Horticulture Arborist

Spring Grove Cemetery & Funeral Homes•Cincinnati, OH

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Horticulture Arborist supports the Horticulture and Grounds team at Spring Grove Cemetery. The role performs arboricultural work and grounds maintenance, including tree care, planting, maintenance of equipment and plant inventories, and support for cemetery operations and events. The position also provides customer service, communicates with customers in person, electronically, and by phone, and may assist with tours, floral placements, interments, and other assigned duties. The work is performed outdoors in varied weather and conditions, with exposure to extreme temperatures, dirt, dust, fumes, smoke, unpleasant odors, loud noises, and potentially dangerous materials and situations. Extensive safety precautions and protective equipment may be required. The position is full-time, non-exempt, with regular hours Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and requires work one Saturday per month. Local travel between campuses may be required.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent is preferred.
Must have or obtain certification by passing the Certified Arborist Exam.
At least two years of grounds experience; grounds maintenance, landscaping, and arborist work are preferred areas of experience.
Strong oral and written communication skills.
Ability to work independently and demonstrate good problem-solving skills.
Demonstrate a “Customer First” attitude.
Ability to perform strenuous physical work, including lifting, pushing, or pulling objects weighing over 50 pounds.
Ability to work one Saturday per month and be on call for major weekend storms.
Ability to work outdoors in all weather conditions and follow extensive safety precautions when exposed to potentially dangerous materials and situations.

Nice To Haves

Grounds maintenance, landscaping, and arborist work experience.
High school diploma or equivalent is preferred.

Responsibilities

Repair, cable, fertilize, water, and prune trees and other woody plants; remove dead, diseased, or declining plants, including using a chainsaw when necessary.
Update Spring Grove’s Woody Plant Collection annually and assist with tree inventory records.
Plant and transplant woody plants, including hole preparation, backfilling, staking, pruning, watering, and mulching.
Develop the ability to identify tree and woody-plant diseases and insect problems and apply appropriate treatments.
Assist with maintenance activities, including planning and scheduling contracted work and prioritizing jobs across the cemetery.
Coordinate outside tree work with the arborist team and Director, ensuring appropriate follow-up for accuracy and timeliness.
Maintain records of work performed and identify potentially hazardous trees and other tree-related problems.
Be on call for major weekend storms and assist with cleanup, including chainsaw and loader work to clear roads for weekend services.
Perform weekly grounds cleanup for debris and other miscellaneous assigned duties.
Maintain assigned equipment in good working order and report malfunctions to the maintenance team.
Develop and train team members in proper pruning and landscaping techniques.
Assist with planting and maintenance of floral displays and annual beds; maintain plant and section labels.
Assist and guide public relations tours, seminars, societies, and other activities as needed.
Assist with floral and wreath placements throughout the cemetery and provide assistance to the Interment crew as needed.
Assist with chemical applications and inventory, nursery and cold-frame monitoring, and seasonal leaf and snow removal.
Install and maintain ground cover, trees, shrubs, bulbs, perennials, annuals, turf, roses, and other plant materials; perform related irrigation, pruning, fertilizing, chemical application, removal, staking, transplanting, and transport work.
Provide customer service and communicate verbally and in writing with customers in person, electronically, and by phone.
Operate grounds equipment and work in all weather conditions.
Travel locally between campuses when needed.
Complete aerial rescue training and obtain CPR/First Aid certification.