Building Inspector II

Position Information

Continue your career as a Building Inspector II with the County of Sonoma!

Starting salary up to $58.58/hour ($122,263/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

Permit Sonoma is currently recruiting to fill a Building Inspector position at either the I or II levels. If you are interested in being considered at the different levels of this opportunity, you must apply to the separate concurrent recruitments being conducted for each level.

Join Our Team

Permit Sonoma's Building Division is responsible for inspecting construction projects after the building permit has been issued. The Division reviews all aspects of a project to make sure they are built according to the approved plans and building codes. Protecting public health and safety is the main focus of this division.

About the Position

Permit Sonoma's Building Inspectors work within an assigned geographical area, acquiring the skills needed to perform a variety of building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, floodplain, and fire and life safety visual inspections. Building upon their professional construction experience, they conduct research and learn how to check building plans and layouts for conformance with building codes, county ordinances, and departmental policies and procedures.

As an ideal candidate, you will possess:

• Six or more years of experience in building/construction trades
• Experience effectively applied provisions of the California Building, Housing, Plumbing, Electrical, and Mechanical codes; Fire Safe Standards; and related State and County codes and ordinances
• Proven experience reviewing plans and specifications, identifying any construction that deviated from expectations
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work independently and as part of a team
• The ability to shift gears quickly in a fast-paced environment
• Proven ability to build and maintain effective relationships with staff, customers, and the public
• A high level of integrity and professionalism, with the ability to handle challenging situations

Please note: Building Inspectors work in indoor and outdoor environments, in all weather conditions, and drive County vehicles to remote, offsite locations . Possession of a valid driver's license is required for this position.

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Hybrid Telework- A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Additional Benefits - Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Memorandum Of Understanding (SEIU MOU) and our Employee Benefits Directory .

Permit Sonoma is currently recruiting to fill a Building Inspector position at either the I or II levels. This Building Inspector II employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience: Experience as a Building Inspector, Construction Supervisor, Architect or closely related occupation which required the application of skills, knowledge and abilities listed; or one year of experience as a Building Inspector I with the County of Sonoma; or six years as journey level trades person.

Education: High school graduate and recent academic course work relating to the knowledge and abilities is required.

Licenses: Possession of certification as a combination inspector or two or more specialty trade certificates are required within one year of appointment. Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including necessary special endorsements, as required by the State of California to perform the essential job functions of the position.

The position advertised on this announcement does require possession of a valid California Driver’s License.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Considerable knowledge of: the provisions of the California Building, Housing, Plumbing, Electrical and Mechanical codes, Fire Safe Standards and related State and County codes and ordinances; energy conservation, disabled access, earthquake safety and flood plain regulations, modern building and construction materials, and their quality as it relates to State and County codes and ordinances, and of tools, practices and techniques used in the various building and construction trades; job site safety procedures; the use of electronic information equipment and specific systems as used within the department.

Ability to: read and understand complex residential, commercial or industrial construction plans and specifications; effectively and accurately interpret building plans, contract documents, schematics, and specifications; write and speak clearly and concisely for the purpose of instructions and reports; make visual inspections, detect deviations from approved plans, specifications and to insure compliance and enforce State and County codes and ordinances; visually detect substandard building and construction materials and work; understand and verbally or visually interpret and clarify specific State and County codes and ordinance requirements; establish and maintain effective working relationships with contractors, the public and other agencies; use testing equipment in the inspection of residential and commercial structures; work effectively with a minimum of supervision; exercise initiative to complete work within a prescribed time limit; effectively evaluate situations and identify problems in the field and independently arrive at a reasonable and effective course of action; recommend proper methods of correcting building code violations in a concise and timely manner; communicate effectively, tactfully, and courteously with others; utilize electronic information systems and analyze and interpret such information.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate’s personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicant’s name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.

Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Additional Information

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org . Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job announcement must be received by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: KK

HR Technician: PPB

Important Note: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

County of Sonoma Benefits: General*

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:

Paid Time Off: Competitive vacation accrual and sick leave accruals; additional management leave annually; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.

Health Plan: Choose from nine health plans (three HMOs, three deductible HMOs, and three HSA-qualifying plans) with a generous County contribution to the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit). For more information, please see the appropriate MOU.

Retirement: Fully integrated with Social Security. For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit https://scretire.org/active-/-deferred/when-you-are-hired .

IRS 457 Plan: Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.

Retiree Medical: County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.

Student Loan Debt Relief: County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education.

Plus, excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331. Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at Labor Agreements & Salary Resolution . For specific information about health and welfare benefits, including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts, go to Human Resources or contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at benefits@sonomacounty.gov or (707) 565-2900.

*Important Notes: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

Closing Date/Time: 5/5/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

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• County of Sonoma

• 707-565-8059

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