Permit Technician

County of Colusa; Colusa (CA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Work-life balance

CalPERS retirement

Health benefits at no cost

Paid vacation/holidays

457 Deferred Compensation

Paid leave

Job summary

County of Colusa's Environmental Health Division is seeking a Permit Technician to provide front-counter and office support, review permit applications, collect fees, coordinate inspections, and keep records moving smoothly from start to finish.

This role offers opportunities to work with residents, businesses, contractors, and county staff while building knowledge across environmental health, building, and planning. The county emphasizes teamwork, service, and community impact.

Qualifications

• One year of increasingly responsible administrative or technical experience in building trades, construction, planning, environmental health or public works.
• Two years of private sector experience working for architects, builders, developers, or contractors processing construction or development permits through public agencies.
• Two years of college course work in planning building, environmental health or related field.
• Experience with bookkeeping/accounting clerical desired and experience in a public agency preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide front-counter and office support while helping residents, businesses, contractors and the public navigate the permitting process.
• Review and process permit applications, answer questions, collect fees, coordinate inspections, maintain accurate records, and help move applications smoothly from start to finish.

Job description

The Colusa County Community Development Department is looking for the right candidate who is ready to elevate their career by joining our Environmental Health Division, where meaningful work and quality of life come together to create a rewarding professional experience.

We are seeking one Permit Technician who is excited to become part of a warm, close-knit community and play an important role in supporting the health, safety, and well-being of Colusa County. This position offers the opportunity to work with residents, businesses, contractors, and County staff while developing valuable skills and contributing to the community you serve.

Our Environmental Health Division is made up of knowledgeable and dedicated professionals who take pride in their work and are passionate about providing quality service. If you are looking for an opportunity to grow your skills, build your career, and be part of a team where your work truly matters, we would love to hear from you.

There is currently one position available within the Community Development Department’s Environmental Health Division. This recruitment will be used to fill the current vacancy and establish an eligibility list for future openings, allowing the County to fill additional vacancies without conducting a new recruitment.

What's this Job All About?

This position is at the heart of the Environmental Health Division, providing front-counter and office support while helping residents, businesses, contractors, and other members of the public navigate the permitting process. As a Permit Technician, you'll review and process permit applications, answer questions, collect fees, coordinate inspections, maintain accurate records, and help keep applications moving smoothly from start to finish.

The role offers a variety of responsibilities and the opportunity to build knowledge and experience across environmental health, building, and planning. You'll work alongside experienced professionals while developing your customer service, organizational, technical, and administrative skills.

If you enjoy working with people, solving problems, staying organized, and taking on a variety of responsibilities, this could be the opportunity you’ve been looking for.

Culture is at Our Core

Working for Colusa County offers a unique experience that blends professional fulfillment with the welcoming, close-knit atmosphere and natural beauty of a rural community. We take pride in working together and creating a collaborative, supportive, and positive environment where everyone has something to contribute - and everyone matters.

Our employees enjoy coming to work because every day brings something new and meaningful. Whether assisting a resident, supporting a local business, working alongside a colleague, or helping connect people with important services, our employees have the opportunity to see the impact of their work firsthand.

At Colusa County, we believe a strong workplace culture is built on teamwork, respect, service, and a genuine commitment to the community. We value the people who choose to serve here and strive to create an environment where employees can grow, feel supported, and take pride in what they do.

How do we make a difference?

Our team may not wear capes, but we play an important role in keeping Colusa County healthy, safe, and thriving! Think of us as the behind-the-scenes champions of community health and safety. Every day, we help guide residents, businesses, contractors, and community partners through the permitting process and ensure important health and safety requirements are met.

As a Permit Technician, you'll be an essential part of that mission. From helping an applicant understand what they need to processing permits, coordinating inspections, and keeping projects moving forward, your work helps turn applications into action.

It may not always feel like saving the day, but every permit processed, every question answered, and every person helped contributes to a safer, healthier community. Together, we make a difference - one application, one inspection, and one interaction at a time.

What are the benefits?

• A beautiful, safe community in which to work and serve.
• A caring, empathetic, & fun work family that you will be welcomed into - where we work hard, but play hard, too!
• A job with WORK-LIFE BALANCE
• Competitive salary commensurate with education & experience
• A LIFETIME PAYCHECK (3% @ 60 for Classic Members and 2% @ 62 for New Members) - As long as you work for 5 years and vest in the CalPERS system, you will receive a retirement paycheck for the rest of your life.
• Amazing health care BENEFITS at NO COST to you - Unless you choose a premium health care plan.
• Authentically kind and engaged leadership who truly enjoy developing staff.
• 457 Deferred Compensation.
• PAID vacation, PAID holidays (15), and PAID leave if you get sick.
• Vacation Parity - Previous service with a public agency counts towards vacation accrual at Colusa County. A public agency includes cities, counties, districts, military and similar entities. To learn more about vacation parity please see our benefit summary.

COME WORK FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUSA: WE'RE WAITING FOR YOU!

Receives general direction from the Director of Community Development and/or a Division Manager.

Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain knowledge and abilities would be:

One year of increasingly responsible administrative or technical experience in building trades, construction, planning, environmental health or public works; and two years responsible clerical experience involving public contact.

OR

Two years of private sector experience working for architects, builders, developers, or contractors processing construction or development permits through public agencies.

OR

Two years of college course work in planning building, environmental health or related field.

Experience with bookkeeping/accounting clerical desired and experience in a public agency preferred.

The salary range above consists of 15 steps. Steps 1-6 are annual merit steps with approximately 5% difference between each step, based on successful performance. Steps 7-15 are additional merit steps, requiring 2 years of satisfactory performance at the previous step. Steps 7-14 provide 2.5% increases, while Step 15 offers a 5% increase. The final salary offered will depend on the applicant's experience and qualifications, ranging from steps 1 to 15.