Announcement has been amended to extend the filing deadline to accept additional applications. Candidates who have previously applied DO NOT need to re-apply.

Applicants are encouraged to apply immediately as this recruitment may close at any time, but no earlier than December 7, 2022.

This is a Position-Based Test conducted in accordance with CSC Rule 111A.

Specific information regarding this recruitment process are listed below:

• Application Opening: December 1, 2022

• Application Deadline: Continuous

• Compensation Range: $84,786 to $103,090 annually

• Recruitment ID: 122082

San Francisco Public Works has a far-reaching portfolio with a $352 million annual operating budget, an active capital portfolio that exceeds $3 billion and a workforce of 1,600-plus employees. The department operates around the clock, touching every neighborhood in San Francisco. The staff designs and manages 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, including homelessness. 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.

The department is divided into four divisions – operations; building design and construction; infrastructure design and construction; and finance and administration. The Director’s Office provides external and internal communications, policy direction, government relations and emergency management. The Public Works director reports to San Francisco’s City Administrator and the Mayor.

The Bureau of Urban Forestry

Oversees median maintenance, tree planting, maintenance of 124,000-plus City-owned trees through the voter-backed  StreetTreeSF program. In addition, crews repair sidewalks and build curb ramps to advance safety and accessibility.

Under general supervision, the 3435 Urban Forestry Inspector performs duties involving the evaluation and inspection of trees and other vegetation for maintenance, removal and/or planting.

The essential functions of this class include assessing and evaluating conditions of trees and other vegetation; maintaing tree inventories; keeping work records; implementing the Urban Forestry Ordinance, Article 16 of the Public Works Code, including issues related to street planting and removal, public notification, maintenance needs, responsibility for street trees, and investigation of code violations; preparing and distributing work order requests for tree maintenance and sidewalk repairs related to City-maintained trees to supervisor; handling emergency tree situations that may require immediate evaluation and recommendation for abatement; assisting property owners with the tree removal and planting permit application process; responding to inquiries and complaints from the public and other government agencies regarding tree removals and maintenance responsibilities; and educating and informing the public regarding proper arboricultural practices and relevant City, State, Federal laws and guidelines. May include additional duties as assigned. 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 trucks; reading maps; and performing related duties as required. 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. 

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

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.

License and Certification:

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

Possession and maintenance of a valid Class C driver’s license.

Note(s):

• One-year full-time employment is considered equivalent to 2000 hours (2000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on a 40 hour work week). Any overtime hours that you work above forty (40) hours per week are not included in the calculation to determine full-time employment.
• A valid out-of-state driver’s license is acceptable during the application process. A valid California driver's license must be obtained prior to appointment and maintained throughout employment.
• Some positions require employees to obtain a class B Driver's License within one year of hire.
• Applicants must meet the minimum qualification requirement by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify job finalists at the end of the selection process when candidates are referred for hiring.

• Ability to educate public/property owners regarding urban forestry policies and maintenance schedules
• Ability to work with the public and neighborhood groups
• Ability to implement programs and analyze its effectiveness
• Ability to multi-task
• Strong written and oral communication skills

Verification:

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://sfdhr.org/how-verify-education-requirements

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.

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

Selection Procedures:

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

Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire (MQSQ):
Candidates will be required to complete a 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.

Supplemental Questionnaire (Weight 100%):

Candidates who are deemed qualified will be sent a supplemental questionnaire to complete and return. Candidates’ responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire will be used to evaluate your experience including the knowledge, skills and abilities that you possess in job related areas identified as critical for successful performance, which may include but are not limited to: knowledge of tree physiology, pathology, and species identification, methods in hazard tree evaluation, and proper safety procedures; human relations ability; written communication ability. All responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire are subject to verification and should be consistent with the information provided in your application. The information provided in the Supplemental Questionnaire will be used to determine your final score and rank on the eligible list. Failure to submit the supplemental questionnaire may result in disqualification from the examination process.

DRUG TESTING REQUIREMENT:
Applicants for positions in this classification who are not currently employed by the City and County of San Francisco in a safety-sensitive position represented by (Laborers, Local 261), are required to pass pre-employment drug and alcohol testing. All employees in this classification may also be subject to drug and alcohol testing upon reasonable suspicion or after a work-related accident. Applicants with a positive result from a pre-employment drug test will be restricted from hire in safety-sensitive function positions for six-months after the date of the positive test.

CERTIFICATION RULE:
The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be Rule of Three Scores. The hiring department may administer additional selection procedures to make final hiring decisions.

Eligible List/Score Report:

A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created, and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.

The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be of 12 months, and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director.

To find Departments which use this classification, please see https://sfdhr.org/sites/default/files/documents/Forms-Documents/Position-Counts-by-Job-Codes-and-Department-FY-2021-22.pdf.

Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights:

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. [Note: The correction of clerical errors in an announcement may be posted on the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.sf.gov.]

The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 111A.35.1. The standard for the review of such appeals is ‘abuse of discretion’ or ‘no rational basis’ for establishing the position description, the minimum qualifications and/or the certification rule. Appeals must include a written statement of the item(s) being contested and the specific reason(s) why the cited item(s) constitute(s) abuse of discretion by the Human Resources Director. Appeals must be submitted directly to the Executive Officer of the Civil Service Commission within five business days of the announcement issuance date.

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

• Information About The Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview  
• Equal Employment Opportunity 
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Veterans Preference
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

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.

HOW TO APPLY:

Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit https://careers.sf.gov and begin the application process.

• Select the “I’m Interested” button and follow instructions on the screen

Applicants may be contacted by email about this announcement and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and kept up-to-date. Also, applicants must ensure that email from CCSF is not blocked on their computer by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept CCSF mail from the following addresses @sfgov.org, @sfdpw.org, @sfport.com, @flysfo.com, @sfwater.org, @sfdph.org, @asianart.org, @sfmta.com, @sfpl.org, @dcyf.org, @first5sf.org, @famsf.org, @ccsf.edu).

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.

In line with the Official Public Health Order to slow the spread of COVID-19, “shelter-in-place” has been issued for all San Francisco residents that is expected to be in effect until further notice. As a result, the Department of Human Resources (DHR)’s office (located at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103) is currently closed to the general public. If you have any questions, please feel free to email the Human Resources Analyst listed on this announcement.

Human Resources Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact Kristi Wong at [email protected]. 

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT:  All City and County of San Francisco employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Someone is fully vaccinated when 14 days have passed since they received the final dose of a two-shot vaccine or a dose of a one-shot vaccine. Any new hire must present proof of full vaccination status to be appointed. Any new hire who will be routinely assigned or occasionally enter High-Risk Settings, must provide proof of having received a COVID-19 booster vaccine by March 1, 2022, or once eligible.

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.