Senior Building Inspector (6333) - Citywide - (X00138)

Job Description

Under direction, the Senior Building Inspector monitors and reviews records, reports and correspondence of subordinate personnel; performs inspections of buildings and structures as necessary; interprets and explains codes, regulations, ordinances, and laws pertaining to building construction and maintenance; prepares investigation reports; resolves conflicts between the public and subordinates; represents the department at various meetings, hearings, commissions and boards; coordinates and maintains records of training on safety and health issues for subordinate staff; may act as a team leader for emergency purposes during times of disasters; and performs related duties as required.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

This is the senior-level position in the Building Inspector series. The Senior Building Inspector is distinguished from the Building Inspector by the responsibility for more difficult and complicated programs or projects, and the supervision of professional staff. Senior Building Inspectors are distinguished from the Chief Building Inspector in that the latter plans and directs the activities of a building inspection unit or regularly supervise a major program or project.

MAJOR, IMPORTANT, AND ESSENTIAL DUTIES

According to Civil Service Commission Rule 109, the duties specified below are representative of the range of duties assigned to this job code/class and are not intended to be an inclusive list.

1. Supervises building inspectors and/or subordinate staff by assigning, monitoring, and evaluating their work; and providing training to inspectors on the interpretation and application of building codes, related ordinances and laws in order to ensure that departmental policies and procedures are adhered to, and that applicable codes, ordinances and laws are properly enforced.

2. At the Bureau of Construction Management, the Senior Building Inspector manages a construction project to ensure quality control and code compliance.

3. Reviews and revises records, reports, correspondence and plan review, such as records of inspections, daily reports, letters to members of the public, notices of violation, plan review comments and correction notices prepared by building inspectors when necessary to ensure that the work is being performed correctly and in conformance with departmental policies, procedures, work standards, goals and objectives.

4. Interprets and explains the codes, regulations, ordinances and laws which govern building construction in the City and County of San Francisco, such as the Building Code, Housing Code, Mechanical Code, State Building Standards, Title 24 accessibility requirements and energy conservation standards, appeal procedures, abatement processes, and permit processing to staff and others, including architects, engineers, contractors, and the general public.

5. Ensures that information concerning the department procedures is disseminated accurately; and resolve conflicts between staff/inspectors and general public (contractors/property owners) during plan review and field inspection activities.

6. Represents the department at meetings, hearings and in court by preparing evidence and/or appearing before such bodies as the Board of Supervisors, Building Inspection Commission, judicial committees, Access Appeals Commission, Unreinforced Masonry Building Appeals Board, Board of Permit Appeals, the Abatement Appeals Board, and other boards and commissions in order to testify or present information regarding code violation cases and other related matters.

7. May act as a team leader for emergency response on behalf of the department.

8. Makes site visits and reviews plans with or without subordinate staff to check buildings and other inspections performed by staff.

9. Observes, assists and reviews procedures utilized by staff during inspections.

10. Performs inspections when subordinate staffs are absent or as necessary in order to ensure that inspections are performed correctly and completed in a timely manner.

IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of: the principles, practices, purposes, scopes and techniques of various phases of building construction; the uses and characteristics of construction, materials and equipment; federal, state and local codes, regulations, ordinances and laws which govern building construction; and principles of supervision.
• Ability to: collect, analyze and interpret complex data; assess information in a variety of forms and from various sources and make judgments and recommendations; prepare written reports and make oral presentations of findings and recommendations in public hearings; and work effectively in a team environment; establish and maintain cooperative relationships with government agencies, community groups, special interest advocates, permit applicants, and the general public; carry out complex inspections or projects; work collaboratively with staff and others; present technical information to a general audience; and operate a motor vehicle in order to visit inspection sites and to respond in case of emergencies.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

These minimum qualifications establish the education, training, experience, special skills and/or license(s) which are required for employment in the classification.

Experience:

• Two (2) years of verifiable experience as a building inspector with a public agency performing duties at a level equivalent to class 6331 Building Inspector with the City and County of San Francisco.

License & Certification:

• Possession of a valid Class C California driver license, and
• Possession of the Commercial and Residential Building Inspector certifications or the Building Plans Examiner certification, issued by the International Code Council (ICC), is required. Inspectors must maintain the certification as a condition of continued employment.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

These positions require the ability to work in inclement weather; and possible exposure to hazardous conditions found in and around damaged buildings, structures or construction sites. Also required is the ability to move into and out of buildings, tunnels, ditches and other related areas; to climb or crawl into and out of spaces which must be inspected; and to use ladders, scaffolds and other special equipment. These positions require the operation of a motor vehicle in order to visit inspection sites and to respond in case of emergencies.

Verification of Education and Experience:

Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Please review our articles on Employment Application and Minimum Qualifications and Verification of Experience and/or Education for considerations taken when reviewing applications

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. More information can be found at: https://sfdhr.org/information-about-hiring-process#verification

All work experience, education, training and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications.

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.

SELECTION PROCEDURES

After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following:

Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire (MQSQ) (Weight: Qualifying): Candidates will be prompted to complete a Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire (MQSQ) as part of the online employment application at a later time. This MQSQ is designed to obtain specific information regarding an applicant's experience in relation to the Minimum Qualifications for this position. Applicants must also complete the official application. It is essential that applicants provide complete information in identifying their education, experience and training. The MQSQ will be used to evaluate if the applicant possesses the required minimum qualifications

Written Examination (Weight: 100%): 
Candidates will be administered a written multiple-choice examination to determine their relative knowledge, skill and ability level in one or more of the following job related areas as appropriate. These areas may include, but not be limited to: knowledge of building codes, laws and ordinances, understanding of the uses and characteristics of construction, materials and equipment, knowledge of building construction methods; ability to read and interpret codes, building plans, structural drawings, specifications, engineering and architectural reports; human relations ability; and written communication ability. 

This is a standardized written multiple-choice examination. In accordance with Civil Service Rule 111.11.4, inspection privileges do not apply to the questions and answers in this examination.

The score you achieve on this examination shall be valid and "banked" for three years, starting from the date of the examination. This means that, during this three-year time period, you will not be required to take this test again should you apply and be found eligible for a future announcement for which this particular test is used. If the test for this future announcement is held within 1 year of the date of this examination, your score will be automatically applied to that announcement. However, after one year, you have the option to either (a) apply your test score to the other announcement or (b) re-take the test. Re-testing is permitted no sooner than one year from the date of the examination and only in association with your eligibility for another announcement for which this test is used. Please note that, should you re-test, your re-test score would become your official score since it is the most recent (even if it turns out to be lower than your original score).

Eligible List/Score Report: A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created, and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.

The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be of 12 months, and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director.

Certification Rule: The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be Rule of 10. Additional selection processes may be conducted by the hiring department prior to making final hiring decisions.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Security Clearance: Candidates for employment with the San Francisco Airport Commission are required to undergo a criminal history record check, including FBI fingerprints, and Security Threat Assessment in order to determine eligibility for security clearance and may be required to undergo drug/alcohol screening. Per Civil Service Commission Rule Section 110.9.1, every applicant for an examination must possess and maintain the qualifications required by law and by the examination announcement for the examination. Failure to obtain and maintain security clearance may be basis for termination from employment with the Airport Commission.

Additional Information

Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights:

Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations. Clerical errors may be corrected by the posting the correction on the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.sf.gov/.

The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 110.4.  Such appeals must be submitted in writing to the Department of Human Resources, 1 S Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103-5413 by close of business on the 5th business day following the issuance date of this examination announcement.  Information concerning other Civil Service Commission Rules involving announcements, applications and examination policies, including applicant appeal rights, can be found on the Civil Service Commission website at http://sfgov.org/civilservice/rules.

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

• Information About the Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview  
• Equal Employment Opportunity 
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Veterans Preference
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process.

HOW TO APPLY

All job applications for the City and County of San Francisco must be submitted through our online portal. Please visit https://careers.sf.gov/  to begin your application process. No other methods of application will be accepted.

Computers are available for the public (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday) to file online applications in the lobby of the Dept. of Human Resources at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor and at the City Career Center at City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 110.

Ensure your application information is accurate, as changes may not be possible after submission. Your first and last name must match your legal ID for verification, and preferred names can be included in parentheses. Use your personal email address, not a shared or work email, to avoid unfixable issues.

Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and kept up-to-date. Also, applicants must ensure that email from CCSF is not blocked on their computer by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept CCSF mail from the following addresses (@sfgov.org, @sfdpw.org, @sfport.com, @flysfo.com, @sfwater.org, @sfdph.org, @asianart.org, @sfmta.com, @sfpl.org, @dcyf.org, @first5sf.org, @famsf.org, @ccsf.edu, @smartalerts.info, and @smartrecruiters.com).

Upon successful submission, applicants will receive a confirmation email from notification@careers.sf.gov. Keep this email for your records. If you do not receive it, your application was not submitted successfully.

Recruitment Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the analyst Jason Hammack, via email at Jason.Hammack@sfgov.org

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.

Company Description

THIS IS A CITYWIDE EXAM

Specific information regarding this recruitment process are listed below:

• Application Opening: November 13, 2026.
• Application Deadline: Applicants are encouraged to apply immediately as this recruitment may close at any time, but no earlier than Tuesday, December 1, 2026.
• Annual Salary Range: $156,806 - $190,502.
• Recruitment ID: CBT-6333-X00138

San Francisco is a vibrant and dynamic city, on the forefront of economic growth & innovation, urban development, arts & entertainment as well as social issues & change. This rich tapestry of culture and ideas is sustained by our City's commitment to heighten the quality of life for the diverse population of San Franciscans and residents of the greater Bay Area. Our employees play an important role not only in making our City what it is today, but also in shaping the future of San Francisco.