Job Description

Building Inspector

At the City of Portland, you'll do more than build a career—you'll make a difference. Our employees are dedicated to providing exceptional public service while helping maintain the high quality of life that makes Portland a great place to live, work, and play. We offer competitive benefits, opportunities for professional growth, and a collaborative work environment where your contributions matter. Join our team and become part of a community committed to serving others and shaping the future of Portland.

The City of Portland seeks to fill a newly created position of Building Inspector. The selected candidate will be responsible for ensuring compliance with construction, building, safety, environmental, and on-site sewage facilities (OSSF) regulations and will perform a variety of routine and technical building inspections and plan review to enforce compliance with federal, state, county, and City applicable codes, regulations and ordinances including the adopted Building, Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical, Energy, Windstorm, and City Sign and Zoning Codes.

The individual in this role will have a customer-service focus and will work closely with the Building Official and Permit Technician to assist with information and responding to inquiries from developers, contractors, and the public. Resolves issues relating to building code compliance and performs a variety of technical tasks in assigned area of responsibility. Through daily oversight of the Building Official, this position also communicates with all other Public Works and Development divisions and staff, Fire Department and Administration to ensure communication and teamwork-focused approaches are maintained.

Examples Of Duties

Building Inspections

• Read detailed plans and inspect residential, commercial industrial, and other buildings during and after construction to ensure compliance of building, grading, zoning, safety, and approved plans, specifications, and standards.
• Inspects buildings and additions to buildings, accessory buildings, fences/walls, water heaters and pools, and inspections for foundation, structural concrete, steel, masonry, wood construction, framing, plumbing, heating and electrical installations, concrete flatwork, and a variety of other routine building and sign system items.
• Identify violations on unsafe buildings, safety hazards, and substandard conditions, may recommend condemnation if necessary and issue notices for corrections to persons responsible for conformance.
• Obtain evidence and prepare reports concerning violations which have not been corrected.
• Maintain accurate inspection records on City's permit and/or database and prepare reports for use by administrative or judicial authorities.
• Respond to and resolve difficult and sensitive inquiries and complaints
• Enforce building codes and regulations with tact, firmness, and impartiality in stressful situations.
• May be requested to assist with tropical storms, hurricanes, disasters or other circumstantial event during normal or outside City business hours.

Plumbing, Mechanical, Electrical Inspections

• Plumbing:
• Check rough in plumbing and top out phase in the field.
• Inspect water and wastewater lines.
• Inspect lines.
• Assist with the backflow prevention program.
• Assist with the enforcement of the Fats, Oils, and Grease program.
• Mechanical:
• Crawl into attic crawl space to inspect air handler and roof top units, including mechanical cover.
• Electrical:
• Inspect wiring/re-wiring of structures, additions, or upgrades to services and inspect electrical meter.

OSSF / Environmental Health Duties

• Review OSSF permit applications, authorize construction, and inspect on-site sewage facilities.
• Conduct wastewater and environmental health investigations; respond to sewage complaints, determine violations, and initiate enforcement actions.
• Prepare reports, notices, and evidence for court; appear as a witness when required.
• Provide public education on wastewater and environmental health topics.
• Collect fees, maintain accurate regulatory records, and compile required reports.

Customer Service & Administrative Support

• Provide clear guidance to contractors, developers, and property owners regarding code requirements, permitting, and compliance methods.
• Assist at the permit counter with application processing, contractor registration, and fee collection.
• Coordinate with utilities, City departments, and state agencies; attend board or council meetings as needed.

Other Duties

• Establish and maintain effective working relationship with all other city departments, city officials and private sector, and the general public.
• Review and assist with updates to building and property maintenance codes to ensure constitutional compliance with state and federal laws; stay abreast of new and amended state and federal codes and ordinances.
• Prepare reports; monitor and obtain information from computerized database, input various types of data in support of building inspection activities.
• Maintain membership in professional affiliation/organizations and stays abreast of new trends and innovations in the field of building inspections and plan review.
• Attends and participates in meetings.
• Assists code enforcement personnel.
• Multitask in response to job related duties.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

High school diploma or GED

Preferred:

• 1-3 years of applicable experience

Supplemental Information

Licenses or Certifications:

Minimum:

• Valid Texas Class C Driver's License with a clean driving record

Preferred:

• International Code Council (ICC) Mechanical, Electrical, Building, and Energy Conservation Certifications for residential and commercial (or obtain within one year)
• Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners' License (or obtain within one year)
• Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) OSSF Designated Representative License (or obtain within one year)

The City of Portland is a Equal Opportunity Employer. All positions are subject to the City of Portland's Background Investigation and Drug Testing Policy. New hires are required to provide proof of identity and legal authority to work in the United States per Federal law.

Benefits

The City of Portland offers a competitive benefits package for full-time employees, including employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance, TMRS retirement with a 2:1 City match, life insurance, long-term disability, paid holidays, paid time off (PTO), sick leave, and paid parental leave. Optional benefits include deferred compensation plans, FSA and HSA accounts, short-term disability, and voluntary accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity coverage.

The City also provides additional life insurance coverage for first responders.

Regular part-time employees receive pro-rated PTO and sick leave benefits.

To learn more details, visit our benefits page.

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