Building Inspector I/II/III (Open and Promotional)

Building Inspector I/II/III (Open and Promotional)

Salary

$89,481.60 - $144,955.20 Annually

Location

County of San Mateo, CA

Job Type

Regular

Job Number

J059D

Department

Planning and Building

Opening Date

06/26/2025

Closing Date

7/10/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

Bargaining Unit

02

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Description

The County of San Mateo Planning & Building Department is seeking well-qualified candidates for the position of Building Inspector.

Under general supervision, Building Inspectors inspect public and private buildings, structures, and related installations being constructed, altered, or repaired to determine conformance with approved plans and specifications and compliance with applicable laws and ordinances. In addition, Building Inspectors investigate complaints, advise and assist building contractors and property owners on the use of materials and building methods, and coordinate inspections with other agencies and organizations. Specific duties include inspection of plumbing, water, gas, and electrical work as well as general construction work; preparing reports and maintaining records; processing and issuing permits; and minor plan checking.

Building Inspector I is the trainee level class in the Building Inspector series, responsible for learning the tasks and responsibilities involved in the inspection of public and private buildings. This class is distinguished from Building Inspector II/III by the performance of the more routine tasks and duties assigned to positions within this series. Employees at this level work under general supervision while learning job tasks, but as experience is gained, incumbents work with greater independence and are given more responsible assignments. Work is typically reviewed in progress and upon completion for conformance with established procedures.

Building Inspector II is the journey-level class in the Building Inspector series. Employees at this level are capable of working independently and performing a full range of inspections of plumbing, mechanical, electrical, and structural work as well as general construction.

Building Inspector III is the advanced level class in the Building Inspector series. This class is distinguished from Building Inspector II by the performance of the full range of more complex and difficult inspection activities. Employees at this level assist in training less experienced inspectors and provide assistance with difficult situations in the field. Positions in this class series are flexibly staffed and are normally filled by advancement based on experience and acceptable work performance.

The ideal candidate will have:

• At least two years of experience conducting a full range of inspections of buildings and related structures and working in a jurisdiction performing a combination of field inspections and minor plan reviews.
• Be well-versed in the area of building construction and safety.
• Have experience training less experienced inspectors and provide assistance with difficult situations in the field.
• The ability to analyze and interpret building and zoning codes, ability to determine the scope of grading and erosion control.
• Knowledge of laws and regulations to resolve complex issues or situations.
• excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• excellent customer service skills.

In addition, the ideal candidate will have the skill and ability to:

• Work at indoor and outdoor construction sites at different heights and in confined spaces.
• Walk on uneven surfaces.
• Climb into trenches.
• Work on ladders.

Possession of a Combination Inspector Certification (building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing) from a recognized testing organization, and California Access Specialist (CASp) Certification are highly desirable.

NOTE: The eligible list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill future extra-help, term, unclassified, and regular classified vacancies.

Examples Of Duties

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

• Inspect structures being built, repaired or altered for conformance with approved plans and specifications and compliance with applicable laws and ordinances.
• Inspect plumbing, water, and gas lines, gas appliances, electrical services, electrical wiring, motor installations, setbacks, quality of materials used, and general construction of buildings.
• Investigate building code violations; post "stop work" notices on work in progress that does not conform to law; post notices on houses unsafe for occupancy; prepare correction notices; order corrections and improvements.
• Inspect existing structures for unsafe or substandard conditions; write correction and violation notices; make reinspections.
• Make final inspections; issue certificates of final inspections; prepare reports of inspections and work completed.
• Advise builders and property owners on building construction methods and code requirements; advise on building practices; assist with problems and interpret codes; wait on counter, answer phones, and write correspondence giving information on codes, general requirements, zoning regulations, and inspections.
• Assist the public by processing permits, receiving fees, and writing receipts.
• Review building plans.
• Prepare reports and maintain records.
• Coordinate work with other agencies on code and ordinance provisions and in cooperative efforts to improve housing in deteriorated areas.
• Maintain surveillance of substandard dwelling units to expedite rehabilitation, abatement, demolition, or court action.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education and Experience: Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying.

Building Inspector II: One year of experience in conducting a full range of inspections of buildings and related structures.

Building Inspector III: Two years of experience in conducting a full range of inspections of buildings and related structures.

Knowledge of:

Local and state laws, ordinances and codes regulating zoning and building construction; methods and techniques of structural, plumbing, mechanical and electrical phases of building construction; modern building materials, tools and practices; safety and fire prevention methods in building and housing construction; building construction plans and specifications; trades and crafts in the building construction field; seismic principles in building design.

Skill/Ability to:

Interpret, explain and apply laws, codes and regulations; read and interpret building plans and specifications; write clear, comprehensive reports and maintain records; operate computers for word processing and other business applications; establish and maintain effective work relationships with property owners, developers, tenants, building contractors, the general public, government officials, engineers, architects and others; speak effectively; advise on standard dwelling construction methods; make inspections, enforce regulations and detect deviations from approved plans and specifications; detect substandard materials and workmanship; secure compliance with building code requirements; perform difficult building inspections; apply sound judgment in making decisions.

Licensure/Certification:

Building Inspector I: Obtain certification as a building inspector from a recognized state, national or international association within two years of employment, pursuant to State requirements.

Building Inspector II/III: Possession of certification from a recognized state, national, or international association.

Application/Examination

Open & Promotional. Anyone may apply. Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, or extra-help/limited term position prior to the final filing date will receive five points added to their final passing score.

Responses to the supplemental questions must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required employment application and supplemental questionnaire.

The examination process will consist of an application screening based on the candidates' application and responses to the supplemental questions (weight: pass/fail). Candidates who pass the application screening may be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%), which will include a pre-interview written exercise. Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification. Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California, and applicants must participate at their own expense.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to to apply.

TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE

Final Filing Date: Thursday, July 10, 2025, by 11:59 PM PST

Application Screening: July 14 - 18, 2025

Civil Service Panel Interviews: July 31 and/or August 1, 2025

About the County

San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity in order to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

San Mateo County is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels.

Analyst: Sedrick Dixon (06262025) (Building Inspector I/II/III - J057/J058/J059)

We invite you to explore our Benefits-at-a-Glance page for a snapshot of the comprehensive and competitive benefits available to eligible employees of the County of San Mateo. From health and wellness to financial security, our benefits are designed to support you at every stage of your career. (Please note that benefits are subject to change.)

In addition to core benefits, the County is proud to offer a variety of wellness and professional development programs to help you grow both personally and professionally. Most of these enriching opportunities are available during work hours and come at no cost to you.

As a County employee, you'll also be covered by the federal Social Security system, earning valuable retirement benefits based on your salary and years of service.

01

IMPORTANT: In order for your application to receive every consideration in the selection process, you must complete each of the following Supplemental Questions. Your responses will give us information about your background and experience related to this position and will be rated heavily in the application screening process. Your responses should be consistent with the information in your standard San Mateo County application and may be subject to verification. A resume will not be accepted in lieu of your answers to the questions. Be concise and specific. Completeness, neatness, clarity of expression, grammar, spelling, and ability to follow instructions will be considered in the evaluation process.

• I have read and understood this important information.

02

Describe any certifications/licenses, trainings and/or educational coursework you have completed as it relates to this Building Inspector position. Please attach a copy of certification/license to the application and/or list in the certificate section of the application.

03

Describe how your education and work experience qualify you for a Building Inspector position. Specifically indicate your experience performing field inspections and enforcement relating to the construction of residential dwellings, manufactured homes, commercial, and other structures. In your response, be sure to include: a) How and where you gained the experience. b) The duties and responsibilities you performed. c) How long (years of experience) you worked in that capacity. Note: A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for your responses.

04

Describe your training and/or experience in reading and interpreting plans, specifications, and blueprints. In your response, be sure to include: a) How and where you gained the experience. b) The duties and responsibilities you performed. c) How long (years of experience) you worked in that capacity. Note: A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for your responses.

05

Describe your training and/or experience in working with local, state, and/or national building codes. In your response, be sure to include: a) Type of projects and the exact type of codes you used. b) How and where you gained the experience. c) The duties and responsibilities you performed. d) How long (years of experience) you worked in that capacity. Note: A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for your responses.

06

Describe your professional work experience in the following areas: a) Training less experienced inspectors and providing assistance with difficult situations in the field. b) Preparing reports. c) Composing written correspondence. Note: A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for your responses.

07

How did you learn about this position?

• County of San Mateo Website
• County of San Mateo Job Interest Card Notification
• County Hosted Virtual Event
• County Hosted Job Fair
• CalOpps.org
• College/University Career Center
• Community-based Organization Posting
• Facebook/Instagram
• Friend or Relative
• GovernmentJobs.com
• Indeed
• Job Fair
• LinkedIn
• Professional Publication/Website (Please specify in next question)
• X (formerly called Twitter)
• Zip Recruiter
• Other (Please specify in next question)

08

If you answered, "Professional Publication/Website" or "Other" to the above question, please indicate below how you learned about this position. Your response to this question will help us in better marketing County jobs. Type NA if not applicable.

Required Question