Apprentice - Trimmer/Climber Trainee

This position trims, tops, and reshapes trees to remove low-hanging, dead, and excess branches, providing clearance for utility powerlines.

Are you a real go-getter looking for an amazing opportunity with a nationwide full-service utility contractor offering competitive wages and incredible benefits? Keep reading because this job might be for you!

Since 1928, Asplundh has been dedicated to safe, efficient, and innovative line clearance services for the utility industry. Reliable, uninterrupted power is an important service provided by the world's electrical utilities and Asplundh has the expertise to help keep the power flowing. Diversification over the years has opened up vegetation management services to other specialized markets such as municipalities, railroads, pipelines, helicopter vegetation services, and departments of transportation.

A family-owned and operated corporation headquartered near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Asplundh has grown to employ over 36,000 service professionals throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Job Type: Full-Time , Non-Exempt

Pay: $29.60 - $35.51 per hour / Depending on Experience

Benefits:

• Benefits are available per the terms of the applicable collective bargaining agreement and may include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, defined benefit pension, and defined contribution annuity plan.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities:

• Uses a chainsaw to cut brush, logs, and stumps of larger trees.
• Gathers and feeds brush into a woodchipper.
• Responsible for temporary traffic control and equipment (cones, signs, and flagging).
• Ensures the safety of self and others by following company safety policies.
• Adheres to Region Policy Manual
• Applies herbicide to right-of-way, following brush removal to treat remote areas.
• Services/maintains neat, clean, and mechanical order of truck, chipper, and other equipment.
• Responsible for daily inventory on the truck.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Must be 18 years of age or older.
• Able to work scheduled work hours.
• Can obtain:
  • written CDL permit within 4 weeks of the hire date.
  • Valid CDL within 120 days of hire date.
  • Herbicide license within 120 days of hire date.
• Must be able to work long hours and overtime during emergencies, including holidays and weekends.
• Willing to pay union dues.

Education & Experience:

• High School Diploma or equivalent preferred.
• Entry-level position, no experience required.
• Previous experience is a plus.

Pre-Screen:

• Upon offer, employees may be required to complete and pass a pre-employment drug screen, background, and/or MVR check.

License & Certifications:

• A valid DOT Medical Card is required.

Travel Requirements:

• Required to report and/or travel for storm emergencies.

Physical Requirements:

• RARE (less than 10%): Sitting, Kneeling, Crawling, Color Vision, Climbing Stairs
• OCCASIONAL (up to 33%): Stooping, Squatting, Climbing On/Off Truck, Climbing Ladders, Pushing, Reading,
• FREQUENT (up to 66%): Carrying, Pulling, lifting up to 50 lbs., Balancing, body-twisting, Hearing/Speech Range, Lifting, lifting up to 10 lbs., Manual Dexterity, Reading, Speaking Clearly, Walking
• CONTINUOUS (up to 100%): Standing, Sense of Touch, Gripping, Seeing Distant, Reaching, range-of-motion, Depth Perception, lifting over 10 lbs. to 50 lbs., Climbing Poles

Safety:

Due to the inherently dangerous nature of the industry and requirements to work with or around hazardous equipment, employees must have sufficient eyesight to judge distance/coordination of equipment and tools, be able to maintain attention and concentration for extended periods, be able to withstand exposure to all kinds of weather while completing work assignments, be able to wear personal protective equipment as necessary, be able to enter and exit a vehicle numerous times a day, have the endurance necessary to traverse various terrain, be capable of performing job duties throughout a standard 8- or 10-hour day, be able to communicate with others, read, write, and comprehend written/verbal job instructions and information, and communicate and handle conflict professionally.

• Exposed to various vehicle traffic situations on work sites.
• Works around hazardous equipment.
• Work in all temperatures and weather.
• Works around excessive noise from machines, chain saws, woodchipper, with hearing protection.
• May be exposed to nature i.e., irritating plants and biting or stinging insects, reptiles, and dust.
• May be exposed to dogs and other animals.
• Work may be performed on unlevel ground.
• Work around falling limbs.

About Us:

As a full-service utility contractor, Asplundh performs tree pruning and removals, right-of-way clearing and maintenance, vegetation management with herbicides, and emergency storm work and logistical support. Asplundh is the parent company of Asplundh Infrastructure Group whose subsidiaries provide overhead and underground line construction, planning and design, meter reading and AMR/AMI installation, electrical testing, and street lighting/traffic signal services. Asplundh also operates Rotor Blade Airborne Utilities Management, overhead electric distribution, and transmission lines using MD 500 helicopters.

Individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without a reasonable accommodation. Individuals with a disability who desire a reasonable accommodation should contact the ADA Coordinator at 1-800-248-8733, ext. 1339.

An Equal Opportunity Employer.