Senior Building Inspector

City of Novato; Novato (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a vibrant community as a Senior Building Inspector, where you will ensure the safety and compliance of construction projects. This role offers a unique opportunity to lead inspections and provide guidance, making a significant impact on the city's development. With a focus on professionalism and innovation, you will collaborate with diverse stakeholders to uphold building standards. Enjoy a balanced work schedule, generous benefits, and a supportive environment that values public service. If you are ready to take your career to the next level, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Benefits

9/80 Work Schedule

80 Hours Vacation Accrual

40 Hours Sick Leave Upon Hire

14 Paid Holidays

Monthly Health Premium

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Free On-Site Parking

Proximity to Restaurants and Shopping

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in building inspection and code enforcement.
• Strong background in interpreting building codes and conducting inspections.
• Ability to provide leadership and training to inspection staff.

Responsibilities

• Conduct complex inspections of buildings for code compliance.
• Review plans and issue building permits and certificates of occupancy.
• Provide technical guidance to contractors and architects.

Skills

Building Codes Interpretation

Code Enforcement

Construction Inspection

Plan Review

Customer Service

Education

High School Diploma

Specialized Training in Building Trades

Tools

Permit Management Software

Inspection Tools

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.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING CONDITIONS

Work is performed in an office environment and in the field. Duties may require sitting for extended periods of time, fine hand coordination and manipulation; use of a telephone, writing or use a keyboard. Walking, standing, sitting, climbing or stooping for extended periods of time; operating assigned equipment and vehicles; maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception needed for making observations; communicating with others; climb ladders or scaffolding in order to access and walk on roof tops; access and enter cramped quarters such as crawl spaces located under buildings or spaces such as attic areas; walk over rough uneven or rocky surfaces.

SELECTION PROCESS

It is important to complete all required application materials, including the supplemental questionnaire and any required additional documents. All applications will be screened for completeness and possession of minimum qualifications. Qualified applications will be reviewed in detail to identify the most qualified candidates to continue in the selection process which may consist solely of an application screening, or may include a written examination, skills assessment, oral appraisal interview, assessment center, or other activity selected by the Human Resources Department and the hiring department. As a result of the selection process an eligibility list of qualified candidates will be established to fill current and future vacancies as long as the eligibility list remains active. Candidates who score the highest in the selection process will be required to pass a reference and background exam prior to receiving a conditional job offer. Candidates receiving a conditional offer of employment will be required to pass a pre-employment medical and drug screen examination prior to receiving a final job offer.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Only Online Applications will be accepted. To be considered for this exciting opportunity, candidates must complete an online application and the required supplemental questionnaire. The supplemental questionnaire is part of the application; please provide sufficient detail to enable your answers to be rated.

FOR FIRST REVIEW APPLICATION DEADLINE: 11:59PM on Sunday, May 25, 2025

Accommodation:Applicants who may require special assistance in any step of the selection process should advise Human Resources by emailing [e-mail] upon submittal of application.

The City of Novato is an Equal Opportunity Employer