Job Descriptions

To act as Chief Structural, Electrical, or Plumbing Inspector of industrial and commercial structures at various stages of construction, alteration and repair; to inspect single and multiple family dwellings; to oversee plan checking and permit issuance activities; to provide lead supervision to other inspectors and office clerical staff and to enforce a variety of building codes, ordinances and regulations.

This classification is assigned to the miscellaneous bargaining unit for labor relations purposes and is subject to overtime, evening and weekend assignments.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This is the advanced journey level and specialized class in the Building Inspector series. The incumbent in this class performs the most complex structural building inspection work requiring the use of considerable independent judgment and initiative, as well as leads, assigns, and evaluates the work of other Building Inspectors and Division staff.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Direction is provided by the Chief Building Official or designee. May lead other Senior Building Inspectors as assigned.

The Senior Building Inspector may supervise and train Building Division personnel.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES: Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Make field inspections of complex commercial, industrial, single and multiple family buildings during various stages of construction and remodeling to assure compliance with applicable codes and regulations of the city, state and federal agencies.
• Perform complex inspection duties in one of several trade specialties such as plumbing, electrical and mechanical, structural and finish trade areas.
• Inspect foundation, cement, framing, plastering, plumbing, heating or electrical installations and a large variety of other complex and routine building system elements.
• Perform engineering calculations in checking complex residential and commercial plans for structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical or energy requirements.
• Direct and monitor plan checking activities performed internally and externally by outside plan check consultants including coordinating all communication between consultant and designer and/or builder.
• Check stud, joist, rafter spacing and other structural member factors and examine grade, quality, and treatment of lumber, cement, lath, wire and composition.
• Research and monitor trends in quality of building materials related to construction systems including alternative techniques or materials testing from independent labs.
• Coordinate plan check, permit review and inspection activities with other City departments and public agencies.
• Prioritize, assign and monitor daily workload of subordinate staff members involving all aspects of municipal building and safety inspection.
• Provide training, mentoring and leadership to subordinate building inspection staff and office clerical staff.
• Conduct and/or direct the comprehensive investigation and enforcement of alleged violations of building and construction laws including coordinating with the City Attorney and other departments as appropriate.
• Ascertain conformance to California Building, Plumbing & Mechanical Codes, the California Electric Code, the Code of Building Conservation, the Historic Building Codes, and pertinent provisions of other State, County and City ordinances and codes relevant to the job needs.
• Confer and correspond with the general public, owner-builders, architects, contractors, builders, engineers and other city staff members in the field and office on permits, plans, building requirements or inspections.
• Work with staff, other departments and agencies and the public in explaining, interpreting and enforcing requirements or inspections.
• Monitor department plan check and inspection fee revenues and department expenditures in relationship with annual budget revenue estimates and authorized appropriations.
• Coordinate with the Building Official and other lead personnel in the preparation of the budget, administrative policies and directives, and personnel actions relating to division and department activities.
• Maintain and monitor building activity and trends and prepare as necessary or appropriate reports for staff, department managers, and policy makers.
• May represent the Department in the Chief Building Official's absence for day-to-day activities and before civic groups and public meetings.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of:

• California Building, Mechanical, Fire, Plumbing, Electrical and related City codes.
• Titles 19, 24 and 25 of the California Administrative Code.
• Accepted safety standards and methods of building construction including materials applications.
• Principles of management, team leadership, effective communication, and customer service.
• Principles and techniques of municipal building inspection and safety enforcement work.
• Mathematics necessary for engineering calculations.
• Blueprints, technical code interpretation and plan reading.

Ability to:

• Perform complex inspections in a variety of specialty trade areas in a fully competent and efficient manner.
• Apply technical knowledge of construction codes and use proper inspection techniques to examine workmanship and materials and detect deviations from plans, regulations and standard construction practices.
• Act as a team leader and mentor to effectively direct division staff capabilities in performing a range of entry and journey level inspection work and office clerical work necessary to accomplish city goals.
• Work independently without direct supervision on a wide range of projects and assignments related to the building and safety responsibilities.
• Enforce a variety of City codes to determine sufficiency with thoroughness, tact, diplomacy seeking constructive solutions.
• Read and interpret building plans and specifications for the full range of structures and intended uses with the ability to apply necessary judgement to achieve compliance with relevant health and life safety building codes.
• Advise others on standard construction methods and requirements.
• Train and evaluate the performance of division staff and other team members in a wide range of activities and assignments related to division objectives.
• Make arithmetical computations rapidly and accurately.
• Maintain cooperative working relationships and resolve problems with staff, other City departments, builders, contractors and the general public.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

Experience:

Five years of increasingly responsible journey level experience in inspection of commercial, industrial and residential construction, of which at least three years should be Building Inspector II with the City of Turlock or similar jurisdiction.

OR

Three years similar to a Building Inspector II, of which at least two years much be in a lead capacity.

Education:

High school, GED or equivalent.

LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE

(1) Possession of the four (4) International Code Council Inspection Certifications issued by the International Code Conference.

(2) Possession of an appropriate, valid, California Driver's License at the time of appointment and must be maintained thereafter as a condition of continued employment.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Equivalent to completion of an Associate Degree in a related field.
• Supervision Training.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Maintain the following physical abilities: see well enough to read, write, make observations, view computer screen, read gauges and other instrumentation as well as operate a motor vehicle; hear well enough to converse on the radio, telephone, and in person; use hands and fingers well enough to use computer keyboard, write, file and answer telephones; bodily mobility to walk on uneven surfaces or sloped surfaces such as construction sites and roofs, bend, stand, climb on scaffolding and ladders, and be able to tolerate extreme fluctuations in temperatures while performing inspections or other duties;