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Job Description
Description
The Department
The City of Palo Alto is a fast-paced, dynamic, and innovative environment that is focused on providing exceptional service. The Planning & Development Services department reviews private and public development proposals, enforces municipal regulations, and provides policy analysis to elected and appointed officials. Development Services is a program within the department that is principally responsible for reviewing and issuing building permits, conducting inspections, and providing customer service to residents, business owners, developers, and trade professionals. This work is largely carried out at the City’s Development Center, a one-stop permitting center. However, many of these services are now available online. We strive for consistency in our work, predictable review times, and adherence to city, state, and federal requirements.
Career Opportunity
The City Council authorized the hiring of a Plan Checking Engineer to support the Building Division's transition to a more technology-forward, in-house model of plan review. Historically reliant on outside consultants, the department is now investing in internal expertise to improve accountability, consistency, and quality assurance. The Plan Checking Engineer will leverage modern digital tools, including electronic plan check systems (e.g., Bluebeam, DigEplan) and permit tracking platforms to review plans and structural calculations for compliance with California Building Codes and the City of Palo Alto Municipal Code.
This position will ensure timely reviews, proactively resolve code conflicts, and promote streamlined review processes aligned with the City’s electrification, accessory dwelling unit (ADU), and affordable housing initiatives. The role also includes participation in case conferences, code interpretation discussions, and coordination with design professionals and other city departments.
Another key function of this position is to provide support at the City’s Development Center counter, both virtually and in person, offering technical guidance, processing over-the-counter reviews, and assisting applicants. The Plan Checking Engineer will apply engineering judgment, conduct detailed technical evaluations of energy and structural documents, and ensure conformance with city, state, and federal requirements. When needed, this position will also handle complex and high-impact projects.
This position operates under the general supervision of the Plan Review Manager.
The Ideal Candidate
The successful candidate must be able to embrace the City’s emphasis on excellent customer service and collaborate effectively with both colleagues and customers, demonstrating strong communication skills. This role requires someone who can stay focused and organized while managing multiple fast-paced projects or assignments at once. The position involves analytical work and calls for initiative, independent judgment, and a collaborative spirit, along with a genuine interest in working with a variety of City staff and members of the public.
The ideal candidate brings a strong work ethic, a commitment to public service, and a flexible, solution-oriented mindset to help customers move their projects forward tactfully and cooperatively. They will also work closely with other City teams and public stakeholders to promote electrification and green technologies by supporting the transition from fossil fuel-based systems to alternatives such as heat pumps, electric vehicles, solar power, and energy storage systems, in support of environmental decarbonization efforts.
Benefits: The City offers a fantastic benefits package that includes affordable healthcare plans, generous retirement packages, paid parental leave, convenient commuter programs and more !
Compensation (SEIU): Comprehensive compensation plan. To learn more, clic k here .
Schedule: 9/80 work schedule (with every other Friday off).
This position is represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
Essential Duties
Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:- Provide technical information regarding codes and compliance methods to clients, other city staff, and the general public.
- Create plan review checklists, illustrations, procedures, and policies to ensure accuracy and consistency on plan reviews.
- Perform independent plan examinations on building and other disciplines concerning the construction or alteration of industrial, commercial, and residential structures to determine compliance with applicable codes, laws, and regulations.
- Check complex plans and calculations to determine loading and adequacy of design to meet earthquake, wind load, and structural requirements.
- Coordinate plan checking activities with other city personnel, outside agencies, and professional consultants.
- Conduct training programs for Building Division personnel.
- Prepare and maintain a variety of statistics, reports, memos, and correspondence on plan review and permit matters.
- Represent the Building Division at meetings of the City Council, other Boards and Commissions, and at professional and public meetings as required.
- Perform related duties as assigned.
To see the full job description for the Plan Checking Engineer, click here .
Minimum Qualifications
Sufficient education, training and/or work experience to demonstrate possession of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities which would typically be acquired through:- College graduate with degree in civil engineering or architecture desirable; and,
- Experience in structural design, building construction plan review and/or any combination thereof.
Ideal Qualifications and Licenses/Certificates:- Two years of increasingly responsible experience in the design or review of public, commercial, industrial, or residential buildings.
- Professional registration as an Architect, or Engineer in the State of California; AND possess or obtain an International Code Council (ICC) Plans Examiner Certification.
- Other ICC certifications are highly desirable.
- Possession of a California Driver’s License and a satisfactory driving record.
Desired Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:- Pertinent building and related codes and ordinances enforced by the City, specifically Building, Mechanical, Plumbing, Electrical, Energy, and Green Building Codes State regulations and local ordinances.
- Building construction and materials.
- Pertinent Federal, State, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
- Principles and practices of civil and structural engineering design and non-structural building analysis.
- Structural design programs such as RISA, ETABS, RAM, SAP2000.
- Analyze and accurately check building construction plans, energy & structural calculations, and specifications.
- Establish and maintain cooperative relations with architects, engineers, contractors, developers, other city staff, and the general public.
- Communicate effectively in person, over the telephone, and in writing.
- Enforce necessary regulations with firmness, fairness, and tact.
Supplemental Information
The Selection Process:- Recruitment status notifications will be sent via email or text (please enroll in text alerts when applying).
- Updates can also be found on your governmentjobs.com account.
- Applicants will be screened throughout the posting process and highly qualified candidates may be invited to interview at any time.
- The screening process for this position may include a virtual recorded interview and/or panel interviews preceding final interviews with the hiring manager or their designee.
- More than one position may be filled through this posting.
Our online application system is provided by NeoGov. If you have problems while applying online, please contact NeoGov's Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday.
The City of Palo Alto is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
See our Benefits at a Glance Bookletfor more details.
Learn more about our Memorandum of Agreements (MOAs) between the City and its bargaining units, by clicking HERE.
Closing Date/Time: 9/28/2025 11:59 PM Pacific -
ABOUT THE COMPANY
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City of Palo Alto
Show moreThe Community
The birthplace of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto, is a community of approximately 68,000 residents and nearly 100,000 jobs. Located on the mid-Peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose, Palo Alto is recognized worldwide as a leader in cutting-edge technology, medicine, and green innovation. The community's treelined streets and historic buildings reflect its California heritage, and, at the same time, many world-class businesses maintain or started offices here, such as Stanford Health Care and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Amazon, Broadcom, Hewlett-Packard, Houzz, Rivian, SAP and SAP Ariba, Tesla, and Varian Medical Systems. Numerous start-ups are also at home in Palo Alto, arguably making it the start-up capital of the world. Stanford University is foundational to the history and prestige of Palo Alto, reflected in the community's dedication to lifelong learning. Stanford's cultural and educational offerings are integral to the vibrancy and charm of Palo Alto, while the City's exceptional K-12 school district ranks among the top public-school systems in the country. With more than 50% of adult residents holding a graduate degree or higher, Palo Alto is frequently listed as one of the most educated cities in the nation. Palo Alto boasts a genuine sense of community and an active citizenry with strong environmental values. Beautiful neighborhoods are complemented by vibrant commercial corridors and a bustling economy featuring premium shopping and dining options. Excellent healthcare facilities, performing arts, and diverse recreational opportunities are some of the community's incredibly desirable and cherished amenities. To learn more, visit https://www.paloalto.gov/Departments/City-Manager/Latest-NewsCity Government
Palo Alto is a full-service charter city with a council-manager form of government. The seven-member City Council is elected at large, and the City Council annually selects the Mayor and Vice Mayor from among its members. The Mayor and City Council appoint the City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk, and City Auditor. The City Manager is responsible for the strategic direction and day-to-day operations of the City. Palo Alto is organized into 15 departments/offices with 1,093.10 authorized positions in FY 2025. There is also a FY 2025 capital budget of $316.2 million. Palo Alto owns and operates its own utilities, including electricity (carbon-neutral), gas, water, wastewater, and an expanding fiber network. This dynamic municipal environment ensures an ever-engaging platform for unique problem-solving and advances new initiatives, including sustainability, broadband, and effective service delivery. Community assets also include five libraries, 36 parks, five community centers, a museum and zoo, youth centers, a general aviation airport, an 18-hole golf course, a regional water treatment plant, and wildland open space preserves at the San Francisco Bay and in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains offering 41 miles of walking/biking trails in addition to its police, fire, and ambulance services. Palo Alto has long been a leader in sustainability, and the City's ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals are part of what sets it apart. Since the City's first Climate Protection Plan was passed in 2007, Palo Alto has set goals that exceed State and Federal targets. Today, the City's goal to reduce emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2030 (the "80x30" goal) and achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 guides sustainability efforts. An award-winning City, Palo Alto is recognized nationally as innovative and well-managed. City services and performance also receive impressive marks from community members in the Palo Alto Community Survey.
Many of those ratings put City programs and services in the highest percentiles among the hundreds of benchmark cities. Palo Alto makes decisions through comprehensive processes and proactively seeks to involve its extremely informed, educated, and engaged residents. Projects are naturally a cooperative effort among the City Council, Boards, Commissions, Committees, engaged residents, neighborhoods, businesses, property owners, and staff.
Join an Award Winning Team
Palo Alto is an award-winning City recognized nationwide as innovative and well-managed. Palo Alto is one of a small number of California cities with a AAA bond rating. Recently, Palo Alto became one of the most livable cities in the U.S. by Livability.com. It's the only city to receive the Platinum Beacon Award in sustainability best practices by California’s Institute for Local Government. We offer a variety of career paths that relate to building and improving communities. The City has fourteen departments employing 1,000 full-time staff. Police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, and building inspectors keep us safe. Engineers and public works staff build and re-build the physical infrastructure. City planners help envision and shape future community growth. Recreation, arts and library professionals enhance community life. Utilities provides electric, gas, water, sewer and other services. Internal services departments help manage, staff, and protect the City.
Want to learn more about our benefits? Learn more by reviewing our "Benefits at a Glance Booklet."
Contact Us
Phone: 650-329-2376
Email: Recruit@paloalto.gov
Location: City Hall, 1st Floor | 250 Hamilton Ave 94301 | View Map
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