Job Description

Specific information regarding this recruitment process are listed below:

• Application Opening: May 15, 2026.
• Application Deadline: Applicants are encouraged to apply immediately as this recruitment may close at any time, but no earlier than Friday, May 29, 2026
• Annual Salary for position: $153,738 - $186,758

Appointment Type This is a Temporary Provisional (TPV) position, limited to no more than 3 years in duration. This temporary position is excluded by the Charter from the competitive Civil Service examination process. This is considered "at will" and shall serve at the discretion of the Department Head. This position will be subject to the Permanent Civil Service examination process at a later date. Successful participation in the Permanent Civil Service examination and selection through an open competitive process is needed in order to be considered for the permanent appointment.

What We Do: The Department of Building Inspection ( DBI) oversees the effective, efficient, fair and safe enforcement of City building, housing, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and disability access codes for San Francisco’s more than 200,000 buildings. This position is in the Plan Review Services (PRS) Division.

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.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED: Senior Building Inspectors supervise a group of building inspectors and/or subordinate staff whose primary functions are plan review, field inspections and/or code enforcement.

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. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. May act as a team leader for emergency response on behalf of the department.
7. Makes site visits and reviews plans with or without subordinate staff to check buildings and other inspections performed by staff.
8. Observes, assists and reviews procedures utilized by staff during inspections.
9. 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:

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: The selection process will include evaluation of applications in relation to minimum requirements. Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement to the interview Depending on the number of applicants, the Department may establish and implement additional screening mechanisms to comparatively evaluate the qualifications of candidates. If this becomes necessary, only those applicants whose qualifications most closely meet the needs of the Department will be invited to participate in the oral/performance interview.

Additional Information

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
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

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.

Human Resources Analyst Information If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the Analyst, Jason Hammack 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.