Building Inspector

Department/Division: Engineering Department

Job Type: Full Time

Pay: $29.00 - $36.00 Per Hour

Position Summary

Under the administrative direction of the City Engineer, this position reviews plans and specifications to ensure compliance with applicable building and zoning requirements prior to issuing permits for construction. The position conducts inspections of new and existing building projects to verify compliance with building codes and City regulations.

Responsibilities also include enforcing the City’s zoning ordinances and building codes, inspecting nuisance violations, identifying property owners for inspection purposes, and preparing violation notices. The position oversees enforcement of violations, maintains inspection records and reports, and coordinates inspection activities with appropriate City departments.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Inspects buildings under construction, alteration, or repair for compliance with the building, heating, plumbing, electrical, and zoning code requirements; coordinates inspection activities with appropriate City departments.
• Review and approve plans for commercial, industrial, and residential building and remodeling projects; issue proper permits and zoning approval once code requirements have been satisfied
• Issues with building, sign, electrical, and demolition permits.
• Enforces the City’s “nuisance” ordinances, including weed and brush control ordinances; Oversees the correction of the nuisance violations.
• Enforces the City’s sign ordinances.
• Responds to complaints concerning City Ordinance nuisance violations.
• Identifies nuisance violations and property owners.
• Prepares violation notices and oversees the correction of the nuisance violations.
• Oversees and inspects demolition projects.
• Maintains written records and reports of inspection activities.
• Enforces notices issued and related documents.
• Explains building and zoning codes and enforcement procedures to interested parties; reviews plans and specifications with engineers, architects, and the general public.
• Inspects the work of private contractors to ensure compliance with appropriate federal, state, and local codes.
• Supervises, inspects, and evaluates the work of subordinate personnel engaged in Building Inspection activities to ensure compliance with project standards; provides training and orientation to new employees.
• Performs related duties as required or assigned.
• Performs electrical inspections prior to service being activated.

Supervisory and Administrative Responsibilities

• Requires the ability to read and understand blueprints, plans, schematics, and construction specifications.
• Requires the ability to effectively supervise the work of subordinate staff.
• Requires the ability to effectively train and instruct employees in safe work practices as well as the safe operation of equipment.
• Requires the ability to effectively prepare and present oral and written technical reports and recommendations to the City Manager and City Council.
• Requires the ability to enforce City codes and ordinances tactfully, impartially, and firmly.
• Requires the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with contractors, architects, property owners, engineers, City officials, employees, general public, and state/federal regulatory agencies.
• Ability to organize duties and produce results in a timely manner.
• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal.  
• Requires strict confidentiality in daily duties.
• Requires the ability to exercise judgment and discretion in developing, implementing, and interpreting policies and procedures.

Qualifications

Education

• Requires knowledge, skill, and mental development equivalent to the completion of four years of high school with a minimum of two years of specialized training in the building trades. 
• Completion of two years of college with coursework in construction management or a directly related field is preferred.
• Will be required to be a licensed electrician in the City of Mount Vernon within 6 months of appointment. 

Experience

• Requires three to five years of responsible work experience in the building trades or in the construction management profession.
• Requires knowledge of the methods and practices of building construction and maintenance.
• Requires knowledge of City building, zoning, sign, and “nuisance” codes and ordinances.
• Requires possession of a valid vehicle operator’s license.
• Requires the ability to successfully pass a background security and credit check.

Work Schedule

Working shift is from 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday with a one (1) hour lunch period, forty (40) hours per week. 

Physical Requirements

• Occasional walking, reaching, bending, and lifting or carrying objects under 25 pounds requires the ability to sit for extended periods of time.
• Use written sources of information, e.g., read reports, procedural documentation, reference materials
• Perform detailed work requiring visual acuity.
• Use non-verbal auditory sources of information, e.g., alarms, beepers, pagers.   

Residency Requirement

All applicants shall reside in either Jefferson County or a County adjacent to Jefferson County, including any of the following: Marion, Wayne, Hamilton, Franklin, Perry, or Washington, as their principal place of residence, within six (6) months of hire, and thereafter at all times during the time of their employment by the City. Any employee who shall fail to establish and/or maintain his or her domicile and residency as required herein shall be subject to discharge from employment with the City.

Additional Information

FSLA Classification

Non-Exempt

Pay Schedule

Biweekly (every other Friday)