Vegetation Specialist

Job Description:

Vegetation Specialist

Description

Position Information

Grow your career with the County of Sonoma and help us improve our roadways. Become Sonoma County Public Infrastructure's next Vegetation Specialist.

Starting salary up to $38.76/hour ($80,896/year) and a competitive total compensation package!

Jo in Sonoma County Public Infrastructure (SPI)
SPI plans, builds, manages, and maintains Sonoma County's investment in quality services and infrastructure. The department leads the way to a safe and sustainable community by providing road construction and maintenance services across the County. The Road Maintenance Division oversees the construction, maintenance, and operation of the Sonoma County-Maintained Road System. Within the Division, the Vegetation Control Advisor and Vegetation Specialist work on the implementation of the County's Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Plan. The IPM Plan involves the:

• Inspection of County property and roadways to determine the extent of weed infestations
• Eradication and control of pest infestations
• Investigation of tree hazards
• Care and maintenance of equipment
• Support of related public works projects
• Observation of safety precautions in the preparation, application, and storage of chemicals as outlined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), California Department of Pesticide Regulations (CDPR), and County of Sonoma's Agricultural Department

As a Vegetation Specialist, you will assist the Vegetation Control Advisor by performing IPM related duties including applying herbicides and pesticides around roadsides and other facilities, completing work orders, and conducting routine inspections of vegetation contract work. Additionally, you will:

• Monitor, follow-up, and complete work orders
• Operate specialty commercial and non-commercial vehicles to apply herbicide to various roadsides and other facilities per the most current IPM
• Assist with getting quotes and bids for various tree removal projects and coordinate tree contractors
• Meet with contractors and public about various vegetation issues
• Conduct routine inspections of vegetation contract work and herbicide application around various roadsides and other facilities
• Perform pavement maintenance including paint striping, pothole patching, vegetation removal, and other various maintenance work tasks
• Performs preventive maintenance on various equipment such as herbicide spray trucks, herbicide application equipment and other vehicles and equipment used in road maintenance activities
• Operate a variety of motorized light and heavy equipment, machines, and power tools
• Electronically complete daily worklogs, track data, and calculate quantities of materials needed to complete tasks

The ideal candidate will possess many of the following:

• A high level of safety skills and a safety mindset
• A high level of problem-solving skills
• Demonstrated maintenance and mechanical skills
• Experience identifying and managing vegetation
• A high level of multi-tasking skills with the ability to shift gears quickly
• Excellent communication skills, including intermediate writing skills
• A high attention to detail
• The ability to maintain composure during stressful situations
• Basic Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook skills
• The ability to work with a variety of personalities
• A dedication to excellent customer service

Although not required at time of hire, possession of a valid California Qualified Applicator’s Certification, Category C; and Class A commercial driver's license, including tanker endorsement are highly desired.

Working Conditions: Vegetation Specialist duties require incumbents to work an 8/hour or 10/hour shift schedule, starting at 3:00 am, in varying field and weather conditions, and occasionally on evenings, nights, and weekends as inclement weather and emergency situation needs arise. The nature of the work also requires incumbents to drive a motorized vehicle. Under the Federal Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, incumbents will be subject to random drug testing if they operate vehicles and/or equipment which require DOT testing.

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Hybrid Telework - A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Staff Development/Wellness Pay - Annual benefit allowances of up to $500 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Memorandum Of Understanding (SEIU MOU) and our Employee Benefits Directory .

SPI is currently recruiting to fill a Vegetation Specialist position. Additionally, this employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment . Please visit SPI' s website to learn more about the valuable services they provide the community we serve - our community!

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience and Education: Any combination of work experience, education, and training which would provide the opportunity to acquire the required knowledge and abilities. Normally, this would include one year of experience in commercial pest control, public works, flood control, or park or landscape maintenance would provide such an opportunity.

Special Qualification: Within the first 12 months of employment, incumbents must obtain a valid California Qualified Applicator’s Certification, Category C. Once obtained, the certification must be maintained throughout employment in this classification.

License: A valid State of California Class A commercial driver's license, including tanker endorsement, is required by the completion of the probationary period and must be maintained throughout employment in this classification.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of: chemical, cultural, mechanical, manual, and biological methods employed to control and/or eradicate noxious weeds and/or objectionable vegetation; pruning standards; tree species and their maintenance; the proper storage, mixing, and use of chemicals; various weed species and proper herbicides used for effective control or eradication; uses and purposes of general construction tools and equipment; operation of power tools and specialized trucks and heavy equipment; procedures, methods and materials used to perform the work; business and shop mathematics; MS Office software such as Word and Outlook; arithmetic sufficient to calculate and measure chemicals used in vegetation eradication; safe work practices including safety precautions for operating power equipment, working with the public; customer service techniques, and working in traffic and under hazardous conditions.

Ability to: safely operate a spray truck; perform a variety of semi-skilled manual maintenance and construction tasks for extended periods and under unfavorable weather conditions; perform heavy manual labor, wear breathing apparatus and/or protective gear as needed; perform recordkeeping and complete incident reports and daily logs of work performed; operate a computer; calculate quantities of materials needed to complete tasks; operate various trucks equipped with spray pumps and operates equipment to carry out vegetation management on County roads, private property, government property and other areas; plan and set up work and delegate tasks to others; communicate with the public and co-workers in a tactful and effective manner; complete continuing education required for maintaining applicator certification.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org . Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: DP
HR Technician: RR

IMPORTANT NOTE: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

COUNTY OF SONOMA BENEFITS: GENERAL*

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:

Paid Time Off :Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.

Health Plan :Choose from nine health plans (three HMOs, three deductible HMOs, and three HSA-qualifying plans) with a generousCounty contribution to the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit). For more information, please see the appropriate MOU.

Retirement :Fully integrated with Social Security.For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit https://scretire.org/active-/-deferred/when-you-are-hired .

IRS 457 Plan : Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.

Retiree Medical :County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.

Student Loan Debt Relief :County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education.

Plus excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331.Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources/divisions-and-units/employee-relations/labor-agreements-and-salary-resolution . For specific information about health and welfare benefits including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts go to https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources or, contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at benefits@sonoma-county.org or (707) 565-2900.

*IMPORTANT NOTES: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

Closing Date/Time: 2/10/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

Salary:

$66,558.26 - $80,896.77 Annually