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Architect of the Capitol is Hiring an Arborist, WG-5042-10 Near Washington, DC

Qualifications:

You must meet all eligibility and qualification requirements by the closing date of the job announcement.  
  
You must meet the following SCREEN-OUT required for this position: Ability to perform the work of Arborist with more than normal supervision. 

Responsibilities:

***The position is considered essential during emergency situations***

• A valid unexpired driver’s license is required.
• Employee must possess an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certification or an accredited tree expert license.
•  - Possess pesticide license within 24 months - 

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This position is located in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Capitol Grounds and Arboretum, Gardening Division, Tree Branch. The incumbent is responsible for the preservation and maintenance of historical and memorial trees located on the U.S. Capitol grounds.

Major duties and responsibilities include the following:

• Performs risk assessments of trees with cultural and historical significance. Determines internal tree decay and identifies structural defects in trees. Processes leaf, twig, root, and soil samples for disease determination and analysis by diagnostic clinics. Develops and performs appropriate curative actions following test results.

• Prunes trees in accordance with ISA and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards. Performs hazard reduction pruning and crown reduction pruning. Prunes young trees for structure and branch placement to avoid problems in maturity. Removes dead or hazardous trees using a variety of rigging techniques and equipment. Identifies and removes girdling roots. Installs supplementary support systems using cables and bracing rods.

• Adjusts the nutrient content of soil; applies fertilizer to tree root zones to assure proper nutrient availability. Transplants a wide variety of trees. Diagnoses and controls common insect infestations and tree diseases by applying the proper method and mixture of insecticide and/or fungicide.

• Plants new trees. Selects the optimal specimens from a large pool of nursery stock by excluding specimens with structural defects, poor root environment, girdling roots, “J-roots,” and unbalanced root/crown relationships. Analyzes soil texture and soil structure to determine the correct soil amendments for a specific species to ensure proper growing conditions of the tree to be planted at that site.

• Assists in managing the tree collection. Inputs tree inventory information into a Geographic Information System (GIS) database. Enters information for trees recently planted and deaccessions trees that have been removed. Documents tree maintenance performed and site condition changes along with other issues that affect the tree population. Continually updates and refines the system based on changing requirements or arboricultural field data.

• Manages tree labels of dedicated trees, memorial trees, and historically significant trees. Identifies a variety of tree genera and species and ensures that tree records, labels, signage, inventories, maps, and information are correct.

Job Summary