Plans Examiner Senior

County of Santa Barbara; Santa Barbara (CA); On-site; USD 109,000 - 133,000; Full time

Job summary

County of Santa Barbara in Santa Barbara, CA seeks a Plans Examiner Senior to review building plans for code compliance under the Planning and Development Department. The role involves advising applicants, issuing permits, and coordinating with other agencies.

Ideal candidates have strong plan check or design experience across occupancies, plus knowledge of California codes, energy, accessibility, and the ability to communicate clearly with engineers, architects, and the public.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Architectural, Civil, or Structural Engineering; or Architecture; or FE certification.
• Two years of plan checking or building inspection experience outside of Santa Barbara County; OR one year of SB County experience at Plans Examiner or Building Inspector II+.
• Knowledge of building construction methods, codes, and materials.
• Ability to analyze and interpret building plans and specifications; communicate clearly to a non-technical audience.

Responsibilities

• Examines plans and specifications for completeness and conformity with requirements.
• Analyzes building components to determine construction type and heights; refers complex plans to specialists.
• Coordinates reviews with other public agencies and explains corrections to applicants.
• Authorizes permits and calculates fees.
• Trains staff and assists public with permitting questions.

Skills

Plan check experience

Structural design experience

Customer service

Communication skills

ePermitHub familiarity

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Architectural/Civil/Structural Engineering

FE certification

Tools

ePermitHub

Job description

SALARY
$109,210.40 - $132,745.60 Annually

We are currently accepting applications to fill one full-time Plans Examiner Seniorvacancy in Santa Barbara.Thecurrent vacancy is in the Planning and Development Department.

THE POSITION:

Under general direction, receives and checks plans for buildings and structures for compliance with applicable building codes, ordinances, and regulations; advises applicants for permits on possible modifications to conform with requirements; issues permits; and does related work as required.

For information about the Planning & Development Department, please visit: http://sbcountyplanning.org/

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

will possess:

• Significant plan check or design experience of buildings with various occupancy types, including non-residential, for compliance to the California Buildings Codes including energy conservation and disabled accessibility.
• Structural design experience or structural plan check of various structural systems.
• Outstanding customer service skills with the ability to work independently and in a team environment.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Familiarity with ePermitHub a plus

These examples are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job and not all duties listed are necessarily performed by each individual.

1. Examines plans and specifications for buildings and structures for completeness and conformity with all requirements including stresses, live and dead loading, soil characteristics, mechanical and electrical calculations, safety and health features, use of materials, placement on property, and setbacks.
2. Analyzes individual building components to determine the type of construction and occupancy groups and computes floor area and allowable height; and refers the more complex electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, mechanical, or structural plans to individuals specializing in these areas.
3. Coordinates the review of plans with other public agencies whose approval is necessary; and itemizes required corrections and modifications and explains them to permit applicants.
4. Authorizes the issue of building permits and moving permits for plans that meet code and ordinance requirements and calculates fees.
5. Recommends plan changes to applicants to bring drawings and specifications into compliance with state and local building codes and ordinances.
6. Advises professional engineers, architects, and others concerning code requirements, engineering, and planning problems arising in the preliminary design of buildings and structures and plan checkers in the resolution of structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, energy conservation, and disabled access problems.
7. Submits reports to the Building Official regarding workload and process statistics, new products or situations, and code interpretation issues.
8. Researches technical problems.
9. Develops plan examination procedures.
10. Assists the public at the counter, answering questions related to plans and permitting requirements.
11. Trains departmental staff in application of new codes, policies, and procedures, and assists in training of plans examiner staff.

Education and Experience

A Bachelor’s degree in Architectural, Civil, or Structural Engineering; or Architecture; OR certification in the Fundamentals of Engineering; AND

1. Two years of plan checking or building inspection experience outside of Santa Barbara County; OR,
2. One year of experience performing duties equivalent to the class of Plans Examiner or Building Inspector II or above with Santa Barbara County; OR,
3. A combination of training, education, and experience that is equivalent to one of the employment standards listed above and that provides the required knowledge and abilities.

Knowledge of: building construction methods and materials; basic engineering, practices, and techniques; Uniform Building Code; electrical, plumbing, and mechanical codes and applicable State laws; arithmetic, trigonometry, and plane geometry.
Ability to: analyze and interpret building plans and specifications; interpret and enforce laws and regulations; establish and maintain effective working relationships with builders, applicants, and others; organize, prepare, and present records and reports effectively in written or oral form; communicate technical information clearly and understandably to a non-technical audience; maintain objectivity; represent the department with diplomacy and tact; and make and support decisions, even when they are unpopular.
Desirable Qualifications: Possession of International Code Council (ICC) certification in plans examination and Certified Access Specialist (CASp) certification.

APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS:

1. Review applications and supplemental questionnaires to determine those candidates who meet the employment standards.
2. Supplemental Questionnaire Ranking.Responses to the required supplemental questionnaire will be evaluated and scored. Candidates' final score and rank on the employment list will be determined by their responses to the supplemental questionnaire. This process may be eliminated if there are fewer than 11 qualified candidates.

Candidates must receive a percentage score of at least 70 on the supplemental questionnaire to be placed on an employment list. An adjustment may be made to raw scores based on factors listed in Civil Service Rule VI. Those candidates who are successful in the selection process will have their names placed on the employment list for a minimum of three months. At the time the employment list is established, all candidates will receive an email notice of their score on the exam(s), rank on the employment list, and exact duration of the employment list.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS:

The County of Santa Barbara is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants. We require verification of needed accommodation from a professional source, such as a Medical Provider or a learning institution.

Conditional Job Offer

Once a conditional offer of employment has been made, candidates will be required to successfully complete a background check, which includes a conviction history check, and satisfactory reference checks. Appointee will be subject to a post-offer medical evaluation or examination. The appointee must satisfactorily complete a one-year probationary period.

BENEFITS:

The County of Santa Barbara offers generous benefits,

In addition, applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for:

• Retirement reciprocity
• Time and service credit towards an advanced vacation accrual rate

Disaster Service Worker:

Pursuant to Governmental Code section 3100, all employees with the County of Santa Barbara are declared to be disaster service workers subject to such disaster service. Activities as may be assigned to them by their superiors or by law.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement

The County of Santa Barbara provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any type with regard to any characteristic or status protected by any federal law, state law, or Santa Barbara County ordinance. The County continues to be committed to a merit-based selection process and to eliminating barriers to attracting and retaining top qualified candidates. The County has a long-standing practice of providing a work environment that respects the dignity of individual employees and values their contributions to our organization.

APPLICATION AND SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE DEADLINE: 09/17/2026 at 4:59pm PST

Applications and job bulletins can be obtained 24 hours a day at www.sbcountyjobs.com.

Erin Kuhn, Talent Acquisition Analyst: [e-mail]