Senior Building Inspector

ABOUT THE CITY:

The City of La Habra is located at Orange County's north-western most corner; La Habra today is 7.3 square miles, with a population of 62,850. A quiet bedroom community, it is conveniently located within an hour's drive of many beaches, mountains, and desert recreation areas. The City is known for the Tamale Festival, Corn Festival, and the gem of La Habra, the Children’s Museum and Depot Theatre. For more information about the City, visit our website at: www.lahabraca.gov.

ABOUT THE POSITION: 

Under general supervision of Chief Building Official, oversees and performs a wide variety of skilled field inspections during various stages of construction for compliance with approved plans and municipal codes relating to construction (including building codes, electrical codes, mechanical codes, plumbing codes, energy codes, zoning ordinances and related laws, codes and ordinances); performs complex plan and specification reviews; issues building permits; responds to inquiries from the public; performs code enforcement; conducts National Pollution Discharge Elimination System inspections supervises and provides technical assistance to professional and/or paraprofessional staff; and performs related work as required.

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

• Perform the more complex field inspection of building construction, plumbing, mechanical and electrical installations in residential and commercial buildings; verify compliance with applicable building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical codes, and related City ordinances, state, and local statutes.
• Read, correctly interpret, apply and use building codes, municipal codes, ordinances and other related Laws, regulations and policies, as required.
• Check routine building plans for conformance to City codes and the currently adopted model Building, Mechanical, Plumbing, and Electrical codes and State of California Energy, Green Building, and Accessibility regulations.
• Inspect buildings and other structures during various stages of construction and remodeling to ensure compliance with applicable codes and regulations of City, State and Federal agencies.
• Perform combination inspection duties in trade specialties including building (structural, fire, and life safety), plumbing, electrical, mechanical, energy, green building and Architectural Accessibility. 
• Issue permits for work to be performed that includes computing building evaluations and permit fees.
• Provide technical information to architects, engineers, contractors, building owners, developers and others regarding code requirements both verbally and in writing.
• Maintain records of inspections and corrections.
• Conduct post disaster evaluations.
• Coordinate and collaborate with staff regarding building code violations and abatement.

• Perform National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) inspections.
• Provide quality customer service.
• Conduct Fats, Oils, and Grease Control (FOG) inspections.
• Assist in the review of technical studies for code changes and assist in code adoption and revision process.
• Act as the Chief Building Official in the absence of the Chief Building Official.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

QUALIFYING KNOWLEDGE,SKILLS,AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge of:

• Modern principles, practices, and techniques of Building, Mechanical, Plumbing, and Electrical Codes; Code Enforcement best practices and techniques; NPDES regulations; Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) Control requirements; and State of California Energy, Green Building, and Accessibility regulations.
• Program compliance with local, state, federal laws, and regulations.
• Proper English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Safe work practices and procedures.
• Effective customer service techniques.

• Read and interpret construction plans and specifications.
• Check routine building plans for conformance to City codes; the California Building Code; Mechanical, Plumbing, and Electrical codes; and Energy, Green Building and Accessibility regulations.
• Perform combination building and construction inspections covering all currently adopted model Building, Mechanical, Plumbing, and Electrical codes; and State of California Energy, Green Building, and Accessibility regulations.
• Perform routine Best Management Practice inspections to confirm compliance with the approved Water Quality Management Plan.
• Identify code enforcement violations; communicate the information to the violator in a polite manner, and follow-up with appropriate photo and written documentation.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing in a courteous and helpful manner. Above average written communication skills.
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with the public and city staff.
• Provide excellent customer service skills in challenging situations while maintaining a cooperative positive attitude.
• Prepare and analyze technical and administrative reports and correspondence.
• Create and maintain accurate records, databases, and files.
• Utilize a variety of computer software programs for record keeping, scheduling, word processing, and other processes common to enforcement of building regulations.
• Safely operate a motor vehicle.
• Possess above average mathematical skills.

Any combination equivalent to experience and education that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities would be qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills, and abilities would be:

Three (3) years of specialized building inspection experience, plus years of combination building inspector experience. Experience with a public agency is preferred.

Completion of High School and an Associate Degree from an accredited college with major coursework in a related field or completion of a construction inspection certification program from an accredited community college. Bachelor’s Degree in a related field is highly desirable. 

Must Possess and Maintain:

• Valid California Class C driver's license.
• International Code Council (I.C.C.) C-8 Combination Inspector Certificate or equivalent.
• Certified Accessibility Specialist (CASP), Certification by the California State Division of the State Architect, and

I.C.C. Certification as a Plans Examiner is highly desirable.

PHYSICAL CONDITIONS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT: 

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by employees to successfully perform the essential functions of this class.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Physical Conditions: 

Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in an office setting and in a field environment; to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; to occasionally stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; walk on uneven terrain, loose soil, and sloped surfaces; to lift, carry, push, and/or pull light to moderate amounts of weight; stand and walk between work areas and conduct field inspections as appropriate and necessary, including traversing uneven terrain, climbing ladders, stairs, and other temporary or construction access points; operate a motor vehicle and visit various construction, and meeting sites; operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard; perceive color, shapes and forms, vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; hearing and speech proficiency to verbally communicate in person, before groups, and over the telephone to exchange information.

Work is performed primarily in a standard office setting with some travel from site to site and exposure to an outdoor field environment and all types of weather and temperature conditions; exposure to noise, dust, grease, smoke, fumes, and gases; work at heights or in confined spaces; work and/or walk on various types of surfaces including slippery or uneven surfaces and rough terrain; incumbents may be required to work extended hours including evenings and weekends. 

In accordance with Government Code Section 3100, all La Habra city employees are required to perform assigned disaster service worker duties in the event of an emergency or a disaster.

To be considered for this opportunity, please submit a City application online through the Human Resources Department webpage at www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lahabraca will be screened and those applicants deemed best qualified will be invited for an oral interview. Candidates must successfully pass the oral interview in order to be placed on the eligibility list. The final candidate must successfully complete a medical exam, drug screening, employment history verification, DMV check and will also be fingerprinted.

If any accommodation is needed during the interview, please notify the Human Resources Department at least five days in advance of your scheduled appointment so that we may be able to provide a reasonable accommodation.

This bulletin is not a contract, neither expressed nor implied.

Any provision herein may be modified or revoked.

Salary : $41 - $57