Plans Examiner III - Sacramento, United States - City of Sacramento, CA

Description

Salary : $73, $103,155.18 Annually

Location : Sacramento, CA

Job Type: Full-Time Career

Job Number: CDD

Department: Community Development

Division: Building

Opening Date: 04/28/2024

Closing Date: 5/26/2024 11:59 PM Pacific

THE POSITION

With supervisor approval, incumbents may be eligible for intermittent remote work; however, they must physically reside within the Sacramento region or have the ability to regularly report to a City of Sacramento physical worksite with little notice.

The City of Sacramento Community Development Department is seeking a Plans Examiner III to work in the Building Division, Plan Review Section.

IDEAL CANDIDATE STATEMENT
The ideal candidate will have experience in building construction, building materials and construction methods, reading residential and commercial building plans, as well as experience interpreting and applying the California Building Standards Codes. The ideal candidate should possess excellent customer service and communication skills with the ability to think critically to resolve complex building code issues. Make an impact on your community by joining the City of Sacramento's vibrant and dynamic building team.

Under general supervision, receives and conducts detailed, comprehensive technical reviews of residential and commercial permit applications and building plans; provides lead work direction to subordinate personnel; provides customer service, assistance and information to members of the public pertaining to building codes and regulations, including structural, plumbing, electrical and mechanical aspects of building construction; assists in resolving complex problems regarding plan submissions and sufficiency.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This is the advanced journey, lead-level of the Plans Examiner classification series. Work in this class is distinguished from the lower level of Plans Examiner II by the independence with which an incumbent operates, make decisions in accordance with established rules and procedures and by the assignment of the most complex plan check responsibilities requiring comprehensive technical knowledge and expertise, in addition to the responsibility to provide lead work direction and oversight to subordinate personnel.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Direct supervision is provided by higher-level supervisory or management personnel. Incumbents provide indirect supervision and lead work direction to subordinate personnel.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

•Serves as the initial contact for members of the public submitting permit applications and building plans for review and approval. Provides customer service, technical assistance and information to customers.

•Conducts the most complex technical reviews of all aspects of building plans for completeness, accuracy and compliance with established building codes and regulations, including structural, electrical, plumbing and/or mechanical systems.

•Confers with and assists builders, engineers, architects, contractors and the public regarding building codes and permit requirements; responds to questions and inquiries and performs special investigations of complex building and construction related issues in order to develop resolutions to problems.

•Coordinates plan check activities with other City departments and personnel.

•Maintains and updates records of building plans and files; prepares required reports and correspondence as required.

•Provides day-to-day work direction, lead and technical oversight to subordinate personnel.

•Other related duties may also be performed; not all duties listed are necessarily performed by each individual holding this classification.
QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of:

•Principles and practices of plan review.

•Industry standard technical specifications for commercial and residential construction methods and materials including, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems and sub-systems.

•Building construction and design practices.

•Pertinent Federal, State and City Ordinances, laws and regulations including Uniform Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, Electrical and Fire codes.

Skill in:

•Identifying sufficiency, accuracy and completeness of building and construction plan submissions and compliance with applicable codes.

•Interpreting the most complex technical requirements and perform calculations related to structural, electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems and sub-systems.

•Responding to technical questions and providing assistance to members of the public.

Ability to:

•Accurately perform comprehensive plan checks in a timely, responsive manner.

•Resolve difficult technical issues and problems while ensuring customer service standards are satisfied.

•Identify technical and procedural deficiencies in plan submissions and accurately communicate required corrections or changes.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

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

Experience:

Six years of experience in building construction work that involved the use of engineering or architectural building plans; performing comprehensive building construction plan check work in a municipal or county government agency and an accredited plan examiner certificate; or equivalent experience as a building or construction inspector in a municipal or county government agency.

Education:

Completion of high school or possession of a G.E.D. certificate.

Substitution:

Each year of college education in building construction, engineering, drafting, architecture or related courses may substitute for a year of experience.

PROOF OF EDUCATION

Should education be used to qualify for this position, then proof of education such as, but not limited to, university/college transcripts and degrees should be submitted with your application and will be required at the time of appointment. Unofficial documents and/or copies are acceptable.

An applicant with a college degree obtained outside the United States must have education records evaluated by a credentials evaluation service. Evaluation of education records will be due at time of appointment.

SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS

Building Plans Examiner Certificate:

Possession of a valid Building Plans Examiner certificate from the International Code Council (ICC) at the time of appointment.

Driver License:

Possession of a valid California Class C Drivers License at the time of appointment. Loss of the Class C License is cause for discipline. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to physical disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

PROOF OF CERTIFICATION

Proof of the required certificate and/or license should be submitted with your application and will be required at the time of appointment. Unofficial documents and/or copies are acceptable.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD

Employees must complete twelve (12) months of probation at a satisfactory performance level prior to gaining permanent status.
THE SELECTION PROCEDURE

Please note, the City of Sacramento's preferred method of communication with applicants is via e-mail. As such, please ensure you verify the e-mail address on your application, and check your e-mail frequently, including your spam and junk folders. All e-mail notifications can also be accessed through the applicant inbox.

1. Application: (Pass/Fail) - All applicants must complete and submit online a City of Sacramento employment application by the final filing deadline;

• Employment applications must be submitted online; paper applications will not be accepted.
  
• Employment applications will be considered incomplete and will be disqualified:
• If applicants do not list current and/or past job-related experience in the duties area of the "Work Experience" section. Note: Qualifying experience is based on full-time experience (40 hours per week). Qualifying experience is calculated to the full-time equivalent (pro-rated if less than 40 hours/week).
  
• If "see resume" is noted in the "Work Experience" section; a resume will not substitute for the information required in the "Work Experience" section.
• Proof of education such as, but not limited to, university/college transcripts and degrees should be submitted online with your application. Proof of education will be required at time of appointment.
  
• Proof of certification and/or license should be submitted online with your application. Proof of certification and/or license will be required at time of appointment.
• Position/job titles will not be considered in determining eligibility for meeting the minimum qualifications for this position.
  
• If you're requesting Veteran's credit, a copy of your DD214 must be submitted online with your application or emailed to the Employment Office by the final filing deadline. Information regarding the use of Veteran's credit can be found in the Civil Service Board rules under rule 4.9C.
  
• Applicants are responsible for attaching a copy of their DD214 to each position for which they apply.

2. Training and Experience Exam: (Weighted 100%) - The questions located at the end of the application are the Training and Experience (T&E) Exam. Responses to the T&E questions will be rated and scored. This exam will evaluate the relevance, level, and progression of a candidate's education, training and experience. The exam score will determine your ranking on the eligible list for this job. When completing the T&E questions, please note:

• Responses to the T&E questions must be submitted online; paper questionnaires will not be accepted.
  
• A resume will not substitute for the information required in the T&E questions.

3. Eligibility: Candidates who pass the Training and Experience Test will be placed on the eligible list. The hiring department may contact candidates for interview at any time during the life of the one-year list. Candidate's eligibility expires one year from the date of notification of a passing score for the Plans Examiner III examination.

4. Screening Committee: (Pass/Fail)- All candidates that pass the examination and are in one of the top three ranks will have their application forwarded to the hiring department for review. The hiring department will select the most competitive applications for further consideration. Human Resources will only evaluate employment applications for the minimum qualifications, as stated on the job announcement, for applications selected by the hiring department.

5. Conditional Hire: Upon receipt of a conditional offer, the selected candidate must complete and pass Live Scan/fingerprinting. If applicable, candidates may also need to pass a pre-employment medical exam, controlled substance and/or alcohol test, and possess any required licensure or certification prior to receiving a start date from the Department. Failure to meet these prerequisites will be grounds for withdrawal of your conditional offer of employment.

QUESTIONS:
For questions concerning this job announcement and the application process:

• Please visit for a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to the application process.
  
• For technical support between 6 AM - 5 PM PT, contact Live Applicant Support at
  
• Visit the City of Sacramento Human Resources Department website at ;
  
• Send an email to ; or
  
• Call the Human Resources Department at

Bilingual Pay
Did you know that the City offers bilingual pay? That's right, most labor agreements offer the option of providing employees with bilingual pay if the department deems it to be operationally necessary.

Pension Reform Act
The City of Sacramento is covered by the California Public Employees' Retirement System, and as such, must adhere to the California Public Employee's Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) of 2013. Please note that the provisions within this act may affect or impact an applicant's eligibility and/or selection for open vacancies at the City of Sacramento.

Equal Opportunity Employer
The City of Sacramento is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Additional Information
Civil Service Rules:

Union Contracts:

Salary Schedule:

01

APPLICATION: I understand my application must meet the minimum qualifications for consideration of employment with the City of Sacramento. The experience I list in the duties area of the "Work Experience" section of the employment application will be used to determine if I meet the minimum qualifications as stated on the job announcement. A resume, responses to the supplemental questions requiring a narrative response, employment history listed elsewhere in the application or attachments will not substitute for the information required in the "Work Experience" section of the employment application. Position/job titles will not be considered in determining eligibility for meeting the minimum qualifications for this position. Note: Qualifying experience is based on full-time experience (40 hours per week). Qualifying experience is calculated to the full-time equivalent (pro-rated if less than 40 hours/week).Please refer to the City of Sacramento's Applicant Resources Page for Screening Instructions:

• Yes

02

PROOF OF EDUCATION: To qualify for this classification you may use any combination of education and/or experience as listed to provide required knowledge, skills, and abilities.I understand proof of education such as, but not limited to, university/college transcripts and degrees should be submitted with my application and will be required at the time of appointment if I am using education to qualify for this position.Please refer to the City of Sacramento's Proof of Education Requirements ) for information on accepted documentation.

• Yes

03

EDUCATION CONFIRMATION: If I am using education to qualify for this position, I attest I possess or will possess the following level of education by time of appointment if I am selected for this position.

• No units from an accredited college or university
• Less than 30 semester or 45 quarter units from an accredited college or university
• 30 semester or 45 quarter units from an accredited college or university
• 60 semester or 90 quarter units from an accredited college or university
• Associates Degree
• 90 semester or 135 quarter units from an accredited college or university
• Bachelors Degree
• Masters Degree
• Doctorate

04

PROOF OF CERTIFICATION: I understand proof of certification, should be submitted with my application and will be required at the time of appointment.

• Yes

05

CERTIFICATION CONFIRMATION: I attest I possess or will possess a valid Building Plans Examiner certificate from the International Code Council (ICC) by time of appointment if I am selected for this position.

• Yes
• No

06

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE: The answers to the questions below will be reviewed by the hiring department along with the information provided in your employment application. Therefore, your answers must be consistent with your employment application information (especially in the "Education" and "Work Experience" sections), must be unambiguous, and must contain sufficient but concise detail and organization. A resume will not be accepted in lieu of completing this Supplemental Questionnaire. Lack of clarity, incomplete or inconsistent information, and/or disorganized presentation may negatively affect the hiring department's review of your Supplemental Questionnaire. I understand and agree to the above instructions.

• Yes

07

Describe your experience performing plan review or interpreting information on building plans for compliance with applicable building codes and standards.

08

Describe your work experience in the construction or design of buildings and other structures. Include your roles, responsibilities, and the construction/building types applicable to your work experience in your response.

09

Describe your experience utilizing any of the codes within Title 24, also known as the California Building Standards Code (Building Code, Residential Code, Electrical Code, etc.)

10

TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE EXAMINATION: The following questions are the Training and Experience (T&E) Examination. In addition to the City of Sacramento employment application, applicants must complete and submit online responses to the T&E questions. This exam will evaluate the relevance, level, and progression of a candidate's education, training and experience. Therefore, your responses to the supplemental questionnaire should be thorough and complete because the exam score will determine your ranking on the eligible list for this job. In accordance with the City of Sacramento's Racial and Gender Equity Action Plan (RGEAP), this examination contains non-binary names and pronouns. For additional information regarding the City's RGEAP, please copy and paste the following link into a web browser: I understand and agree to the above instructions.

• Yes

11

Select the one option that best describes your experience and/or education reviewing complex residential or commercial building plans for completeness, accuracy and compliance with established building codes and regulations.

• Eight years or more
• At least seven years but less than eight years
• At least six years but less than seven years
• At least five years but less than six years
• Less than five years

12

Select all the boxes that best describes the method(s) you use to review and evaluate construction documents.

• Research and interpret applicable code and ordinance provisions, local, state, and federal law
• Analyze approved plans, specifications, and calculations for compliance with applicable codes and ordinances
• Analyze approved plans, specifications, and calculations for compliance with accessibility guidelines
• Analyze approved plans, specifications, and calculations for compliance with local, state, and national codes and standards
• Analyze approved plans, specifications, and calculations for compliance with installation, use of materials, and other requirements (e.g., products, listed assemblies, etc.)
• Identify code deficiencies in the plan
• Explain discrepancies and deficiencies of plans
• Coordinate with other applicable departments or divisions for plan/review approval
• Perform special requirements for existing and/or historic structures per local requirements
• None of the above

13

Select all the boxes of the computer software you have used to research or review electronic building plans and records.

• Adobe Acrobat or equivalent
• Bluebeam, REVU, or equivalent
• Accela or equivalent
• Microsoft Outlook or equivalent
• Microsoft Word or equivalent
• Microsoft Excel or equivalent
• Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, or equivalent web browser
• None of the above

14

Select all the boxes that best describe the methods and techniques you use to generate a written correction notice for a code provision that is not well defined or could have multiple interpretations.

• Identity the exact location of the item in question within plans and/or specifications
• Identify the deficiency or code violation
• Reference the code section
• Determine when it's appropriate to provide advisory type comments
• Use of clear and concise language to convey the comment
• Determine when it's appropriate to provide written narrative
• Use of Interpretation manuals
• Create a code-oriented rationale to support the interpretation
• Researching previous code or code provisions
• Check with other jurisdictions
• Use the internet to research to seek information on past or similar precedent
• Collaborate with colleagues to seek information on past or similar precedent
• Collaborate with supervisor
• None of the above

Required Question