Plans Examiner Senior

County of Santa Barbara•Santa Barbara, CA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Under general direction, receives and checks plans for buildings and structures for compliance with applicable building codes, ordinances, and regulations; advises applicants for permits on possible modifications to conform with requirements; issues permits; and does related work as required. For information about the Planning & Development Department, please visit: http://sbcountyplanning.org/

Requirements

A Bachelor’s degree in Architectural, Civil, or Structural Engineering; or Architecture; OR certification in the Fundamentals of Engineering
Two years of plan checking or building inspection experience outside of Santa Barbara County; OR, One year of experience performing duties equivalent to the class of Plans Examiner or Building Inspector II or above with Santa Barbara County; OR, A combination of training, education, and experience that is equivalent to one of the employment standards listed above and that provides the required knowledge and abilities.
Knowledge of: building construction methods and materials; basic engineering, practices, and techniques; Uniform Building Code; electrical, plumbing, and mechanical codes and applicable State laws; arithmetic, trigonometry, and plane geometry.
Ability to: analyze and interpret building plans and specifications; interpret and enforce laws and regulations; establish and maintain effective working relationships with builders, applicants, and others; organize, prepare, and present records and reports effectively in written or oral form; communicate technical information clearly and understandably to a non-technical audience; maintain objectivity; represent the department with diplomacy and tact; and make and support decisions, even when they are unpopular.

Nice To Haves

Significant plan check or design experience of buildings with various occupancy types, including non-residential, for compliance to the California Buildings Codes including energy conservation and disabled accessibility.
Structural design experience or structural plan check of various structural systems.
Outstanding customer service skills with the ability to work independently and in a team environment.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Familiarity with ePermitHub a plus
Possession of International Code Council (ICC) certification in plans examination and Certified Access Specialist (CASp) certification.

Responsibilities

Examines plans and specifications for buildings and structures for completeness and conformity with all requirements including stresses, live and dead loading, soil characteristics, mechanical and electrical calculations, safety and health features, use of materials, placement on property, and setbacks.
Analyzes individual building components to determine the type of construction and occupancy groups and computes floor area and allowable height; and refers the more complex electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, mechanical, or structural plans to individuals specializing in these areas.
Coordinates the review of plans with other public agencies whose approval is necessary; and itemizes required corrections and modifications and explains them to permit applicants.
Authorizes the issue of building permits and moving permits for plans that meet code and ordinance requirements and calculates fees.
Recommends plan changes to applicants to bring drawings and specifications into compliance with state and local building codes and ordinances.
Advises professional engineers, architects, and others concerning code requirements, engineering, and planning problems arising in the preliminary design of buildings and structures and plan checkers in the resolution of structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, energy conservation, and disabled access problems.
Submits reports to the Building Official regarding workload and process statistics, new products or situations, and code interpretation issues.
Researches technical problems.
Develops plan examination procedures.
Assists the public at the counter, answering questions related to plans and permitting requirements.
Trains departmental staff in application of new codes, policies, and procedures, and assists in training of plans examiner staff.