Plans Examiner, Sr

About Us: The City of Glendales Development Services Department is made up of the Building Safety , Planning , and GIS/Mapping Divisions. These Departments serve the City and its citizens to ensure building code standards are met, structure plans are reviewed to ensure safety and proper code/zoning requirements are adhered to, all planning and development projects have had a through permit review process, and that the latest GIS databases and Maps have all the latest information.
The Role:
The Sr. Plans Examiner analyzes and interprets complex construction documents/plans to include the review of structural and hydraulic calculations, and ensures building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and fire code compliance. Additionally, this role will provide project management for complex projects, and act in a lead capacity to provide guidance to plans examiner staff.
Salary: This position is:

• FLSA Exempt, and will be paid a salary regardless of hours hours worked per week.
• A Grade 410 with an annual salary between $76,709.00 - $115,064.00.

Benefits:

The City of Glendale offers a generous benefits package with competitive rates that become effective the 1st of the month following 30 days of employment.

Below are some City of Glendale benefits resources for your review:

• 2025 - 2026 Benefits Guide
• City of Glendale Benefits Presentation
• City of Glendales Benefits Page

Holiday, Vacation, and Sick Leave: City of Glendale Regular status positions offer:

• 10.5 paid holidays per year, and full-time employees are also granted an additional 12 hours of holiday special leave per calendar year to celebrate their cultural or religious holidays
• Vacation leave accrues at:
  • 5.33 hours per pay period (138 hours/17.25* days per year)
  • Increases to 6.12 hours per pay period after 5 years
  • Then caps out at 7.6 hours per pay period after 10 years of service
• Sick leave accrues at 4.4 hours per pay period (114 hours/14.25 days* per year)

* Days per year estimates are based on an 8-hour work day
Retirement:
This position participates in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS).

• Contribution is mandatory, and deducted every pay period
• The current contribution rate is 12.00%

Why Choose Glendale:

The City of Glendale is the West Valleys entertainment nexus; whether its attending a world-class sporting event at StateFarm Stadium, enjoying a concert at Desert Diamond Arena, or shopping and dining at the Westgate Entertainment District, as a City of Glendale employee, you'll be right in the middle of it all! Glendale is centrally located within the west valley and has convenient access to the 101, 303, US 60, and I-10 freeways. With development happening all around the city, you will notice new homes and businesses being constructed frequently.

At the City of Glendale you'll have the opportunity to interact and engage with a highly diverse, dedicated, and skilled group of professionals. It is one of the best places to work, to grow your career, skills, and advance your future.

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1. Provides lead supervision to plans examiners by assigning and monitoring workload, reviewing work, and resolving problems or plan review issues.
2. Provides training and technical expertise to plan examiners.
3. Analyzes and interprets construction documents including structural construction, for commercial, industrial, and residential projects to ensure compliance with construction city codes, ordinances, standards, and amendments. Identifies inadequacies found on construction plans and calculations and requires corrections.
4. Advises consulting agencies regarding minimum standards and reviews consultants' final product to verify compliance.
5. Performs structural engineering calculations to analyze structural members and assemblies for vertical and lateral loads, seismic and stress analysis, and structural integrity for residential analysis. Requires corrections to be made, as required.
6. Advises and explains to architects, engineers, contractors, the general public, and departmental staff on code changes, interpretations, new materials, and methods.
7. Negotiates and develops mutually acceptable solutions to code conformance problems and fire and life safety issues with architects, engineers, contractors, and general public.
8. Provides an interpretation of the construction codes and develops alternate solutions to code compliance problems for plan review staff.
9. Provides quality customer service while functioning in a regulatory capacity.
10. Assists the Plan Review Manager or Fire Marshal by recommending changes in codes to resolve interpretation problems and to accommodate and control new methods and materials.
11. Deals with and resolves potentially hostile situations with customers.
12. Acts as the Plan Review Manager, as necessary.
13. Attends meetings and functions relating to plan review, building safety, and construction.
14. Assists building or fire inspectors with field reviews of fire protection systems, structures and sites to determine structural soundness, proper installation of unusual designs, materials, or equipment.
15. Conducts meetings with developers, contractors, architects, engineers, and business owners regarding submittal requirements for plan review and to identify code conformance issues on commercial and industrial projects prior to the formal review process.
16. Participates as a committee member in various local, state, and other professional organizations to discuss code related issues.
17. Researches alternate products, materials, and methods of construction for compliance and makes recommendations to the Plans Review Manager or Fire Marshal.
18. Operates city vehicles.
19. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in building, construction, engineering, architecture, fire, or related field and five years of experience in municipal plan review, building inspection, fire inspection, or construction contracting or management.

Any equivalent combination of education, training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. One year of relevant experience may be substituted for each year of required education.

Knowledge of:

• All major types of building construction, materials, and methods Building, fire and related codes, regulations, and ordinances
• Hydraulics, as applied to sprinkler systems, and fire prevention
• Engineering mathematics and structural engineering principles in the design of reinforced concrete, steel, and timber, as applied to construction of buildings and other structures
• Mechanical and electrical engineering principles, as applied to the design and installation of mechanical equipment and systems in buildings
• Field inspection procedures and techniques
• Computers and their applications in plans review
• Other government agencies' regulations, such as the State Registrar of Contractors and the State Board of Technical Registration

Ability to:

• Provide lead supervision to other employees
• Communicate effectively verbally and in writing
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with architects, engineers, contractors, city staff and the general public
• Apply engineering knowledge and follow proper plan check techniques to examine methods and materials and detect deviations from plans, regulations, and standard construction practices
• Interpret and apply federal, state, and local laws, codes, and ordinances
• Read, interpret, and explain codes, engineering calculations, building plans, plot surveys, specifications, and blueprints
• Perform and analyze structural engineering and mathematical calculations Perform research using complex technical reference manuals
• Explain code requirements and plan review procedures and resolve problems with diverse group of people
• Work independently to accurately analyze and interpret a set of highly technical construction documents
• Operate city vehicles

Special Requirements:

• A valid Arizona driver's license.
• This position is classified as safety-sensitive which requires candidates to successfully undergo drug and alcohol testing prior to employment. They will be subject to further drug and alcohol testing throughout their period of employment in accordance with the City of Glendale Substance Abuse policy. A post-offer physical assessment is required. The City of Glendale will incur the cost of all required testing.

• International Code Council (ICC) Certification as a Plans Examiner is required at time of hire.

Success Factor Classification Level - Professional/Supervisory
To view the success factor definitions please . .

This position description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the position change.
Working Conditions: Office setting. Enters, exits, and operates city vehicles.