/or weekend hours as needed.
- Night meetings may be required.
Selection Procedure
Please consider visiting the City of Renton's
Career Center for more information about our hiring process, benefits and other useful information. The City of Renton embraces a diverse and inclusive workforce and prides itself on promoting collaboration and teamwork in a positive environment while providing high-quality services to the community. For more information about the City of Renton, please visit the following website: Why Renton
The City has adopted an anonymous application process that prevents hiring managers from seeing personal identifiers, including candidates' names, addresses, and other similar information. This eliminates the possibility of unintentional or implicit bias during the screening of applications. For that reason,
you will not have the ability to attach any documents to your application, including a cover letter or resume. Please make sure to submit a complete, detailed, and updated job application.
Accommodation: Individuals needing accommodation in the application, testing, or interview process may contact at least 2 business days prior to the need.
Communication from the City of Renton:
We primarily communicate via e-mail during the application process. E-mails from rentonwa.gov and/or governmentjobs.com should be placed on your safe domain list to ensure you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk e-mail folders. We also communicate via text and encourage you to sign up for text alerts when completing your job application.
Recruitment Process:
The screening process will include a review of minimum qualifications and applicants selected for an interview will be invited via email to self-schedule a time through the Government Jobs account. At minimum, this position will be subject to a standard criminal background check and professional reference check. This position requires driving and is also subject to a driving record check from the WA State Dept of Licensing (or other state equivalent). Driving records will be evaluated based on a points system depending on the infraction and severity.
This position is represented by AFSCME, Local 2170, and the applicable benefits are as follows:
Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance
- Employees are offered a choice of medical/vision coverage through either Kaiser Permanente or the City's self-insured plan. Preferred Provider Option is available through the self-insured plan. Rates for both plans are available on the Benefit webpage. Please click on the link at the bottom of the page for details.
- The dental insurance plan covers services such as regular checkups, x-rays, fillings and crowns. Orthodontia coverage is also provided.
Deferred Compensation Program
- The City contributes 3% of the employee's base wage rate into a deferred compensation retirement plan.
- Employees may also set aside a percentage of their earnings on a tax-deferred basis.
Retirement Plan
- Employees are enrolled in either the State of Washington Department of Retirement Systems Plan (PERS) or the Public Safety Employees' Retirement System (PSERS).
- The following position is required to be enrolled in PSERS*
*If an employee was in PERS prior to 2006, the employee had the choice to remain in the PERS plan.
- Both the employee and employer contribute to the plan.
VEBA
The City contributes
1% of base pay into individual employee VEBA accounts, which can be used to pay out of pocket medical expenses.
Life Insurance
- A group term life insurance policy is provided to each employee at a value equivalent to the annual salary, up to $50,000.
- Each eligible dependent is also provided with a $1,000 policy. There is no cost to the employee.
- Optional supplemental insurance is available for employees and their dependents at group rates.
Long Term Disability Protection
- Many employees are provided with a long term disability policy up to the equivalent of 60% of their salary.
Flexible Benefits
- The City offers employees the opportunity to open two separate tax-free accounts through salary reduction. One account is to pay for expenses not covered by health insurance and the other account is for child care costs.
Vacation
- Employees accrue vacation beginning with the first day of employment as follows: 12 days per year (0-5 years); 18 days per year (6-10 years); 21 days per year (11-15 years); 24 days per year (16-20 years); and 27 days per year (21+ years).
- Employees may access their vacation immediately.
Sick Leave
- Upon employment, the employee receives a sick leave bank of 24 hours, with an additional 24 hours awarded after three months.
- Thereafter, sick leave accrues at the rate of four hours each pay period.
Employee Assistance Program
- A confidential counseling assessment and referral service is available without cost to employees and family members for help with personal, family or job-related problems.
Paydays
- The City of Renton pays employees on the tenth and the twenty-fifth of each month (24 pay periods each year).
Holidays
- The City recognizes eleven holidays and offers two "personal" holidays each calendar year for most employees, unless otherwise specified in a labor contract.
Hours of Work
- Flexible work schedules are available in many departments.
Transportation
- Unlimited free rides on various bus systems as well as various carpool and rideshare options are available for City employees.
Please see the City of Renton Benefits webpage for more information.
01
Why are you interested in the Inspecting Arborist position and working for the City of Renton?
02
Please state your degree and major (ex. bachelor's degree in forestry). Include any additional relevant and valid certifications that you hold.
03
How many years of experience do you have in urban forestry, resulting in highly developed urban forestry technical knowledge and skills in tree identification, diagnostics, tree inventory, and natural area management?
- Less than 1 year of experience
- 1 to less than 2 years
- 2 to less than 3 years
- 3 to less than 4 years
- 4 to less than 5 years
- 5 to less than 6 years
- 6 years or more
04
Please state your current driver's license status.
- I have a valid Washington State driver's license
- I have a valid driver's license from another location
- I do not have a valid driver's license
05
Please select all of the current valid certifications that you have.
- ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ)
- First Aid and CPR
- Project Management
- GIS
- ISA Urban Forest Professional
- ISA Certified Tree Climber
06
Please state your ISA Certified Arborist number and expiration date below. If none, write N/A.
07
Briefly describe your experience in project management and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) or other mapping tools, tree inventory platforms and work order/asset management systems to document your work. What was your role and what types of projects did you work on? If none, write N/A.
08
Please briefly describe your experience and role in working with community members and contractors.
09
Briefly describe your experience in arboriculture practices such as pest management, tree climbing, soil treatments and others? What was your responsibility and type of arboriculture practices you worked in? If none, write N/A.
10
Thank you for your interest in joining the City of Renton team. We have adopted an anonymous application process that prevents hiring managers from seeing personal identifiers, such as candidates' name
