Senior Building Inspector

Senior Building Inspector

Regular Full-Time Employment Opportunity

The final filing date is Monday, March 23, 2026, at 5:00 PM.

We build community trust by delivering exceptional services. Our Core Values of Public Service:
Integrity, Leadership, and Respect. The City of Sunnyvale is hiring (1) full-time Senior Building Inspector in the Department of Community Development.

Sunnyvale is a dynamic city in the heart of Silicon Valley. Construction activities continue to grow with a wide range of project types, including tech manufacturing, hazardous occupancies, single-family residential, and multistory mixed-use, multifamily, and commercial buildings.

This position shares the responsibility of supervising 9 experienced inspectors with another Senior Building Inspector. The Building Division is a cohesive and supportive unit that helps each other navigate code compliance and enforcement issues.

The list established from this recruitment may also be used to fill future vacancies in the Community Development Department.

The Senior Building Inspector is the advanced journey level and supervisory classification in the professional building inspector series. This classification is distinguished from the lower classification of Building Inspector II by the level of complexity of tasks and duties assigned to positions within the Senior Building Inspector classification. Incumbents are expected to independently perform and coordinate the full range of building inspections, plan check review, supervise and train assigned staff.

(May include, but are not limited to, the following):

• Supervises, trains and assists with the evaluation of assigned professional and paraprofessional staff.
• Performs the more complex field inspection of building construction, plumbing, mechanical and electrical installations in residential and commercial buildings; verify compliance with applicable building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical codes, and related City ordinances, state, and local statutes.
• Plans, schedules and oversees the work of Building Inspectors and related One Stop Permit Center activities; monitors inspection activities and plan check reviews to assure high quality inspections, reviews and customer service.
• Communicates with property owners, contractors and others in the process of field inspections, explain requirements, cause compliance with plans and codes and give final sign-off approval.
• Performs code enforcement work, includes investigates code violations and complaints; writes up the results of inspections; issues instructions and makes recommendations; problem solves and researches information; issues stop work orders.
• Checks plans and building permit applications for new construction, alterations, and remodeling of existing structures; verifies compliance with applicable codes and ordinances and accepted construction practices; and, issues certificates of occupancy.
• Provides technical information and professional advice to City staff, officials and the public regarding city codes relating to construction; assists architects, residential designers, engineers, contractors and property owners in interpreting and meeting code requirements; establishes and maintains a customer service orientation; responds to complaints and resolves more difficult inspection problems.
• Read, correctly interpret, apply and use building codes, municipal codes, ordinances and other related laws, regulations and policies, as required.
• Prepares clear, concise and comprehensive reports, correspondence and other required documents; maintains forms, records and field reports relative to inspection activities and to document findings; performs office duties as necessary.
• Maintains current knowledge of developments in building codes, inspection practices, new model codes, and state law relating to building codes and inspections.
• Acts as project coordinator for routing of plans, tracking status of plans while they are being checked by staff in other City divisions.
• Follows through on violations and may appear in court as a witness.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Position requires prolonged sitting, standing, walking on level, uneven and slippery surfaces, reaching, twisting, turning, kneeling, bending, squatting and stooping in the performance of daily activities. The position also requires grasping, repetitive hand movement and fine coordination in using a computer keyboard. The position also requires near and far vision when performing tasks such as field inspections, in reading and writing reports and work related documents and using a computer.

Acute hearing is required when providing phone and in-person service. The ability to lift, carry and push equipment, tools and supplies up to 25 pounds is also required. Additionally, when performing field inspections, the incumbent may be exposed to biohazards and work in a variety of working conditions, including mechanical and electrical hazards, loud noise, and…