Building Inspector Specialist (Electrical Specialist)

Full Job Description

The Planning and Development Department is accepting applications to fill one Building Inspector Specialist (Electrical Specialist) vacancy in either Santa Barbara or Santa Maria.

THE POSITION: Under direction, the incumbent serves as a technical specialist in a particular field of plan review and building inspection activities, such as electrical, plumbing, or mechanical such as for large-scale energy or industrial projects; trains personnel in these specialized fields; and performs related work as required.

The IDEAL CANDIDATE will possess:

• Experience with inspection and/or plan check of complex electrical systems in building and facilities
• Strong understanding and demonstrated experience with electrical systems, wiring, power distribution system and application of codes and standards to ensure a safe built environment
• Working knowledge and demonstrated experience in ADA regulations, building, plumbing, mechanical codes and the ability to conduct related inspections independently
• Ability to work within a team-setting focused on helping customers to achieve compliance with the governing codes and regulations
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and manage workload appropriately
• Solution-oriented approaches toward the regulatory aspect of the work
• Effective written and verbal communication skills to convey information to various clients and audiences (property owners, builders, expert design professionals, engineers, etc.)
• Strong time management and organizational skills
• Professional demeanor that fosters a positive and constructive working relationships with internal and external customers.

Requirements

1. Prepares correspondence and reports; performs the more difficult inspections in a specialized field of building inspection, such as electrical, plumbing, or mechanical;
2. Handles controversial cases involving disputes over interpretation and application of particular building codes;
3. Reviews complex building plans for code compliance in a particular field; coordinates processing of complex projects that require special interagency approval.;
4. Confers with other County officials and builders, contractors, property owners, engineers, architects, and others on plan review and approval of inspection procedures and problems;
5. Performs routine building inspections of all occupancies for compliance with all current building codes;
6. Represents the County at meetings and conferences related to the specialty area;
7. Develops and conducts training for inspection staff in areas of special expertise as needed;
8. Meets with contractors and industry to implement new code requirements;
9. Investigates substandard conditions of building and works with owner and County to abate violations.

Qualifications

1. Four years of experience in inspection and/or in a specialized field of building construction; OR,
2. One year of experience performing duties equivalent to the class of Building Inspector III with Santa Barbara County assigned to a specialized field of inspection; OR,
3. Possession of an International Code Council (ICC) or Division of the State Architect (DSA) Certification or equivalent certificate in a specialized field of inspection for commercial buildings, and two years of experience in the inspection specialty; OR,
4. California registration as a professional engineer in a related field; OR,
5. 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.

NOTE: A bachelor’s degree in a related field or journeyman experience in the electrical trade may substitute for two years of required experience.

Additional Qualifications
ICC or DSA certification in commercial building inspection must be obtained within two years of appointment.

As a condition of employment, California Health and Safety Code Section 18949.28 (a) requires that a Building Inspector must obtain certification in the appropriate fields that are closely related to their primary job function by a recognized state, national, or international organization within two years of employment.

Not obtaining the required certifications within two years of employment may result in demotion.

For specific positions, possession and maintenance of a valid California Class C Driver’s License and the ability to meet automobile insurability requirements of the County or the ability to provide suitable transportation needs as condition of continued employment.

Incumbent will be required to travel throughout the County of Santa Barbara.

Knowledge of: general methods and materials used in a construction specialty; codes and ordinances and state and local laws relating to a specialized field of construction; all current California building codes and basic inspection methods.

Ability to: read, interpret, and review complex plans and specifications relating to a specialized field of building construction; enforce building codes and related laws; prepare clear written reports; train and impart specialized knowledge to Building Division personnel; interact effectively with the public and secure the cooperation of persons in the construction industry; represent the Building and Safety Division in the specialty field in meetings and to other County agencies; and be familiar with basic computer functions and Word program; research new products and equipment used on construction projects; network with code industry representatives for interpretations.

Additional Information

APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS:

1. Review applications and supplemental questionnaires to determine those applicants who meet the employment standards.
2. Application Ranking. Applications that meet the employment standards will be evaluated and scored. Candidates’ final score and rank on the eligibility list will be determined by the information provided on their application based on the ideal candidate section of the job bulletin.

Applicants must receive a percentage score of at least 70 on the Application Ranking to be placed on an employment list.

An adjustment may be made to raw scores based on factors listed in Civil Service Rule VI.

Those candidates who are successful in the selection process will have their names placed on the employment list for a minimum of three months.

At the time the employment list is established, all candidates will receive an email notice of their score on the exam(s), rank on the employment list, and exact duration of the employment list.

Recruiters will communicate with applicants by e-mail during each step in the recruitment process.

Applicants are reminded to check spam filters continuously during the Recruitment & Selection Process steps listed above to ensure they do not miss required deadlines.

Conditional Offer: Once a conditional offer of employment has been made, candidate will be required to successfully complete a background check, which includes a conviction history check, and satisfactory reference checks.

Appointee will be subject to a post-offer medical evaluation or examination.

The appointee must satisfactorily complete a probationary period of twelve (12) months REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS: The County of Santa Barbara is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants.

Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter listed on the job posting.

We do require verification of needed accommodation from a professional source, such as a Medical Provider or a learning institution.

BENEFITS: For more information on County benefits, please click here. In addition, applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for:

• Retirement reciprocity
• Time and service credit towards an advanced vacation accrual rate

Disaster Service Worker: Pursuant to Governmental code section 3100, all employees with the County of Santa Barbara are declared to be disaster service workers subject to such disaster service. Activities as may be assigned to them by their superiors or by law.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement

The County of Santa Barbara provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any type with regard to any characteristic or status protected by any federal law, state law, or Santa Barbara County ordinance.

The County continues to be committed to a merit-based selection process and to eliminating barriers to attracting and retaining top qualified candidates.

The County has a long-standing practice of providing a work environment that respects the dignity of individual employees and values their contributions to our organization.

APPLICATION AND SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE DEADLINE: 04/06/2026 at 5pm PST. Applications and job bulletins can be obtained 24 hours a day at www.sbcountyjobs.com.

Erin Kuhn, Talent Acquisition Analyst II – erkuhn@countyofsb.org