Forester

Job Description

About CenterPoint Energy:

CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been serving customers for over 150 years. We are dedicated to becoming the most admired utility in the United States through our long-term growth strategy. Our unwavering commitment is to provide safe and reliable delivery of electricity and natural gas to millions of people.

CenterPoint Energy fosters an inclusive work environment where diverse talents are valued and respected. We believe in creating an inclusive workplace that reflects the communities we serve.

About the Job:

CenterPoint Energy is seeking a highly motivated and skilled Forester to join our Vegetation Management Team in Houston, Texas. In this role, you will play a critical part in maintaining and managing vegetation along CenterPoint Energy’s extensive distribution and transmission systems, ensuring the safety and reliability of our services.

Responsibilities:

• Vegetation Management Project Coordination & Oversight: You will be responsible for coordinating, overseeing, and completing all land and right-of-way, distribution, and transmission utility vegetation management (VM) projects, including both capital projects and ongoing proactive programs. This includes inspecting vegetation clearances to ensure quality and compliance with company standards and various State and Federal agency regulations.
• Line Clearance Activities: You will coordinate and schedule ongoing transmission and distribution VM line clearance activities in assigned areas, ensuring service reliability and achieving VM objectives for the company. This is a critical aspect of operations, spanning between 4,000-6,000 miles and requiring reporting to governmental oversight agencies like the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
• Problem Solving & Maintenance: You will assist internal clients in analyzing vegetation-related problems, developing corrective work procedures, and administering unplanned maintenance projects.
• Contractor Management: You will monitor and audit all contractor work activities, ensuring compliance with contract guidelines, evaluating job performance, and assessing cost effectiveness. You will also review contractor invoicing for accuracy and approve payments.
• Storm Response & Restoration: You will coordinate contractor response for service restoration following storms, participating in scheduled periodic rotations of “on-call” duties after normal working hours.
• Customer Interaction: You will meet with customers to address VM program concerns, resolve complaints or work refusals, and enforce company policies and requirements. This includes supporting internal construction projects for new and existing customers.
• Administrative Tasks: You will prepare, maintain, and/or correct job orders in the company work management system, ensuring compliance with SAP process flow guidelines for project documentation and close-out requirements.
• Customer Service & Communication: You will coordinate the review and response to incoming customer trim requests and complaints, ensuring accurate and prompt contractor responses. You will also provide status reports to supervisors and internal clients for budget and work management.
• Process Improvement: You will develop and evaluate initiatives to improve operational efficiencies and processes.
• Coordination & Collaboration: You will field-check proposed job sites to coordinate activities with city, county, or state improvement projects, other utilities, and customers to avoid conflicts. You will work with governmental representatives to coordinate VM activities on public properties and ensure compliance with vegetation-related ordinances.
• Public Relations & Advocacy: You will support company representatives when meeting with civic groups and non-governmental organizations to explain company policies and procedures regarding vegetation issues. You will also deliver presentations on the company’s VM program activities to customer groups and internal clients, including leading the “Right Tree Right Place” program.
• Professional Expertise & Mentoring: You will share and provide professional forestry/arboriculture expertise to support company personnel and activities. You will also mentor and assist VM employees in learning technical job knowledge, work processes, and practices.

Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor of Science Degree in Arboriculture, Forestry or Urban Forestry from an accredited college or university.
• Licensing: Texas Department of Agriculture Non-Commercial Pesticide Applicator’s License.
• Experience: Three (3) years as a Vegetation Management (VM) arborist performing vegetation management activities directly for an electric utility company and/or a VM contractor providing vegetation management services for an electric utility.

Benefits:

• Competitive pay
• Paid training
• Benefits eligibility from your first day
• Transit subsidies
• Flexible work schedule, paid holidays, and paid time off
• Discounts at fitness clubs and an on-site wellness center at our headquarters in Houston
• Professional growth and development programs including tuition reimbursement
• 401(k) Savings Plan featuring a company match dollar-for-dollar up to 6% and a company contribution of 3% regardless of your contribution

Location: Houston, Texas

Job Type: Full Time

Posting Dates: 06/17/2024 – 07/01/2024

Equal Opportunity Employer: This contractor and subcontractor shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR §§ 60-1.4(a), 60-300.5(a), and 60-741.5(a). These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin. Moreover, these regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability.