Senior Building Inspector

Orange County Comptroller; Novato (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Novato is actively seeking a Senior Building Inspector to ensure safety and compliance in construction projects. This role involves conducting inspections, interpreting codes, and providing technical guidance to staff and public stakeholders, playing a crucial role in the city's development projects.

Benefits

9/80 work schedule

Accrued vacation at 80 hours per year

40 hours of sick leave upon hire

14 paid holidays per year

Monthly health premium provided

Free parking on site

Qualifications

• Experience in building inspection with at least one year in a lead role.
• Knowledge of building, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical codes.
• Ability to interpret construction plans and codes.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and coordinate field inspection activities.
• Inspect complex structural systems for compliance.
• Provide training and direction to junior inspectors.

Skills

Building Code Interpretation

Inspection Techniques

Problem Solving

Education

High School Diploma

Specialized Training in Construction Trades

Job description

Come Join Our Team!
THE CITY OF NOVATO IS RECRUITING
FOR
SENIOR BUILDING INSPECTOR

For First Review Application Deadline: 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, May 25, 2025

The City of Novato is seeking a knowledgeable and detail-oriented Senior Building Inspector to join our dynamic Community Development team. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced professional to play a key role in ensuring the safety, integrity, and compliance of construction projects throughout the city.

We are looking for a proactive and skilled individual with extensive experience in building inspection and code enforcement. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in interpreting and applying building codes, reviewing plans, and conducting complex inspections of commercial and residential structures. As a senior member of the team, this position could also provide leadership, training, and technical guidance to inspection staff while serving as a key resource for contractors, architects, and the public.

Novato is a vibrant and forward-thinking community that values professionalism, innovation, and collaboration. If you are passionate about public service, enjoy problem-solving, and are ready to make a meaningful impact, we encourage you to apply!

Additional Benefits

9/80 work schedule, every other Friday off
Accrue vacation at a rate of 80 hours per year
Provided with 40 hours of sick leave upon hire
14 paid holidays per year
Monthly health premium paid by the City up to $2,893.54, depending on enrollment
Qualified Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Agency
Free parking on site
Office is within walking distance of terrific restaurants, shopping, and the downtown SMART station

THE CITY OF NOVATO

Novato residents enjoy a thriving and family-oriented community with abundant educational, recreational, retail, and business opportunities. Residents are actively involved in important local quality of life decisions and the future direction of their City. The City Council encourages a high level of interaction between its citizenry and city government so that important issues are collaboratively explored and ideas are shared to develop the best possible outcomes. With a population of nearly 56,000, the community continues to foster a small-town atmosphere due to its low population density, large open space areas and parks, vibrant downtown, and inclusive community. With an abundance of natural beauty, a rich history, comfortable neighborhoods, a diversified economy, a promising life sciences industry, and passage of Measure M, the City is well-positioned to continue to thrive into the 21st century!

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.
DEFINITION
To oversee, schedule, and coordinate the field inspection activities of the Building Division; to inspect the more complex structural building systems at various stages of construction, alteration and repair; to ensure conformance with approved plans, specifications, codes, ordinances and laws; to provide lead direction to lower level Inspectors; and to act in the absence of the Chief Building Official as necessary.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
This is the advanced journey level class within the Building Inspector series. This class is distinguished from the Building Inspector II by its assigned level of responsibility, complexity of duties, and the independence allowed to operate and make decisions in performing their assignments.

This class performs the most difficult and responsible types of duties assigned to classes within this series. Employees at this level are required to be fully trained in all procedures related to assigned area of responsibility, and are expected to act as a lead and train staff including assigning and monitoring work, and reporting findings to the Chief Building Official.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED
Receives direction from the Chief Building Official.
Provides technical and/or functional supervision over building personnel as appropriate.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTION STATEMENTS - Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Essential Functions:

• Perform the most complex inspections of commercial/residential buildings and structures to determine compliance with the structural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and housing codes and approved plans; review plans and applications for building permits; issue building permits and certificates of occupancy.
• Work with diagrams, specifications, plans, and similar documents; read and interpret building construction and engineering plan specifications and codes.
• Respond to complex customer services issues; investigate violations and complaints; identify illegal construction activity and issue violation notices.
• Confer with and assist architects, engineers, contractors, builders, and the general public in the field and office regarding the interpretation of requirements and restrictions; assist with more complicated projects.
• Develop and implement procedures and practices related to area of assignment; review and evaluate service levels and recommend changes in procedures and practices related to area of assignment.
• Coordinate, schedule, assign, and monitor work of contractors; ensure compliance with City standards and requirements; communicate routinely, effectively and professionally with contractors.
• Prepare and maintain reports, letters, and correction notices on code violations and variations from approved plans; update permit activity information in a specialized database or permit management tracking programs; maintain inspection or permit file; submit inspection reports as required; perform office duties as necessary.
• Train building inspection staff in all aspects of building inspection and plan checking; review reports for quality and accuracy.
• Participate in training program for inspectors; keep current on new codes, ordinances, laws, and amendments.
• Act on behalf of the Chief Building Official when needed.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers, other City employees and the public using principles of good customer service.
• Perform duties as needed when assigned to standby duty or on-call to provide after-hours emergency assistance related in storm activities or other issues; respond in emergency situations as needed.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of the adopted Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Electrical Codes, and pertinent state, county, and city codes and ordinances.
• Modern and complex principles and techniques of building construction and inspection work.
• Modern and complex principles of structural design and engineering mathematics.
• Accepted safety standards and methods of building construction for commercial, industrial and residential buildings.
• Types of building construction, materials, methods, and all stages of construction.
• Proper field inspection methods and procedures. Principles and practices of plan checking.
• Principles of structural design, engineering mathematics, and soil engineering. Principles and practices of supervision and training.
• Principles and practices of safety management.
• Principles and practices of customer service, including conflict resolution. Project tracking methodologies.
• Common computer application programs such as word-processors, spreadsheets, database programs, and presentation software.

Ability to:

• Inspect and analyze complex standard building construction and identify code violations; analyze work papers, reports, and special projects; identify and interpret technical and numerical information; observe and problem solve building division activities.
• Interpret and apply applicable laws, rules and regulations.
• Advise on standard construction methods and requirements for residential, commercial and industrial buildings.
• Determine if construction systems conform to City code requirements; read and interpret complex building plans, specifications and building codes.
• Schedule, coordinate, and lead field operations of the Building Division.

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

Experience:
Four years of increasingly responsible building inspection experience including one year of lead or supervisory responsibility Three years of experience similar to a Building Inspector II with City of Novato.

Training:
Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade Additional specialized training in the building and construction trades, college coursework in public administration, planning, engineering, architecture, plan checking, and/or building inspections techniques, principles, and practices are desirable.

License or Certificate:
Possession of, a Building, Plumbing, Mechanical & Electrical Inspector Certificates, or a commercial combination inspector Certificate issued by the International Code Council (ICC) or other approved certifying organization. Possession of a valid Plans Examiner Certificate is highly desirable.

Possession of a valid California driver's license and proof of automobile liability insurance.