Arborist

Utility Arborist – Vegetation Management, Risk Assessment & Wildfire Prevention Position Summary

The Utility Arborist supports a utility vegetation management program focused on maintaining safe and reliable electric service through effective vegetation risk mitigation and wildfire prevention
. This role is responsible for inspecting vegetation near utility infrastructure and identifying and prioritizing hazard trees to reduce ignition risk and ensure compliance with safety, reliability, and fire-prevention standards.

The position requires strong field presence, independent judgment, and a proactive mindset. The Utility Arborist works to perform inspections, quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC), and documentation to support ongoing vegetation management and wildfire mitigation efforts.

• Conduct vegetation inspections to identify hazard trees, clearance issues, and wildfire ignition risks
• Perform tree risk assessments using TRAQ methodology
  , with specific attention to failure potential, strike risk, and fire exposure
• Support wildfire prevention and mitigation initiatives by identifying high-risk vegetation, prioritizing corrective actions, and recommending appropriate treatments
• Supervise and oversee pruning, trimming, and removal activities near energized lines to ensure work is completed safely and to established utility and fire-prevention standards
• Perform QA/QC inspections of vegetation work completed by contractors or crews, ensuring consistency, safety, and compliance
• Accurately document inspection findings, including creating reports and recording latitude and longitude coordinates of hazard trees
• Maintain detailed inspection and risk-assessment records to support reliability programs, audits, and wildfire mitigation reporting
• Collaborate with operations, safety, and vegetation teams to align on priorities related to grid reliability and wildfire risk reduction
• Work independently in the field across varied terrain and weather conditions while maintaining a strong safety and situational-awareness focus

• ISA Certified Arborist (required)
• TRAQ (Tree Risk Assessment Qualification) (required)
  Strong knowledge of arboriculture, hazard tree identification, vegetation risk assessment, and wildfire prevention principles
• Experience working around energized electrical lines or within utility environments
• Ability to safely supervise vegetation clearance activities near electrical infrastructure
• Comfortable performing field inspections and working outdoors for extended periods
• Proficient in creating written reports and documenting inspection data, including GPS coordinates

• 5+ years of arborist or utility vegetation management experience
• Prior experience supporting electric utilities, vegetation management programs, or wildfire mitigation efforts
• Familiarity with transmission and distribution right-of-way (ROW) environments
• Experience performing inspection-based or QA/QC roles

• Self-starter with a go-getter attitude who takes initiative and ownership of work
• Strong commitment to safety, situational awareness, and wildfire risk reduction
• Organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable working independently in the field
• Effective communicator able to coordinate with crews and cross-functional stakeholders