Arborist in Training
Ground Crew
Silverback Treeworks Ltd · Burnaby & North Vancouver, BC · Full-time, year-round
Be Real-Better Everyday-Be a pillar of our community
The short version
Great team, real character, and we look out for the people around us — on the crew and on the property.
We're hiring two ground crew who want to learn tree work from the ground up: one in Burnaby, one in North Vancouver. Setting up the site, dragging brush, feeding the chipper, and leaving the property so clean the homeowner can't tell we were there.
We'll teach you the trade. Show up with the right attitude and you'll climb from here.
You don't need a ticket, a saddle, or a single day of arboriculture experience to apply. What you need is a strong back, a level head, and a real interest in the trade. We run a first-class in-house training and development program, and this job is the front door to it. People who start here and apply themselves end up in the tree.
What you'll learn to run
● Chainsaws — bucking, limbing, and ground cutting, once you're trained and signed off
● Chipper— safe feeding, then operation
● Truck and trailer — loading, strapping, and towing equipment between sites
● Blowers, rakes, ropes, and everything else that comes with a working crew
A typical day
You roll out from the [Burnaby / North Vancouver] yard with the crew in the morning.
Jobsite preparation, that means setting cones and signage, keeping the public clear, hauling brush to the chipper, and keeping the ground moving so the climber never has to wait.
On a removal, you're staging wood for the truck with your head up and your eyes on the tree — situational awareness under a working climber is the most important thing you'll bring to a site.
Between jobs you're fueling saws, sharpening chains, checking gear, and loading out. Equipment that gets looked after runs. We take that seriously.
Who thrives here
The trainees who go the furthest with us share a few things:
● They keep their head up. Knowing where the climber is, where the rigging is loaded, and where the piece is going is the whole job.
● They pull their weight. This is physical work in all weather conditions, and the crew notices who carries their share.
● They listen the first time. Instructions on a job site are often given once, at volume, with a saw running.
● They're curious about the trade. The people who ask why we tied that knot, why we cut that notch, are the ones climbing within two years.
● They take safety personally. PPE on, every time, without a reminder. There is no piece of wood urgent enough to cut a corner for.
● They own their mistakes. Everyone drops a limb somewhere it shouldn't go eventually. We want to hear about it from you, not the customer.
What we're looking for
Required
● Unrestricted Class 5 driver's licence with a safe driving history
● Physically able to work outdoors year-round in heavy rain, snow, and heat
● Reliable transportation to the [Burnaby / North Vancouver] yard and a track record of showing up on time
● Willingness to work safely and wear PPE without being reminded
● Legally entitled to work in Canada
Strongly preferred
● Previous landscaping, arboriculture, forestry, excavation, or agricultural experience
● Occupational First Aid Level 1 or higher
● Chainsaw experience
● Comfortable towing and backing a trailer
Nice to have
● Traffic control ticket
● Air brake endorsement for our larger trucks
● Basic small-engine troubleshooting
Physical requirements
Sustained dragging, hauling, and stacking. Long periods standing and walking on uneven ground and slopes. Working around loud equipment, dust, and flying debris. Full-day outdoor shifts in all weather.
Pay and benefits
● $27-31/hour, based on experience and what you can contribute on day one
● Four-day work week — 10-hour days, three days off every week
● In-house training and development program— structured, paid, with a clear path from ground crew to climber
● Extended health and dental benefits [after 90 days]
● All PPE and safety gear provided
● Boot allowance
● Steady year-round work
Pay: $27.00-$31.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
