Senior Certified Utility Arborist
Position
Senior Certified Utility Arborist
Location
Interior British Columbia (teleworking)
Position type
Full Time
Close date
Open until suitable candidate found
Corporate profile
Maskwa Environmental Consulting Ltd. (Maskwa) is a professional consulting firm based in Calgary, Alberta with additional offices, active operations, and personnel located across Canada. We are searching for a Senior Certified Utility Arborist located in the Interior of British Columbia (BC) to join our growing team.
We specialize in planning, permitting, strategy development and implementation, environmental services as well ancillary support services in vegetation management and other areas related to the planning, construction, operation and maintenance of infrastructure. We provide senior level expertise and support to help our clients achieve their goals successfully and efficiently. Our clients are diverse: power generation (e.g., solar, wind, gas), electrical transmission and distribution utilities, municipalities, Indigenous communities, and oil and gas.
We pride ourselves on our vibrant corporate culture and progressive work environment that offers flexible working arrangements, opportunities for training, and benefit programs.
Job description
The ideal candidate will be a Certified Utility Arborist with extensive experience planning and completing a wide variety of vegetation management treatment methods in and around infrastructure in diverse environments and settings. This includes experience in overall planning and logistics related to field crew deployment and project execution. Experience specific to electric utility infrastructure (i.e., power lines, substations) is highly desired and preferred. In this role, you will help lead and contribute to the larger vegetation management team, coordinate closely with clients, contractors, landowners, and regulators to support compliant, safety-first vegetation management programs and projects across a wide variety of facility rights-of-way in BC. This will be a key and lead role for vegetation management operations in the Okanagan and Shuswap regions.
Day-to-day work may include:
Performing vegetation patrols, line-clearance assessments, and hazard tree risk assessments adjacent to electrical infrastructure and rights-of-way.
Recommending appropriate mitigation (pruning, removal, monitoring, or other treatments) aligned with utility standards and integrated vegetation management objectives.
Documenting site conditions and observations for utility and regulatory compliance, including customer/landowner interactions where consents and feedback are required or applicable.
Supporting work planning and contractor coordination (scope verification, field scheduling, progress tracking, and issue escalation).
Collecting, validating, and managing spatial/asset data using GPS or mobile tools; updating maps and field records as required.
Supporting storm response readiness and post-event assessments, including prioritization of vegetation-related risks and follow-up inspections.
Preparing clear field notes, summaries, and technical inputs for client deliverables and participating in quality assurance/quality control reviews.
We are looking for a candidate with a great attitude, a strong willingness to learn, and the ability to take a leadership role and contribute to our team’s continued growth throughout BC and elsewhere.
Core responsibilities
Conduct utility vegetation inspections and hazard tree assessments in accordance with applicable standards and client requirements.
Identify tree species, health conditions, structural defects, and risks to electrical infrastructure.
Carryout and/or supervise vegetation management crews carrying out required treatment work that meets or exceeds client specifications and requirements.
Liaise and coordinate with landowners as required to confirm location specific treatment plans as well as obtain landowner consent for required work
Support vegetation management planning, including pruning and removal recommendations.
Collect, verify, and maintain accurate field data and records.
Contribute to high-quality technical reports and client deliverables.
Support regulatory and permitting-related vegetation management requirements.
Follow and promote strong health and safety practices in the field and in the office.
Deliver in a fast-paced, dynamic working environment.
Collaborate with staff across the company and externally in completing deliverables.
Complete required corporate operation and administrative activities (time entry, expense submissions, invoicing, reporting, etc.) as required, in a timely manner.
Support Maskwa employees in day-to-day business operations.
Contribute to corporate planning and reporting needs as required.
Provide guidance and mentorship to junior staff.
Core qualifications
Diploma or degree in Arboriculture, Forestry, Environmental Science, Natural Resources, or a related field.
Certified as Utility Arborist in BC.
Knowledge of tree biology, tree risk assessment, and vegetation management practices.
Experience working around electrical transmission or distribution infrastructure is an asset.
Ability to identify common tree and vegetation species found in BC.
Experienced and knowledgeable around common industry practices and approaches to vegetation management
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Experience with mobile data collection tools, GPS, and basic mapping or GIS is an asset.
A keen eye for detail and a commitment to producing quality work.
Physically able to perform physical tasks and field work in diverse terrain and weather conditions.
Valid Class 5 driver’s licence (or equivalent) and willingness to travel within BC.
An unwavering commitment to health and safety requirements in the field and in the office.
Open-minded approach to participating in diverse projects, tasks, and responsibilities within a small and growing business.
The preferred candidate will have the following attributes to support our team and our clients:
Utility arborist certification equivalents in other jurisdictions (i.e., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Yukon)
Stakeholder engagement/consultation experience and/or qualifications (i.e., International Association for Public Participation)
Environmental assessment and biophysical survey experience and/or qualifications (i.e., biologist, agrologist, forester, etc.).
Experience working with and within Indigenous communities.
Heavy equipment operator experience and/or qualifications.
Diverse perspectives and approaches make us stronger
Maskwa strives to create a fair, diverse, inclusive workplace where all voices are heard with respect and treated equally, where we are accountable to each other. Everyone should feel comfortable to be their true authentic selves.
Compensation package
Maskwa offers a competitive salary and benefit package (including health and dental benefits, RRSP, wellness spending account, vacation & flex days). Salary will reflect years of applicable experience; however, the annual salary is expected to range between $90,000 to $120,000 ($43.26/hour to $57.69/hour).
Location
This is a full-time position intended to be based primarily out of the Okanagan region. The expectation is that the majority of time will be spent in the field working with or overseeing active crews working within the Okanagan and Shuswap areas. While Maskwa has an office located in Kelowna, BC, there is some flexibility hiring suitable candidates from other locations and Maskwa is open to teleworking arrangements. Maskwa's head office located in Calgary, Alberta. While this role is intended to be based primarily in the Okanagan region, some travel throughout BC and other jurisdictions may be required.
How to apply
To apply click below or submit a cover letter (optional) and resume as a PDF attachment to careers@maskwaenv.com with the subject line 260601 - Senior Certified Utility Arborist.
Your application will be treated with the strictest of confidence. Only short-listed candidates that have submitted through the company email address that meet the core responsibilities/qualifications will be considered.