Public Works Inspector

City of Fontana; Fontana (CA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Fontana seeks a Public Works Inspector to perform field inspections on residential, commercial, and industrial construction projects within the Environmental Compliance Division. You will ensure work aligns with standards, review plans, monitor BMPs, and document inspections using the City permit tracking system.

You will collaborate with engineers, contractors, and City staff to resolve issues, enforce plans and specifications, and help protect water quality and public safety.

Qualifications

• Two years of sub-professional engineering or journey-level public works experience with construction inspection.
• Knowledge of construction methods, safety hazards, and applicable laws and codes.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering plans, plans, and specifications.

Responsibilities

• Inspect road, sewer, irrigation, grading, and related construction work.
• Enforce compliance with contract plans, specs, and City standards.
• Review field reports for accuracy and completeness; maintain inspection records.
• Coordinate inspections with other City departments and external agencies.
• Prepare clear correspondence and technical reports; communicate findings to contractors and City staff.

Skills

Field inspection

Blueprint interpretation

Regulatory compliance

Safety awareness

Communication

Education

College coursework in Civil Engineering

Tools

Calibrated measuring tools

Permit tracking system

Job description

This recruitment will establish an eligibility list that may be used to fill current and future vacancies within the classification.

Under general supervision, performs construction inspection for a variety of Public Works Projects and Sub-Divisions; performs related duties as required.

Position Snapshot/A Day in the Life:

YOUR OFFICE IS THE FIELD.

As a Public Works Inspector in Fontana’s Environmental Compliance Division, you’ll be where the work is happening, helping ensure residential, commercial, and industrial construction projects are built safely, responsibly, and in compliance with applicable standards. You’ll inspect active construction sites, evaluate grading and construction activities, review plans and requirements, monitor water quality and post-construction BMPs, and identify potential issues before working with contractors and City staff to get things back on track when needed. You’ll also review and verify field reports for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with project specifications and applicable standards, while documenting inspections and maintaining accurate records through the City’s permit tracking system.

What makes this role unique? You’ll bring together construction knowledge and environmental compliance in a position where your work is visible every day. You’ll work closely with engineers, technicians, other City departments, contractors, external agencies, and the public. If you like working in the field, solving problems, interpreting standards, collaborating with others, and knowing that your work helps protect water quality, public safety, and the community, you’ll find plenty to get excited about in this role.

The incumbent must have the ability to:

• Inspect road, sewers and irrigation and landscape, grading storm drainage construction work performed under contract to the City, including earth moving operation, placement of base materials, paving, utility placement, culvert construction, pouring of concrete and specialized facilities, traffic signal installations.
• Enforce compliance with contract plans and specifications.
• Compute contractor work in progress, interpret and coordinate contract provisions with contractor.
• Inspect sub-division construction work, including concrete forms, placement, reinforcing steel, and placement, consolidation and curing of concrete.
• Enforce compliance with plans, specifications, City standards and proper construction practices for work such as installation of sewers, utility conduits, construction of storm drains, culverts, flood control channels, catch basins, junction structures, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, driveways and streets.
• Stipulate corrections and repairs necessary before final acceptance is made.
• Insure proper placement and maintenance of signs, barricades and warning devices.
• Recommend to Supervisor acceptance of Public Improvements in completed subdivisions.
• Inspect adjacent properties for damages from construction activity.
• Coordinate inspection with other City departments.
• Perform routine field tests.
• Confer with City Engineering staff on design problems encountered in the field.
• Maintain log books and records or inspections.
• Perform soil compaction testing, checks materials to ensure compliance with job specifications.
• Make calculations in the field.
• Perform any other tasks or functions deemed necessary to the daily operations of the employer.

THE ABOVE LIST OF ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS IS NOT EXHAUSTIVE AND MAY BE SUPPLEMENTED AS NECESSARY BY THE EMPLOYER.

Working Conditions:

Position requires prolonged sitting, standing, walking on level and slippery surfaces, reaching, twisting, turning, kneeling, bending, stooping, squatting, crouching, grasping and making repetitive hand movement in the performance of daily duties. Incumbents may be required to lift, carry and/or push objects weighing 25 pounds or more. The position requires near and far vision when inspecting work. Incumbents work in all weather conditions, use cleaning and lubricating chemicals which may expose the employee to fumes, dust and air contaminants, drive motorized vehicles and work around moving traffic.

A combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. The employee must have the knowledge of:

• Principles, methods, materials, equipment and safety hazards of construction.
• Applicable laws, regulations, codes, departmental policies governing the construction of public works projects and subdivisions.
• Mathematics, including algebra, geometry and trigonometry.
• Technical report writing and preparation of correspondence, principles and practices of supervision and training.

Ability to:

• Maintain cooperative working relationships with engineers, developers, contractors, and the public.
• Exercise independent judgement.
• Inspect routine and moderately difficult construction.
• Enforce compliance with plans, specifications, ordinances and codes.
• Read and interpret engineering plans, blueprints and specifications, record of survey legal descriptions and tract descriptions.
• Prepare clear and concise correspondence and technical reports involving mathematics.
• Effectively schedule own work load and meet agreed upon inspection times.

Experience: Two (2) years

of sub-professional engineering or journey level public works or heavy construction experience, including some construction inspection experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Two (2) or more years of field inspection experience in grading, public works, or construction, with at least one (1) year of private development or subdivision grading experience.
• Working knowledge of the California Construction General Permit and municipal MS4 permit requirements.
• Ability to read and interpret grading plans, WQMPs, SWPPPs, and soils reports.
• College-level coursework in civil engineering, construction management, or environmental science preferred.
• Municipal or public agency inspection experience.
• Environmental industry-specific certifications such as QSP, QSD (State Water Board Construction General Permit), CESSWI, CPESC, or ICC Soils Special Inspector.
  

Licenses/Certifications:

Possession of a valid California Class "C" Driver’s License or equivalent.

Successful candidates will be required to complete an annual Statement of Economic Interest Form (700 Form) and bi-annual ethics training pursuant to AB 1234.