The Village of Wilmette is excited to announce the recruitment of a temporary / permanent part-time Assistant Tree Preservation Officer to work in the Community Development Department. The person in this position will work up to 20 hours per week under the supervision of the Deputy Community Development Director. This position has the potential to transition into a permanent part-time role with additional benefits in 2026. This is a new position, and the ideal Candidate will have the opportunity to grow with the position as the role evolves.
The Village is very proud to have a vibrant, diverse urban forest with nearly 18,000 parkway trees. The Village earned its 40th Tree City USA recognition in 2024 for its continued commitment to a comprehensive urban forestry management program.
General Responsibilities:
The successful candidate will assist in the administration and enforcement of the Village’s codes and regulations pertaining to tree preservation and tree protection. This position will review tree removal permit applications, assist with reviewing plans for construction to ensure compliance with tree protection and preservation policies, conduct site inspections, review tree plantings on private property, maintain tree planting records, answer questions regarding trees on private property, provide customer service related to tree preservation and protection and otherwise support the Village Forestry Division as needed.
Position Requirements:
The candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in Urban Forestry, Horticulture, Natural Science, Landscape Architecture with a minimum of three years of experience related to arboriculture and urban forestry or tree management; or an equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered. Must be an ISA Certified Arborist or obtain certification within 12 months of employment. The candidate must possess a valid driver’s license. The candidate should have experience and/or the ability to learn the site plan, permit application and review process.
The candidate must possess a thorough understanding of standard principles and techniques of arboriculture and/or urban forestry along with corresponding materials, tools, equipment and occupational hazards. Specifically, the candidate must have knowledge of tree identification, plant health care principles, tree preservation, insects and diseases and their control, best management practices for tree pruning, removal and tree planting, safety practices as they relate to urban forestry operations; sufficient skills in hazardous tree evaluation and computerized tree inventory software programs. The candidate must possess strong interpersonal communication skills including verbal and non-verbal communications and develop positive working relationships with supervisors, co-workers, contractors and the general public. Must be proficient in Microsoft Office products including Outlook, SharePoint, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Also, have the ability to learn the Village’s Enterprise Resources Planning and Customer Relationship Management Systems (Tyler Technology software programs) to include the Village’s tree inventory software (Davey TreeKeeper), and GIS.
Compensation and Benefits:
The starting hourly rate is $40.72 and 8 hours of paid time off (PTO). After the initial 320 hours of time worked, an additional hour of PTO will be earned for every additional 40 hours worked up to a maximum of 40 hours of PTO. The 2025 Pay and Classification Plan is located on the Village’s website at: Employment Opportunities, Compensation and Benefits – Wilmette.
Selection Process:
The candidate must be able to successfully complete a pre-employment physical examination that includes a back evaluation, drug/alcohol screening, reference checks, and a driver’s license records check.
How to Apply:
Interested candidates should complete the online employment application found on Village’s Self-Service webpage at https://wilmette.munisselfservice.com/ess and attach a resume and cover letter. Employment applications will be reviewed as they are received. Paper submissions will not be accepted. The position remains open until filled.
The Village of Wilmette is committed to compliance with the American Disabilities Act and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are critical to the Village’s success. The Village seeks to recruit the most talented individuals from a diverse candidate pool and strongly encourages applications to be submitted from all genders, all races, all sexual orientations, people with disabilities, and Military Veterans.
