Senior City Plans Examiner

City of Mes; Mesa (AZ); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Mesa in Mesa, AZ is seeking a Senior City Plans Examiner to lead, review, and coordinate multidisciplinary plan reviews. The role requires high-level technical knowledge, independent judgment, and mentoring of lower-level staff, with autonomy over complex assignments and interpretation of city development standards.

The position emphasizes leadership in engineering, fire prevention, and planning review, with strict adherence to codes, ordinances, and national standards.

Qualifications

• Graduation from high school or GED; at least five years of city plans review experience.
• Experience interpreting and applying codes, ordinances, and national standards.
• Preferred certifications in fire or building plans examination are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and mentoring to lower-level plans staff.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary plan review activities and complex assignments.
• Apply high-level technical knowledge to resolve design and compliance issues.
• Interpret and apply city development standards for various projects.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Plans review

Independent judgment

Development standards

Education

High school diploma or GED

5 years city plans review experience

Related college coursework

Job description

The first review of all applications will be Monday, August 17, 2026.

A Senior City Plans Examiner is a highly skilled technical classification, which performs advanced and complex plans examination work and coordinates multidisciplinary plan review activities in support of the central plans review function of the Development Services Department. This class serves as a team leader and mentor over lower-level plans review staff. Work involves researching historical background information pertinent to individual permit applications; performing highly technical analyses of plans, specifications, and reports; and reviewing construction documents for completeness, accuracy, and conformance to applicable codes, ordinances, and national standards. The responsibilities of this class require the highest level of technical expertise and considerable independent judgment, which must result in precision and accuracy. Judicious reasoning and negotiated solutions are high profile in nature and subject to public scrutiny and critical analysis. Incumbents in this class are required to develop and maintain a current knowledge of the policies, procedures, and standards of the City departments they represent. This class is responsible for performing related duties as required.

Employees may progress to this classification by non-competitive promotion upon meeting the specific criteria-based promotion requirements of performance and certification in addition to the normal education and training requirements. Work requires considerable independent judgment and initiative in combining a broad scope of the highest level of technical knowledge and expertise and sophisticated, analytical judgments in order to resolve a variety of highly complex, technical problems. Incumbents are required to carry out assignments without detailed instruction or guidance. This class serves as the primary subject matter expert in the area of assignment and is required to possess an increased knowledge and understanding of the City’s policies and practices including the independent interpretation and application of development standards and principles for a variety of complex and controversial projects.

The Senior City Plans Examiner differs from the classification of City Plans Examiner by the former’s leadership and mentoring responsibilities; the coordination of multidisciplinary plan review activities; and the level of autonomy, decision making, and the complexity and difficulty of assignments requiring a very thorough and comprehensive knowledge of City procedures and requirements of engineering, fire prevention, and planning and zoning (based on assignment) regarding the plans review process. Work is performed under the general direction of a senior administrative, technical, or professional level supervisor (based on assignment). Performance and work are evaluated through meetings, written plans review correction sheets, and by overall results achieved. This class is FLSA nonexempt.

Please refer to the link below for the full job description and additional information regarding assignments, preferred qualifications, and essential functions.

Employee Values: All employees of the City of Mesa are expected to uphold and exhibit the City’s shared employee values of Knowledge, Respect, and Integrity.

Minimum Qualifications Required.

Graduation from high school or GED. Any combination of training, education, and experience equivalent to at least five years of specific city plans review experience related to the program area (example: Civil, Design Review, Fire), and interpreting and applying codes, ordinances, and national standards (example: building, mechanical, plumbing, electric, fire, and/or civil engineering (by assignment)).

Preferred/Desirable Qualifications.

Certification as a Fire Plans Examiner, Fire Inspector, or Building Plans Examiner. Extensive experience in dealing effectively with the general public and development industry professionals is highly desirable. College or technical school coursework pertinent to the assigned function (example: civil or mechanical engineering, architecture, fire related training, building construction, or a closely related field) is preferred.

https://apps.mesaaz.gov/JobDescriptions/Documents/JobDescriptions/cs4773.pdf