Ready to get off the ground? Our Apprentice Tree Climber program teaches you to climb and rig the right way, under the direction of experienced arborists, with paid Monster School climbing and rigging courses. You keep your ground skills and add a climber's.
What You'll Do
Technical Mastery
Knots: Ties, dresses and sets climbing and rigging knots correctly.
Line setting: Sets and retrieves lines with a throwline and bag.
Climbing system: Sets up a basic climbing system and ties in safely.
Gear inspection: Inspects saddle, ropes, hardware and saw before every climb, and takes damaged gear out of service.
Limb walks: Walks limbs and repositions with stability and control.
Supervised cuts: Makes pruning and removal cuts aloft to ANSI A300, under supervision.
Rigging support: Helps rig pieces out of the tree under a lead climber's direction.
Efficiency & Safety
Wears all required PPE, completes the pre-climb inspection and signs the Job Briefing and Safety Analysis before work starts, talks every cut and lower through with the ground crew using clear voice commands and hand signals, and climbs at training pace without compromising safety.
Professionalism
Arrives on time with gear and PPE, mentally prepared, keeps the gear the company issues clean, organized and stored correctly, accepts coaching, correction and feedback with humility, anticipates the ground crew's needs and puts crew safety and team success ahead of personal progress.
What You Need (Required)
Valid driver's license and a clean driving record
At least 1 year on a tree crew - ground rigging, chainsaw and chipper
Comfortable working at height, and able to meet the physical requirements below
Nice to Have (Preferred)
Any rope-and-saddle climbing experience, rec or professional
First Aid / CPR certification
CTSP
Physical Requirements and Work Environment
Lift and carry up to 50 lbs repeatedly - brush, logs, rope and equipment - and get in and out of trucks and equipment all day
Climb with rope and saddle and work at height for long periods, including from an aerial lift
Work outdoors year-round in all weather, on uneven, sloped or wooded ground, around loud equipment, poison ivy, stinging insects and snakes
Wear required PPE all day: helmet, eye and hearing protection, gloves and chainsaw protection
Pay and Benefits
Pay: $26.00 per hour
Credential pay: +$1.00/hr for each of CDL, CTSP, ISA Certified Arborist and TRAQ, and they stack
Paid weekly, with overtime at time-and-a-half over 40 hours
40 hours of paid time off a year and 9 paid holidays, after 90 days
$500 a year education allowance for full-time employees, plus training materials when you pursue a TCIA, ISA or NC certification exam
Paid Monster School training, and company-issued PPE and uniforms
Your Career Path Here
Arborist I - after 12 months at this level and a Career Pathway review. Pays $30.00/hr.
Why Join Our SQUAD
Equipment that does the heavy lifting: a Teupen TC69A lift, GRCS rigging, Vermeer 1800XL chippers, Avant loaders and a Carlton stump grinder
Professional crews who follow the industry standards
A crew culture built on SQUAD: Safety, Quality, Unity, Attitude, Discipline
How to Apply
Apply on Indeed with your resume. No resume? A short work history is fine. We review every application and call qualified candidates quickly.