PERMIT TECHNICIAN I/II

City of El Cerrito; El Cerrito (CA); On-site; USD 63,000 - 83,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

CalPERS Retirement

Fully-paid health and dental premiums

Vacation 11–33 days per year

Sick leave 8.75 hours per month

Tuition reimbursement up to $3,500/fy

Bilingual pay $2,600/year

Wellness program

Job summary

City of El Cerrito seeks two Permit Technician positions in the Building Division. The role supports daily operations in Building and Planning, handling permit intake, plan reviews, and customer inquiries.

Ideal candidates provide excellent customer service, strong organization, and the ability to multitask across multiple projects in a municipal setting. This is a full-time, in-office position with competitive benefits.

Qualifications

• For this City role, strong customer service and guiding customers through permitting processes are essential.
• Ability to review and process permit applications, calculate fees, and issue permits.
• Experience organizing databases, spreadsheets, and records with attention to accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Provide information at front counter, on the phone, and via email regarding permits, fees, and procedures.
• Receive, review, and process permit applications and supporting documents; collect fees.
• Perform preliminary plan review and coordinate with City staff.
• Maintain accurate databases, files, and records; ensure data integrity and retention.
• Prepare reports and correspondence; verify completeness and compliance with regulations.
• Uphold safety rules and perform related duties as assigned.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Multitasking

Organization

Attention to detail

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Some college coursework in related field

Job description

Class Description

Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

Salary Range

Permit Technician I: $63,480 - $77,160 Annually

Permit Technician II: $67,872 - $82,500 Annually

What is the Role?

The City is flexibly recruiting to fill two (2) Permit Technician vacancies in the Building Division. A successful candidate will be placed at either level I or level II in the Permit Technician classification series depending on experience. Permit Technicians represent the City of El Cerrito to all visiting members of the public, as well as contractors, architects, and engineers. This role serves as the primary point of contact for the City and supports the daily operations and key functions of the Building Division as well as the Planning Division within the Community Development Department. A successful candidate will have excellent customer service and organizational skills, effective communication and listening skills, and lastly possess the ability to multitask and work on multiple projects at once. Additionally, the Permit Technicians will review and inspect building permit applications for accuracy and completeness, issue completed permits, and answer a variety of inquiries and questions about requirements and processes. The Permit Technician II is considered the journey level classification and takes on the full scope of responsibilities in the series, working independently on more complex projects and operates with minimal supervision. The Permit Technician reports to the Building Official.

City Perks

• CalPERS Retirement: CalPERS Classic members 2.7% @ 55 and PEPRA members 2% @ 62 retirement formula integrated with Social Security; 8.5% employee contribution.
• Medical/Dental Insurance: Fully paid medical coverage (up to Kaiser family rate) and dental coverage (up to Family coverage) for employees and their dependents. This is a value of up to $38,064 annually; cash in lieu option available at $500 per month.
• Life Insurance: The City pays for basic life and AD&D insurance coverage each up to $100,000.
• Short-Term/Long-Term Disability Insurance: 2/3rds of salary up to the maximum monthly.
• Voluntary Benefits: Supplemental life insurance, deferred compensation plans and flexible spending accounts (FSAs) offered.
• Holidays: 13 paid holidays per year, plus 3 floating holidays and 1 birthday holiday.
• Vacation: Vacation ranging from 11 to 33 days per year based on years of service.
• Sick Leave: Accrued at 8.75 hours per month.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Cost reimbursement up to the maximum of $3,500/fiscal year for work related studies.
• Bilingual Pay: The City pays $2,600 per year to employees who are bilingual and who have passed a proficiency test provided by the City.
• Wellness Program: Access to an array of wellness programs offered by the City such as massage days, fitness and meditation classes, Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Are We A Match?

• You are passionate about providing excellent customer service.
• You excel at guiding customers through complex permitting processes.
• You enjoy contributing to a positive work environment.
• You are dedicated to approaching challenges with a solution-oriented mindset.
• You are detail-oriented with sharp organization skills required to monitor diverse projects.

Tentative Virtual Interview date: Week of November 9th, 2026

Essential Functions (duties)

• Provides information and assistance at the front counter, on the phone, and through e-mail by answering questions and providing information regarding community development, building, and permit processes, fees, and procedures; provides information regarding applicable local, state, and federal regulations and municipal codes, ordinances, standards, and guidelines.
• Receives and processes permit applications, plans, specifications, and supporting documents; calculates and collects applicable fees; prepares and issues a variety of permits and releases approved plans following established guidelines.
• Performs preliminary review of plans; coordinates plan review with other City staff and departments.
• Organizes and maintains accurate and detailed databases, spreadsheets, files, and records; verifies accuracy of information, researches discrepancies, and records information; queries and organizes data; ensures compliance with established records retention schedules including archiving, scanning, and destructing files.
• Researches, compiles, and summarizes data and information and prepares various correspondence, reports, and related documentation.
• Verifies and reviews applications, records, files, and reports for completeness and conformance with established regulations and procedures; applies departmental and City policies and procedures in determining completeness of applications, records, and files.
• Observes and complies with all City and mandated safety rules, regulations, and protocols.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

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

Education

Equivalent to completion of the twelfth (12th) grade. Some college level coursework in a related field is desirable.

Experience

Permit Technician I: One (1) year of general office and clerical support experience.

Permit Technician II: Three (3) years of increasingly responsible permit processing experience at a level equivalent to the City’s Permit Technician I.

Licenses/Certificates

• Possession of, or ability to obtain within two (2) years of appointment, a Residential Building Inspector Certificate or Permit Technician Certificate issued by the International Code Council (ICC), to be maintained throughout employment.
• Individuals who are appointed to this position will be required to maintain a current and valid California Driver's License and satisfactory driving record throughout employment OR demonstrate the ability to travel to various locations in a timely manner as required in the performance of duties. *A current and valid out-of-state license may be used upon hire and a valid California Driver's License must be obtained within six (6) months of appointment.

Knowledge Of

• Permit, building inspection, and code enforcement programs, procedures, and requirements.
• Research, data collection, and reporting techniques, methods, and procedures.
• Business correspondence writing and the standard format for reports, correspondence, and related documents.
• Methods of preparing and processing various applications, plans, records, reports, and forms.
• Principles and procedures of record-keeping.
• City and mandated safety rules, regulations, and protocols.
• Techniques for de-escalation and providing a high level of customer service by effectively assisting with the public, vendors, and City staff.
• Modern equipment and communication tools used for business functions and program, project, and task coordination, including computers and software programs relevant to work performed.

Ability To

• Explain permit, building inspection, and code enforcement programs, procedures, and requirements; identify and respond to issues and concerns.
• Research, summarize, and present information and data in an effective manner.
• Process and review various permit applications, plans, reports, forms, and other documents.
• Respond to and effectively prioritize multiple phone calls and other requests for information and/or service.
• Prepare and maintain clear and concise reports, correspondence, documentation, and other written materials.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and judgment within general policy and procedural guidelines.
• Organize work, set priorities, meet critical deadlines, and follow-up on assignments.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing using the English language.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Other Requirements

THE COMMUNITY

Located near the east shore of the San Francisco Bay, the City of El Cerrito is an ethnically diverse community offering a high quality of life within one of the nation's most sophisticated and beautiful living areas. With a population of almost 25,000 residents, El Cerrito has the advantage of being centrally located in a major metropolitan area, yet retains a small town feel. El Cerrito is an established community with a strong self-identity and a commitment to enhancing the quality of life for its community members.

THE DEPARTMENT

The mission of the Community Development Department is to deliver services that provide a safe, connected, environmentally-focused and high quality of life in El Cerrito. The Department achieves this mission through providing programs in Building, Planning, Affordable Housing and Economic Development that promote a safe built environment, community, environmental quality and economic vitality.

About

• "Welcome to Vibrant & Diverse El Cerrito"
• "Discover the Perks of Working for the City of El Cerrito"
• "Quality of Life in El Cerrito"

For More Information, Please Visit The Following

• Human Resources
• Salary Schedules
• Benefit Guide
• Physical Demands

The City of El Cerrito offers a competitive benefits package. Current benefits features include:

• 37.5 hour work week with alternating Fridays off (for most positions)
• CalPERS retirement:
  • Miscellaneous: 2.7% at 55 for current members and 2% at 62 for new members
  • Safety: 3% at 50 for current members and 2.7% at 57 for new members
  • Plan is integrated with Social Security. The City and employee each pay own contribution to Social Security.
• Vacation ranging from 11 to 33 days per year based on years of service
• Bilingual Pay
• 16.5 paid holidays per year
• 8.75 hours of sick leave accrued each calendar month
• Fully-paid health and dental premiums for employees and dependents
• Excellent long-term disability and life insurance program plans
• Flexible benefits plan allowing pre-tax contributions for health and dependent care reimbursements
• Deferred Compensation plan available at employee's expense

Our Employee Benefits Guide provides a full description of our current benefits.