Vegetation Management Groundworker

From: Brian Skelton - CEO/President

Date: September 18, 2025

Re: External Job Posting

Open Job Position – Vegetation Management Groundworker

Beginning Thursday, September 18, 2025, Riviera Utilities will begin taking applications to fill a job vacancy for Vegetation Management Groundworker. We are considering applicants with qualifications in the following range, salary commensurate with education and experience.

Education and Experience

High school diploma or an acceptable equivalent diploma (GED). Previous experience in a similar position is preferred but not required.

Licenses or Certifications

Certificate of completion for each of the following:

- TCIA’s Ground Operations within 6 months of employment.

- TCIA’s Electrical Hazards Awareness Program within 1 year of employment.

- AREA’s Introduction to Chainsaws within 3 years of employment.

Special Requirements

Ongoing training and education are required.

Possession of or ability to obtain a valid Driver’s License within 60 days of employment.

The selected applicant must obtain a valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) within 1 year after the date of hiring. If less than 18 years of age, applicant must have a valid Driver’s License and, within 1 year after turning 18 years of age, applicant must obtain a valid CDL.

Applications accepted for the open position through Thursday, October 2, 2025. Interested individuals should go to our website at www.rivierautilities.com to review the Job Descriptions for this opening, click on the Application link, complete the application, and submit it by the deadline.

In Compliance with the Alabama Immigration Law, Riviera Utilities participates in the Federal E-Verify Identification Program.

Salary Range: $41,600 - $54,912 Pay Grade 101

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were written out in this job description.

Vegetation Management Groundworker

Department: Administration – Vegetation Management

Pay Grade: 101

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Reports To: Vegetation Management Superintendent or Crew Chief

Effective Date: 6/8/2023

# JOB SUMMARY

This is an entry-level position responsible for clearing rights-of-way of trees and brush near energized or de-energized overhead electric transmission and distribution power lines. The position works under the direct and regular supervision of the Lead Tree Worker or experienced Tree Workers. The primary responsibilities for this position include the use and maintenance of hand tools to cut underbrush, driving and operating a grapple truck, skid steer or other equipment used to clear the right-of-way, hauling and feeding brush, limbs, and trees into a chipper.

# ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

- Clears distribution and transmission line rights-of-way of trees and brush while the lines are either energized or de-energized.

- Operates a chain saw, ax, bush hook, pruners, pole saw, leaf rake, pitchfork, handsaw and other tools to cut trees, limbs, and underbrush around electric power lines.

- Sharpens chain saw with hand file and performs field repairs.

- Loads, drives and operates a grapple truck.

- Drives and operates a skid steer or other equipment for clearing rights-of-way.

- Operates a chipper to chip-up trees, limbs, and brush.

- Loads and hauls tree trunks, limbs, and underbrush onto trailers for disposal.

- Communicates freely with immediate supervisor to ensure full understanding of the scope and hazards associated with the given task.

- Participates in tailgate sessions by offering ideas before beginning the job.

- Reports all accidents to the Lead Tree Worker.

- Informs the Lead Tree Worker of any repairs necessary to vehicles and work equipment such as chain saws, ropes, and harnesses.

# Other Functions

- Wears all the safety equipment required on the job site.

- Attends and participates in safety meetings.

- Assists other departments as requested or required.

- Performs additional tasks as directed by the Vegetation Management Supervisor.

- Provides after-hours support for emergencies and outages.

# QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience

High school diploma or an acceptable equivalent diploma (GED). Previous experience in a similar position is preferred but not required.

Licenses or Certifications

Certificate of completion for each of the following:

- TCIA’s Ground Operations within 6 months of employment.

- TCIA’s Electrical Hazards Awareness Program within 1 year of employment.

- AREA’s Introduction to Chainsaws within 3 years of employment.

Special Requirements

Ongoing training and education are required.

Possession of or ability to obtain a valid Driver’s License within 60 days of employment.

The selected applicant must obtain a valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) within 1 year after the date of hiring. If less than 18 years of age, applicant must have a valid Driver’s License and, within 1 year after turning 18 years of age, applicant must obtain a valid CDL.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

- Knowledge of Riviera’s policies, procedures, practices, services, and organizational structure.

- Knowledge of traffic laws, first aid, safety procedures, and regulations.

- Skill in hand-eye coordination with dexterity and ability to operate tools and equipment.

- Skill in using a chain saw, pruner, handsaw, tree saw, ax, bush hook or other line clearing tools.

- Ability to exercise initiative, judgment, and knowledge of Riviera Utilities practices, policies, and organization.

- Ability to listen and convey information between coworkers, customers, the public, and other Riviera employees.

- Ability to read, understand and interpret oral and written instructions, work assignments, and safety rules from Supervisor and follow through to completion.

- Ability to communicate in a positive and courteous manner with coworkers, customers, and the public.

- Ability to speak English clearly.

- Ability to drive and operate a chipper, skid steer, or other equipment used clearing the right-of-way.

- Ability to properly maintain all tools, trucks, machines, and other work equipment with which you work.

- Ability to display careful attention to detail, agreeable acceptance, and prompt execution of all work assignments.

- Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide all units of measure including practical applications of fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions.

- Ability to make decisions which may have a direct bearing on safety. Also includes the ability to make decisions which affect the aesthetic qualities of private property and yet maintain the standards of the company.

- Ability to exercise initiative, judgment, and reasoning while performing duties.

- Ability to operate computers for time entry or to check email.

- Ability to operate and repair small/light equipment, such as power tools.

- Ability to operate and repair medium equipment and machinery such as vehicles.

- Ability to have regular and predictable attendance at work.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work is very heavy: exerting in excess of one hundred pounds of force occasionally and/or in excess of fifty pounds of force frequently, and/or in excess of twenty pounds of force constantly to move objects. The work entails constant walking and standing, as well as driving vehicles with standard and automatic transmissions. Additionally, the following required physical abilities:

- Balancing: sufficient to maintain body equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing, or crouching on narrow, slippery, or erratically moving surfaces. The amount of balancing exceeds that needed for ordinary locomotion and maintenance of body equilibrium.

- Climbing: sufficient to ascend or descend ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles, and the like, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms. Body agility is emphasized.

- Crawling: sufficient to move about on hands and knees or hands and feet.

- Crouching: sufficient to bend the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.

- Feeling: sufficient to perceive attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature, or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.

- Fingering: perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature, or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.

- Grasping: sufficient to apply pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.

- Handling: sufficient to pick, hold, or otherwise work, primarily with the whole hand.

- Hearing: sufficient to perceive the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction; ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discrimination in sound.

- Hearing: sufficient to receive detailed information through oral communication and to make discrimination in sound.

- Kneeling: sufficient to bend legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.

- Lifting: sufficient to raise objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position-to-position. It occurs to a considerable degree and requires substantial use of upper extremities and back muscles.

- Mental Acuity: sufficient to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.

- Pulling: sufficient to use upper extremities to exert force to draw, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion.

- Pushing: sufficient to use upper extremities to press against something with steady force to thrust forward, downward, or outward.

- Reaching: sufficient to extend hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.

- Repetitive Motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.

- Speaking: sufficient to express or exchange ideas by means of the spoken word including the ability to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately and concisely.

- Standing: Particularly for sustained periods of time.

- Stooping: sufficient to bend body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. It occurs to a considerable degree and requires full motion of the lower extremities and back muscles.

- Talking: sufficient to express or exchange ideas by means of the spoken word including those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.

- Talking: sufficient to shout in order to be heard above ambient noise level.

- Visual Acuity: sufficient to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures, transcribing, viewing a computer terminal, and/or extensive reading.

- Visual Acuity: sufficient to include color, depth perception, and field vision.

- Visual Acuity: sufficient to determine the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of the work assigned or to make general observations of facilities or structures.

- Visual Acuity: sufficient to operate motor vehicles and/or heavy equipment.

- Visual Acuity: sufficient to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: visual inspection involving small defects, small parts, operation of machines, using measurement devices, and/or assembly or fabrication parts at distances close to the eyes.

- Walking: sufficient to move about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or move from one work site to another.

# WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment requires the employee to work outside in a variety of weather conditions without effective protection from weather. A job is considered "outside" if the worker spends approximately 75% or more of the time outside. FR clothing is required anytime the employee is within the defined minimum approach distance or when around opened energized underground installations. Employees will be subject to cuts, scrapes, bruises, and puncture wounds while working on sharp, rough, and heavy objects. The individual will be exposed to the definite risk of bodily injury. Work does include inclement weather and flexible scheduling so availability during nights and weekends is required. Work may include patrolling right-of-way on foot and managing varied geographical areas for vegetation related activities. The possibility of working continuous and lengthy hours with minimal rest.

E.O.E. Riviera Utilities does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or military service in employment or the provision of services.