Permit Specialist/Senior Permit Specialist (FT/PT) - Planning, Building & Code Enforcement Dept

Our diverse and inclusive workforce of more than 7,000 employees play a key role in the success of San José, the heart of the Silicon Valley. All City of San José employees work together as one team to make San José a vibrant, innovative, and desirable place to live and work. Visit here to learn more about our One Team Leadership Values and Expectations, including quality and excellent customer service and here to learn more about San José.

The City of San José is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of San José is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at 408-535-1285, 711 (TTY) , or via email at CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov .

About the Department

The City of San Jose’s Department of Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement serves to ensure the orderly and safe development of private properties, compliance with all applicable building, zoning, and quality of life ordinances and regulations, and to promote healthy and safe community standards. This is accomplished by departmental staff in service to customers by:

• Assisting and guiding land use and development to promote long-term goals and objectives that render safe, beneficial, and more sustainable communities
• Providing orderly administration and compliance of building codes, as mandated by the various levels of government, to ensure the construction of buildings, homes, and structures meet intended life safety and structural requirements
• Investigating and resolving citizen complaints of municipal code violations on private property in order to promote, maintain, and improve quality of life issues that better allow for safe and harmonious conditions in all neighborhoods

The Department is seeking applicants who are committed to understanding, executing, and improving the customer experience to best achieve the above goals and objectives. This includes providing excellent service and guidance to residents, property and business owners, developers, and other stakeholders throughout the planning, building, and code enforcement processes. Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential, as the department values building positive relationships and fostering collaboration with other departments, agencies, and the community. Additionally, applicants who possess a strong knowledge of planning principles, building codes, and/or regulatory requirements will be highly valued, as they will play a key role in ensuring compliance and promoting healthy, safe, and sustainable development practices.

About the Division

This City’s Building Division provides oversight and assistance towards the City's growth and development in relation to construction activity on private property within the City. The primary goal and objective of the Building Division is to ensure the safety of buildings and to support the health and well-being of all persons living and working in San Jose through the implementation of the State of California’s current building codes and laws.

The Division is currently seeking applicants for the Permit Specialist/Senior Permit Specialist classification within the Building Permit Center, for both full-time and part-time positions. The Permit Specialist is responsible for guiding customers through the building permit process by explaining procedures and requirements, connecting them with development services partners, and assisting customers in obtaining permits for construction projects.

The Building Division is divided into the following four sections:

• Permit Center: Plan intake and routing to plan review and Development Services Partners, over-the-counter permit processing, permit issuance, addressing, assistance desk, front-line customer service, public information, and ADU Ally.
• Plan Review: Review of private development project plans and calculations for compliance with the California Building Codes and state laws, coordination with Development Services partners, expedited review, and coordinated review.
• Inspection: Inspection of active private construction projects for compliance with the approved plans and adopted building codes and state laws.
• Support Services: Development Services call center, document imaging, records requests, and general support for the building division.

The Department’s Building Division ensures compliance with the all the above-mentioned obligations by annually reviewing, analyzing, conducting, researching, processing, issuing, inspecting, and providing:

• 30,000 building permits
• 6,000 plan reviews
• 100,000 inspections
• 35,000 customers assisted
• 65,000 calls answered

Position Duties

The Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement (PBCE) is currently recruiting to fill multiple full-time and part-time Permit Specialist and Senior Permit Specialist positions in the Development Services Permit Center. We encourage applicants seeking either full-time or part-time work to apply. Part-time positions are for Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM and can be up to 20 hours per week with scheduling flexibility.

Salary ranges for this classification are:

• Permit Specialist : $76,833.12 - $93,562.56
• Senior Permit Specialist: $86,661.12 - $105,530.88

This salary ranges include an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable compensation. Actual salary shall be determined by the final candidates’ qualifications and experience.

The Division is committed to developing, maintaining, and continually improving the quality of services and the customer experience with the goals mentioned above and the successful applicant will recognize and value these goals and qualities while striving to achieve the objectives and tasks of the classification as listed below.

Examples of Duties and Responsibilities but not limited to:

• Complete plan intake of building permit applications for residential, multi-family, commercial, and industrial projects
• Respond to public inquiries, providing answers to basic questions, and work with other divisions/departments as needed to obtain answers for more complex issues
• Assist customers through the building permit process, guiding them to other divisions/departments as needed to ensure a smooth journey from application to permit issuance
• Issue building permits when all reviews and clearances are complete
• Establish building addresses within the City
• Assist the building inspection team and customers if permit revisions arise during the construction process.
• Participate in meetings and training sessions to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the permitting process.
• Help shape future processes and procedures to optimize the building permit process through projects, pilots, and public feedback.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Completion of high school or equivalent (General Education Development [GED] Test or California Proficiency Certificate)

Experience:

• Permit Specialist : One (1) year of public contact experience in planning, building, construction or fire prevention office work.
• Senior Permit Specialist : Two (2) years of experience as a Permit Specialist or equivalent in a public agency.

Acceptable Substitutions:

• Permit Specialist - Associate’s degree from an accredited college and one (1) year of experience involving a substantial amount of contact with the general public.
• Senior Permit Specialist - Associate’s degree from an accredited college and one (1) year of experience as a Permit Specialist or equivalent in a public agency.

Licenses or Certificates:

Possession of a valid State of California’s Driver License

Physical Requirement:

These positions typically require the employee to be able to lift and move plans that can weigh up to 25 pounds, including storing them in a space that requires reaching into a cabinet with both high and low storage areas. Permit Specialists/Senior Permit Specialists may also sit and use a computer for long periods of time, and the workspace may be restricted and/or can be very noisy.

Form 700 Requirement

This position requires a disclosure of outside investments, real property interest, income, and business positions. You must complete and file an “Assuming Office Form 700” with the City Clerk’s Office within the first 30 days of employment with the office.

Other Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history.

• Job Expertise - demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable professional/technical principles and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures/policies and federal and state rules and regulations.
• Communication Skills - effectively conveys information and expresses thoughts and facts clearly, orally and in writing; demonstrates effective use of listening skills; displays openness to other people's ideas and thoughts.
• Computer Skills - experienced with common business computer applications including but not limited to: MS Outlook, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Access, and MS Excel.
• Conflict Management - uses appropriate interpersonal styles and methods to reduce tension or conflict between two or more people, by presenting the facts, analysis, and conclusions or solutions that show command of content and perspectives and interests of the audience.
• Customer Service - demonstrates the ability to anticipate customers' needs and deliver services effectively and efficiently using professional demeanor.
• Initiative - exhibits resourceful behaviors toward meeting job objectives; anticipates problems, is proactive, and avoids difficulties by planning ahead; displays willingness to assume extra responsibility and challenges; pursues continuing education opportunities that promotes job performance.
• Problem Solving - approaches a situation or problem by defining the problem or issue; determines the significance of problem(s); collects information; uses logic and intuition to arrive at decisions or solutions to problems that achieve the desired outcome.
• Teamwork & Interpersonal Skills - demonstrates a positive attitude and flexibility along with the ability to develop effective relationships with co-workers and supervisors by helping others accomplish tasks and using collaboration and conflict resolution skills.

Selection Process:

The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to all the job specific questions. You must answer all questions to be considered or your application may be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Only those candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses. Please be advised that use of AI content in your responses may result in your removal from the hiring process.

You will be prompted to answer the following job-specific questions during the online application process:
Please describe your experience learning a new software program or adapting to a new or different system.

Please give an example of a time when you were part of a team working on a task that was falling behind schedule. In your answer, please describe: (a) who was on the team (for example, other departments, external consultants, or applicants) and what each person’s role was; (b) a specific conflict or communication barrier that arose; (c) the exact steps you personally took to resolve the issue; (d) the outcome and what you learned about effective collaboration that you still apply today.

Please describe your experience providing customer service to the public. In your response, specify your roles in handling customer inquiries by phone, email, and in person. What strategies have you used to manage high volumes or high-pressure situations while maintaining accuracy, professionalism, and a positive attitude?

Please select the option that best describes your preference:
a. I am interested in the Full-Time position only.
b. I am interested in the Part-Time position only.
c. I am open to either Full-Time or Part-Time position.


YOU MUST ANSWER ALL JOB-SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION. Submission of a resume is optional. However, submission of a resume in lieu of completing the education and work experience sections on the application and failing to answer all the questions will constitute an incomplete application and it will be withheld from further consideration.

If you have questions about the duties of these positions, the selection or hiring processes, please contact Jennifer Lam at jennifer.lam@sanjoseca.gov.

Additional Information:

Employment Eligibility: Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor, represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.

You must answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses. Please be advised that use of AI content in your responses may result in your removal from the hiring process.

Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third party job board application system.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov and we will research the status of your application.

The City of San Jose offers a wide range of core health benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Disability, and Savings Plans. Please visit the City's benefits pagefor detailed information on coverage, cost, and dependent coverage.

For information on the City’s Retirement Plan(pension for full-time employees), please visit the Office of Retirement Services website. You will be able to view information based on different Sworn/Federated job classification.

In additional to the benefits above, there is an additional perks siteto explore further benefits of working for the City of San Jose like paid leave, educational reimbursements, and holiday pay are specific to the job classification and union membership.

Closing Date/Time: 7/28/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

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• City of San Jose

• 408-535-1285

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