Construction Specialist

City of Omaha; Omaha (NE); On-site; USD 64,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Forty-hour work week

Vacation leave

Health insurance

Pension plan

Job summary

City of Omaha seeks an experienced inspector with oversight of construction management and rehabilitation projects. You will inspect dwellings, prepare plans and cost estimates, and liaise with property owners, architects, and contractors to ensure compliance with city codes.

The role requires knowledge of building trades, strong reading of plans, and the ability to work independently with general guidance from a supervisor. A valid associate degree or equivalent is expected.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of City building and related codes and ordinances.
• Familiarity with materials and practices used in building trades.
• Ability to use computer or related software for tasks.
• Capacity to learn new computer/electronics technology and software.
• Ability to communicate effectively with public and city staff.
• Ability to read and interpret plans, specs, and blueprints.

Responsibilities

• Inspect dwellings for compliance with standards.
• Prepare construction drawings, specs, and cost estimates for rehab/construction projects.
• Facilitate repair work between City, owners, architects, and contractors.
• Approve pay requests, change orders, and coordinate inspections.
• Oversee demolitions and coordinate related activities.
• Perform risk assessments for lead-based paint and radon in homes.
• Maintain regular attendance as scheduled.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Building codes knowledge

Construction practices

Blueprint reading

Computer literacy

Communication skills

Safety compliance

Education

Associate's degree / 2 years college in related field

Job description

Posting Type:

Open Competitive

Work Type:

Full-time

Nature of Work:

This is inspection and administrative work related to construction management. Work involves inspecting residential dwellings, preparing construction plans and ensuring compliance with city building and related codes and ordinances, and overseeing rehabilitation and construction projects. An employee in this classification works with considerable independence and receives general guidance from a superior.

Education and Experience:

The knowledge, skills, and abilities may be acquired through, but are not limited to, the following combination of education and/or experience.

Associate's degree or two (2) years of college-level education in architecture, construction management, construction engineering, or a related field AND Five (5) years of responsible experience in architecture, construction management, construction engineering, or a related field.

Special Qualifications:

Must be able to transport oneself or coordinate transportation to work sites throughout the City during the course of the work day.

Pay Range:

$64,376.00 with step increases to $85,155.20 Annually

Benefits:

Forty-hour work week. Paid leave per year: twelve days vacation; five days management; fifteen days sick; and fifteen holidays. Employee’s group health insurance, including major medical, vision, and dental, for individual or family. Defined benefit pension plan, plus Social Security, and more. See hr.cityofomaha.org for detailed information.

Who Can Apply:

Any person who meets the qualifications and other requirements described in this posting.

Examination Information:

The examination will consist of a structured interview, which will be scheduled at a later date. The structured interview is designed to assess job-related knowledge, skills, and abilities for this position. The final eligibility list will be assembled from those candidates achieving a passing score of 60% on the structured interview (100% weight).

Veteran Points:

To claim five (5) points for veteran’s preference, you must submit proof of service (such as a DD-214) that includes the date of induction, date of honorable separation, and Social Security number. (You must have completed more than 180 consecutive days of active duty.) To receive an additional five (5) points credit for disability, you must submit proof of eligibility from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs dated within the last 12 months. This information must be submitted to the Human Resources Department by November 25, 2026.

Required Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Knowledge of City building and related codes and ordinances and the Minimum Dwelling Standards Code
• Knowledge of the materials and practices used in building trades
• Knowledge of and ability to operate a computer or other technology using standard or customized computer or systems software applications appropriate to the assigned tasks
• Ability to learn and adapt to advances in computer and electronics device technology and software
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with fellow employees and members of the general public
• Ability to prepare, read, and interpret plans, specifications, and blueprints quickly and accurately and to compare them with building in progress
• Ability to understand oral and written instructions
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing and orally with City personnel, architects, contractors, property owners, and the general public
• Ability to adhere to safety policies, procedures, and guidelines
• Ability to stand from 51 to 75% of the time; to walk, sit, and type from 26 to 50% of the time; and to climb, reach, balance, bend, stoop, squat, kneel, crouch, crawl, push, pull, and lift up to 25% of the time
• Ability to use up to fifty (50) pounds of force to move objects up to 33% of the time; to use up to twenty (20) pounds of force to move objects from 34 to 66% of the time; and up to ten (10) pounds of force from 67 to 100% of the time to move objects

Essential Functions:

Any one position may not perform all of the duties listed, nor do the listed examples include all of the duties that may be performed in positions allocated to this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

• Inspects dwellings for compliance with federal, state, and local standards
• Prepares construction drawings, specifications, and cost estimates for planned rehabilitation and construction projects
• Acts as liaison between the City and property owners, architects, and contractors to facilitate repair work
• Approves contractors pay requests and change orders, coordinates inspections of work in progress, and ensures budgetary guidelines are met
• Conducts closings of properties to be demolished and coordinates their demolition
• Performs risk assessments to check for lead‑based paint and radon gas in homes
• Maintains regular job attendance in accordance with a schedule established for the position by the supervisor
• Performs other related duties as assigned or as the situation dictates within the scope of this classification

For a complete description of this job classification, visit hr.cityofomaha.org

Conditions of Employment:

Candidates must provide proof of U.S. citizenship, permanent residence, or authorization to work without sponsorship. The City of Omaha reserves the right to conduct pre‑employment inquiries or evaluations of candidates for employment as it deems appropriate for the particular position. Pre‑employment inquiries may include, without limitation: verification of employment history and educational attainment; review of driving, credit, and criminal convictions; hearing, drug, functional capacity, psychological, vision, and medical tests; and/or any other relevant background information deemed appropriate to determine the suitability of the applicant for the position. Failure to provide the information requested in the application and hiring process in a truthful, timely, accurate, and complete manner may result in disqualification, revocation of a conditional offer of employment, or termination.

Reasonable Accommodation:

The City of Omaha does not discriminate on the basis of disability. If you need a disability‑related accommodation during the job application or selection process, advise the Human Resources Department at least 48 hours prior to the need by emailing [e-mail].

Contact Points

City of Omaha Human Resources Department

1819 Farnam St, Suite 506

Omaha, NE 68183

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

Website: hr.cityofomaha.org

Email: [e-mail]