Cuyahoga County – Permit Technician

Boconeo; Novelty (OH); On-site; USD 35,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Cuyahoga County is seeking an entry-level Permit Clerk in the Fiscal – Building Standards department. The role handles building permit applications, verifies information, schedules inspections, maintains files, and provides customer service under supervision.

Requires a high school diploma and three years of related experience or equivalent. Regular schedule Monday–Friday 8:30–4:30, with emphasis on accuracy, timeliness, and compliance.

Qualifications

• Receives and processes building permit applications; verifies required information; ensures applications are complete; identifies applications that need correction or follow-up; prepares files; sends applications to appropriate routes; schedules inspections based on inspector workload; prioritizes same‑day inspection requests and assigns them to available inspectors; reviews upcoming permit and inspection volume trends to adjust upcoming scheduling priorities; assigns permit numbers; issues permits; Ensures fees are collected and prepares fee receipts;

Responsibilities

• Maintains records and documentation; scans, files, and updates electronic records; maintains permit files; ensures accuracy and retention; prepares building‑related reports; complies permit activity and inspection totals; maintains processing of permit receipts, fee payments, and documentation.

Skills

Permit processing

Scheduling inspections

Records management

Customer service

Office administration

Education

High school diploma/GED

Related associate or bachelor's degree

Related master's/doctoral degree

Job description

Department: Fiscal – Building Standards

Anticipated Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

This is an entry-level classification with the responsibility of independently receiving and processing building permit applications, coordinating and scheduling inspections, maintaining records, providing customer service, and performing related functions essential to the permit process. This class works under direct supervision of the Administrator, FS Building Official. Incumbents are expected to exercise sound judgment, manage workflow efficiently, and ensure all activities are completed accurately, on schedule, and in compliance with applicable policies, procedures, and regulations.

Essential Job Functions

Receives and processes building permit applications; verifies required information; ensures applications are complete; identifies applications that need correction or follow-up; prepares files; sends applications to appropriate routes; schedules inspections based on inspector workload; prioritizes same‑day inspection requests and assigns them to available inspectors; reviews upcoming permit and inspection volume trends to adjust upcoming scheduling priorities; assigns permit numbers; issues permits; Ensures fees are collected and prepares fee receipts;

Maintains records and documentation; scans, files, and updates electronic records; maintains permit files; ensures accuracy and retention; prepares building‑related reports; complies permit activity and inspection totals; maintains processing of permit receipts, fee payments, and documentation.

High school diploma with three (3) years of experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience as defined below.

Highest degree of education attained Experience required*

High school diploma/GED 3 years

Related/Unrelated associate or bachelor’s degree 2 years

Related/Unrelated master’s/doctoral degree 1 year

Related work experience: administrative or clerical work, permitting experience, office administrator, records technician, zoning clerk, permit clerk, or building department.

Application Process

This is a competitive, classified position. The Personnel Review Commission (PRC) will check your application to make sure you meet the minimum qualifications. If you do, the PRC will invite you to take a civil service examination. The exam is specific to this position. Everyone who passes the exam goes on an eligibility list. To fill this opening, the PRC sends the hiring department and Human Resources (HR) a certified eligibility list with the top 25% candidates (or at least the ten highest scoring candidates, whichever is greater). HR helps the hiring department decide who from the certified list to follow up with for interviews and then a job offer.

Most of our communication with candidates is through email. Regularly check the email address you gave us in your job profile. Watch your Spam folder, just in case.

If we offer you a job, you must pass a drug screen and background check before the offer becomes final. Prior criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify you from employment; the County looks at criminal convictions on a case‑by‑case basis using the guidelines in Chapter 306 of the County Code.

Conviction of some misdemeanors and felonies may preclude applicants from serving in some positions. Aside from circumstances set forth is Section 306.02(A)(1) of the Cuyahoga County Code, all job openings will require a background check at the time of conditional offers of employment, and conditional offers of employment become permanent only upon successful completion of the background check process.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Cuyahoga County is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce, which includes building an environment that respects the individual, promotes innovation and offers opportunities for all employees to develop to their full potential. A diverse workforce helps the County realize its full potential. The County benefits from the creativity and innovation that results when people with different experiences, perspectives, and cultural backgrounds work together.

The County is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all individuals regardless of race, color, ancestry, national origin, language, religion, citizenship status, sex, age, marital status, sexual preference or orientation, gender identity/expression, military/veteran status, disability, genetic information, membership in a collective bargaining unit, status with regard to public assistance, or political affiliation. If you are a person with a disability and unable to use or access this site as a result of your disability, you may request a reasonable accommodation by calling [phone] or via email [e-mail] County is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce, which includes building an environment that respects the individual, promotes innovation and offers opportunities for all employees to develop to their full potential. A diverse workforce helps the County realize its full potential. The County benefits from the creativity and innovation that results when people with different experiences, perspectives, and cultural backgrounds work together.