Permit Specialist

Be the first person applicants meet at the permit counter and guide residents, contractors, and businesses through Permit Amberline.

Posting number AL-HR-

Department Development Services

Salary range $42,000–$54,000

Pay grade 103

Employment type

Full time

Schedule Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Location City Hall, 101 Amberline Plaza, second-floor permit center

Final date to receive applications October 30, 2026

Reports to Evan Morales, Development Services Director (through the permit center manager)

The Permit Specialist is the front door of Development Services. You will take in building, trade, sign, and fence permit applications at the counter and online, check them for completeness, calculate fees, route plans to reviewers, and explain to a homeowner what happens next. The city issued about 4,100 permits in the last fiscal year. This is a fictional posting for the Amberline demonstration site.

You will work with four other specialists, two plans examiners, and six inspectors in the permit center on the second floor of City Hall. The team handles walk-in traffic in the mornings and online applications in the afternoons, and every specialist cross-trains on inspection scheduling so no one is stuck at the counter all day.

In a typical week a specialist will:

• Accept and review permit applications for completeness, calculate fees from the adopted fee schedule, and issue permits once reviews are approved.
• Explain permit requirements, timelines, and inspection steps to residents and contractors in person, by phone, and by email.
• Route plans to building, fire, engineering, and zoning reviewers, track turnaround times, and follow up on stalled applications.
• Schedule inspections and keep contractor registration records current.
• Maintain accurate records in the permit system and prepare the monthly permit activity report.

You are a fit for this role if you have:

• A high school diploma or equivalent; an associate degree or coursework in business, planning, or construction technology is preferred.
• Two years of customer service, records, or construction office experience; municipal permit experience can substitute for education.
• A permit technician certification, or the ability to earn one within 18 months of hire.
• Accuracy with numbers and records, patience with people who are frustrated, and, ideally, the ability to help applicants in Spanish.

Full-time employees are eligible for the same fictional benefits package on the first of the month after their start date.

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage; the city pays the full employee premium on the base medical plan and 60 percent of dependent premiums.
• Retirement through the state municipal retirement system: a 7 percent employee contribution matched two to one by the city, vested after five years.
• Twelve paid holidays, vacation that starts at 10 days a year and grows with service, and 12 days of sick leave a year.
• Paid training and certification costs, up to $1,500 a year in tuition reimbursement for job-related coursework, and a free Suncrest Aquatic Center pass for your household.