Senior Vegetation Management Inspector | Grass Valley, CA

ACRT Services • Placerville, CA

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About The Position

The Senior Vegetation Management Inspector (SVMI) performs vegetation inspections, audits, and contractor-performance monitoring, and may support Vegetation Management Inspectors. The role plans, directs, and coordinates assigned tree-clearance crew activities and serves as a liaison among clients, tree crews, and customers. The position is safety-sensitive and requires residence within 50 miles of Grass Valley, California. Duties are contingent on the contractual agreement between ACRT Pacific and its customer, and the role may not be permanent and could conclude in response to an RFP or RFQ.

The SVMI patrols distribution or transmission circuits, assesses trees that could strike utility facilities, and prescribes pruning or removal work to maintain required clearances and meet regulatory and PG&E vegetation-management standards. The role ensures patrols and work are properly documented, uses PG&E systems to update data and run reports, and may audit VMIs, assist with training, investigations, emergency response, customer claims, and operational emergency activities. The position also coordinates with public agencies and tree contractors and promotes safety, quality, and efficient completion of work.

The role requires a high school diploma or GED, a maintained Class C driver’s license, and one of several specified experience pathways. Required training includes OSHA 30-hour construction safety, CTSP or Certified Arborist credentials with TRAQ, 911 Standby training, QA/QC knowledge, and computer training, with completion deadlines specified in the posting. The position reports to the Operations Manager and is bargaining-unit, non-exempt employment. The stated base rate is $52.87 per hour; the posting also describes an in-lieu-of-benefits payment and daily subsistence payments for eligible union members.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• Maintain a Class C driver’s license.
• Meet one of the following experience pathways: five years as a tree-crew climber or foreman, including at least two years of line-clearance certification; five years as a Vegetation Management Inspector and Certified Arborist; five years as a Registered Professional Forester; five years as a Utility Inspector or higher classification, including at least one year of vegetation-management experience; or four years of honorable military service plus at least one additional year of vegetation-management inspection experience and PG&E representative approval.
• Identify local trees and understand their growth rates.
• Strong communication, organization, and customer-service skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to work in varied or rugged terrain and inclement weather, with flexible schedules and availability for nights and weekends as needed.
• Ability to learn and use company- or job-specific software systems.
• Ability to read and follow maps.
• Self-motivated, organized, and production-oriented; accountable, accurate, dependable, adaptable, independent, and able to build effective working relationships.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present ideas in formal and informal settings.
• All hires are subject to approval by a PG&E representative.
• Successfully complete required training: OSHA 30-hour construction safety overview within six months of start date; CTSP or Certified Arborist credential with TRAQ within six months of test eligibility; 911 Standby training within one month of start date; working knowledge of QA/QC within one month of start date; and computer training covering forms, document uploads, and GIS access within one month of start date.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working with data-collection devices and GIS software.

Responsibilities

• Resolve obstacles to complete work safely, cost-effectively, efficiently, on time, and productively, managing field time and expenses to minimize rework and improve quality.
• Manage day-to-day activities as needed, keeping personnel focused on assigned work and verifying scope, equipment use, and documentation.
• Act as the vegetation-management contact for new business and reconstruction work requested by Energy Delivery, as applicable.
• Approve field scheduling and scope changes with approval from a PG&E representative.
• Promote safety for the public, contractors, and employees; follow applicable safety rules and document Safety Observations and Good Catches.
• Audit work performed by VMIs for compliance with applicable standards, and perform quality-check audits focused on field compliance and data integrity, as assigned.
• Assist with training and onboarding of Vegetation Management Inspectors, as needed.
• Support the PG&E Work Verification team in ensuring observations are addressed promptly.
• Maintain working relationships with public agencies, including Caltrans, CalFire, USFS, and BLM, as directed by a PG&E representative.
• Maintain working relationships with PG&E tree contractors and assist with escalated work such as customer complaints.
• Patrol distribution or transmission circuits and prescribe tree-contractor work that maintains compliance clearances for at least one calendar year.
• Determine when the next trim is required and whether pruning or removal is needed; assess trees that could strike PG&E facilities for likelihood of failure and hazards.
• Identify and prescribe tree pruning and tree or brush removal needed to complete electric compliance tags and meet regulatory requirements and PG&E standards and procedures.
• Ensure work complies with PG&E vegetation-management standards and procedures, project specifications, permits, safety requirements, and governing federal, state, and local requirements.
• Use computers and PG&E’s VMDSRs to run reports and update data; use applicable software applications.
• Assist with outage investigations, fire and incident investigations, customer-claims investigations, or local Divisional Operational Emergency Center duties as requested.
• Perform emergency-response duties as requested by the PG&E representative, following applicable safety requirements, laws, regulations, and labor agreements.
• Ensure all line sections are patrolled according to the annual plan and patrol standards, and that patrols are correctly documented under PG&E’s mapping procedure.
• Identify newly discovered Idle and Private Lines and notify the PG&E representative.
• Perform other work as directed by the PG&E representative or PG&E standards and procedures.
• Serve as liaison between the client’s representative and Operations Manager to support colleagues and monitor work-group progress.

Benefits

• In-lieu-of-benefits payment of $13.22 per eligible hour worked, in addition to the $52.87 hourly base rate.
• Union members receive a $50 daily subsistence payment for each day worked in excess of four hours.
• Medical, dental, or vision insurance, per diems, or other region-specific benefits may be available as eligible.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: High school or GED