Assistant Building Official

City of Escondido•Escondido, CA

8d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is open until filled. A first review of applications will take place during the week of August 17, 2026. Applicants that apply after the first review are not guaranteed to be considered for this recruitment. This recruitment may close at any time without notice after the first review date. If you want to join a hardworking team that shares a commitment to provide top-quality municipal services in a prime North County location, consider a career with the City of Escondido. We have an opening for the position of Assistant Building Official in our Development Services Department/Building Services. Under general direction, supervises, assigns, reviews, and participates in the work of staff responsible for reviewing building plans for compliance with applicable codes and regulations and the issuance of building permits; ensures work quality and adherence to established policies and procedures; performs the more technical and complex tasks relative to assigned area of responsibility; and serves as acting Building Official in the absence of the Building Official.

Requirements

Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade supplemented by college level course work in building inspection, structural engineering, civil engineering, or a related field.
Five years (full-time equivalent) of responsible experience in the review of building construction plans including one year of lead supervisory or project management responsibility.
Possession of an appropriate, valid California driver's license.
Possession of certification as a Plans Examiner issued by the International Code Council (ICC).
Ability to read, write and speak English.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of operations, services, and activities of a plan checking and permit issuance program.
Knowledge of principles of supervision, training, and performance evaluation.
Knowledge of methods, materials, and techniques used in the construction of buildings and structures.
Knowledge of principles, methods, and practices of structural and civil engineering.
Knowledge of recent developments, current literature, and sources of information regarding structural and civil engineering.
Knowledge of pertinent federal, state, and local rules, regulations, and ordinances including applicable state laws, ordinances, and codes related to structural design and construction.
Knowledge of general legal procedures related to building code enforcement.
Knowledge of administrative regulations, adjudications and opinions relating to building inspection activities and enforcement activities.
Knowledge of basic principles and practices of municipal budget preparation and administration.
Knowledge of principles and procedures of record keeping.
Knowledge of principles of business letter writing and basic report preparation.
Knowledge of modern office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers.
Knowledge of computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and statistical databases.
Ability to coordinate and direct plan checking and permit issuance programs.
Ability to supervise, organize, and review the work of assigned staff involved in plan checking and permit issuance services and activities.
Ability to select, train, and evaluate staff.
Ability to recommend and implement goals, objectives, policies, and procedures for providing assigned services and activities.
Ability to understand the organization and operation of the City and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities.
Ability to understand, interpret, and apply general and specific administrative and departmental policies and procedures as well as applicable federal, state, and local policies, laws, codes, ordinances, and regulations.
Ability to recommend alternative solutions to design and construction problems.
Ability to participate in the preparation and administration of assigned budgets.
Ability to plan and organize work to meet changing priorities and deadlines.
Ability to make engineering computations and analysis to check building construction computations.
Ability to review and analyze plans and detect code violations.
Ability to maintain excellent public relations.
Ability to attend meetings at various locations.
Ability to make difficult interpretations of the codes and resolve problems related to building code enforcement.
Ability to prepare clear and comprehensive reports.
Ability to effectively represent the City to outside individuals and agencies to accomplish the goals and objectives of the unit.
Ability to work cooperatively with other departments, City officials, and outside agencies.
Ability to respond tactfully, clearly, concisely, and appropriately to inquiries from the public, City staff, and other agencies on sensitive issues in area of responsibility.
Ability to demonstrate an awareness and appreciation of the cultural diversity of the community.
Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Responsibilities

Plans, prioritizes, assigns, supervises, reviews, and participates in the work of staff responsible for plan checking residential, commercial, and industrial building plans and drawings for conformance with applicable state and local codes and regulations.
Assumes responsibility for the Building Division's public counter activities, permit tracking program, and issuance of building permits; maintains quality control for the automated permit tracking system.
Establishes schedules and methods for providing plan checking and permit issuance services; identifies resource needs; reviews needs with appropriate management staff; allocates resources accordingly.
Participates in the development of goals and objectives as well as policies and procedures; interprets, reviews, and evaluates plan review and permit issuance policies and procedures in response to changes in building codes and local ordinances; makes recommendations for changes and improvements to existing standards, policies, and procedures; participates in the implementation of approved policies and procedures; monitors work activities to ensure compliance with established policies and procedures.
Participates in the selection of assigned staff; provides or coordinates staff training; works with employees to correct deficiencies; implements discipline procedures.
Participates in the preparation and administration of the assigned program budget; submits budget recommendations; monitors expenditures.
Oversees and participates in the maintenance of records concerning assigned operations and programs; prepares reports on operations and activities.
Performs the more technical and complex tasks of the work unit including plan reviews on the more complex and sensitive projects; determines project valuation and related building and development fees; processes and issues building, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits; assists plans examiner with rechecking of plans to allow for faster turn around of projects.
Provides assistance to building inspectors in the performance of structural and non-structural field inspections on special projects.
Responds to questions from and provides assistance to the public, developers, contractors, owners, and design professionals regarding building regulations, permit requirements, and application of state and local codes; provides problem solving direction to customers to allow code compliance; prepares guidelines, handouts, forms, and procedures for public use.
Establishes and maintains cooperative relationships with other City departments and outside agencies in order to coordinate project compliance necessary for conditions of approval.
Attends and participates in professional group meetings; maintains awareness of new trends and developments in the field of plan checking; incorporates new developments as appropriate into programs.
Serves as acting Building Official in the absence of the Building Official.
Performs related duties as required.

Benefits

The City of Escondido is committed to a drug and alcohol free workplace.
All applicants will be subject to fingerprint investigation before a conditional offer of employment is extended.
A pre-employment medical examination will be conducted following a conditional offer of employment for all positions.
Safety sensitive positions will include a pre-employment drug screen.
Positions subject to the Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations will be subject to DOT pre-employment drug testing and random drug and alcohol testing.
All positions require the ability to read, write and speak English.
All appointments are subject to the successful completion of background investigation including LIVESCAN fingerprinting, and will be required to submit verification of the legal right to work in the United States.
Qualification by a medical examination will be required at the time of appointment.
After appointment, classified employees must satisfactorily complete a probationary period to be eligible for regular status.
In accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, all new employees must produce proof of eligibility to work in the United States within the first three days of their employment.
The City of Escondido participates in E-Verify®.
The Loyalty Oath will be administered to all new employees on their first day of hire.
New employees hired into positions that require a driver's license must provide proof of a valid California Driver's License of the appropriate class level on their first day of employment.
If you require reasonable accommodation in the testing process, such as an alternate means of testing, you must contact the Human Resources Department by the final filing date to complete a Request for Reasonable Accommodation form.
The City of Escondido does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, disability, sex, age, national origin, or sexual orientation.
We will attempt to reasonably accommodate applicants with disabilities upon request.