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Description
Lead and supervise arborist crews performing tree pruning, removals, and plant health care. Plan jobs, manage rigging and climbing operations, ensure safety and quality per ISA/ANSI standards, coordinate equipment and permits, communicate with customers, and prepare estimates based on scope, risk, and resources.
Job tasks Attributes
  • • Establish and enforce arboricultural procedures and ANSI Z133 safety standards.
  • • Inspect completed tree work for pruning quality, clearance, and contract compliance.
  • • Direct crews in climbing, rigging, pruning, removals, cabling, bracing, and stump grinding.
  • • Schedule tree work based on priorities, crew and equipment availability, permits, and weather.
  • • Oversee tree planting, structural pruning, mulching, watering, and young tree training.
  • • Monitor job progress to ensure plans are followed, deadlines are met, and sites are secured.
  • • Train staff in climbing and aerial lift operations, chainsaw use, knots and rigging, and chipper safety.
  • • Provide hands-on assistance with complex climbs, cuts, and technical rigging as needed.
  • • Inventory and maintain ropes, saddles, carabiners, chainsaws, chippers, stump grinders, PPE, and supplies.
  • • Coordinate with utility representatives, traffic control, and municipal or client stakeholders.
  • • Handle personnel actions such as hiring, performance evaluations, coaching, and disciplinary steps.
  • • Direct or perform mixing and application of PHC treatments, including injections and sprays.
  • • Review work orders to determine crew size, equipment, crane or bucket needs, and permit requirements.
  • • Maintain records for work activities, timesheets, crew certifications, and equipment inspections.
  • • Document chemical usage, training logs, incidents, and job hazard analyses.
  • • Order corrective work and recommend procedural or equipment changes to improve safety and quality.
  • • Identify tree defects, pests, and diseases and prescribe treatments or removals.
  • • Investigate customer complaints or property damage and determine appropriate responses.
  • • Oversee maintenance and repairs of arborist equipment, including saws, chippers, and aerial devices.
  • • Lead emergency storm response to clear hazards, perform removals, and secure job sites.
  • • Administer leave approvals, time reporting, and other administrative duties.
  • • Recommend tools and process improvements to increase crew efficiency and reduce risk.
  • • Collaborate with managers or consulting arborists on tree inventories, risk assessments, and pruning cycles.
  • • Discuss scope, methods, timelines, and safety with customers and address inquiries.
  • • Prepare estimates and proposals based on tree size, complexity, rigging or crane needs, and disposal costs.
  • • Tour properties to assess tree health, structure, risk, and site access constraints.
  • • Plan and supervise rigging or crane operations, calculating loads, anchor points, and drop zones.
  • • Implement traffic control plans and public safety measures at job sites.
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Source
Tasks & skills: O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge). Learn more
Sources & Standards: This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
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