Fire Prevention Officer

The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the City:

Written Assessment Date:
Week of November 16, 2026

Appointment to this position is contingent upon:

* Passing a pre-employment fingerprinting criminal history records check, background check, medical examination and testing, and psychological evaluation.

Resume will not be accepted in lieu of application. Application, including all work history, must be fully completed if a resume is attached. Incomplete and/or inaccurate applications may result in disqualification from the recruitment process. All communication regarding your status in this recruitment process will be conducted via email or postal mail. Be sure to include a valid e-mail address on the employment application.

It is suggested that you add sancarlos and hr to your e-mail contacts or safe senders list to help ensure that you receive our e-mails. Applicants are responsible for notifying Human Resources of any changes to contact information.

Selection Procedure

Based on the application screening, those candidates with the most relevant qualifications will be invited to an interview, which may include a written exam and/or practical exam.

Salary Range: $69.87 - $84.93 per hour

About the Position

San Carlos takes pride in having a dedicated Fire Prevention Officer who serves as a visible and accessible fire prevention resource for the community. While the position is managed in partnership with the Redwood City Fire Department, the successful candidate will work closely with City of San Carlos staff and will be expected to develop strong working relationships across City departments.

The ideal candidate will be capable of independently managing a varied fire prevention workload from initial assignment through completion, including inspections, code enforcement, plan review, fire investigations, complaints, follow-up activities, public education, and community events. The position requires sound technical judgment, strong organization and follow-through, effective written and verbal communication, and the ability to recognize when an issue requires additional technical or supervisory assistance.

The successful candidate should be comfortable working collaboratively with Planning, Building, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, other City departments, property owners, businesses, contractors, design professionals, community organizations, and Fire Department Operations personnel. Experience working across both California Title 19 and Title 24 responsibilities and with a variety of occupancy types is particularly desirable.

The successful candidate will also work as an integrated member of the Redwood City Fire Department Community Risk Reduction team and will collaborate closely with other Fire Prevention Officers on inspections, investigations, plan review, special projects, and department-wide initiatives.

This position receives supervision from the Deputy Fire Marshal.

• Interpret and enforce provisions of fire prevention and fire safety laws, ordinances and other regulations;
• Perform periodic and follow –up inspections of new and existing buildings, structures and installations requiring fire clearances;
• Investigate complaints pertaining to violation of fire prevention laws and give correction orders as necessary, including weed abatement;
• Investigate the origin and cause of fires, collects, prepares, and presents evidence in court when required;
• Performs wildland urban interface inspections, investigates wildland fuel complaints and take enforcement action when necessary;
• Plans, manages and implements a comprehensive fuels management program to prevent the impact of wildfire on the community;
• Will be periodically required to be on call for fire investigations;
• Provide information to the public concerning fire prevention practices and procedures;
• Develop and conduct training programs and group presentations relative to fire prevention and fire investigation;
• As directed, check plans, specifications, and calculations on building, fire protection equipment and systems, and hazardous equipment installations.
• As directed check plans to determine fire and life safety requirements in accordance with Titles 19 and 24 of the California Administrative Code and applicable Fire Prevention and Building Code Standards.
• Make independent surveys and analyze data for the purpose of determining the adequacy for fire and life safety provisions.
• Give interpretations and answer questions raised by City Building…