Building Inspector II (Building Inspector I / II)

Building Inspector

The City of Costa Mesa is seeking a knowledgeable and detail-oriented Building Inspector to ensure that construction projects meet the highest standards of safety, compliance, and excellence. Join our talented team and help shape the safety and quality of our communitys built environment!

The City of Costa Mesa, with the motto City of the Arts, is one of Californias most eclectic and vibrant cities. Located just one mile from the Pacific Ocean and in the heart of Orange County, Costa Mesa is a great place to live, work, and play. The City offers exceptional employee benefits, opportunities for training and development, and prides itself on its Core Values of Integrity, Sustainability, Compassion, Innovation, Inclusion, and Collaboration.

Salary : Building Inspector I $83,712 - $112,188 Annually ($40.25 - $53.94 per hour) Building Inspector II $87,900 - $117,792 Annually ($42.26 - $56.63 per hour) Effective January 2026 : 2% salary increase Effective April 2026 : 2% salary increase

There is currently one (1) full-time vacancy. This is skilled inspection work in securing compliance with all aspects of building, zoning, planning, federal, state, and municipal codes and regulations governing new and existing construction and involving any combination of the following : installation and operation of electrical systems and allied equipment; plumbing, heating, and mechanical installations; building construction, alteration, and repair; and housing compliance investigation. Duties also include the enforcement of all applicable mandated regulations; and performs related duties as required.

Work is performed in both the field and office as it involves physical inspections and the documentation and communication of those inspection results. Structural, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems are inspected to verify compliance with applicable codes and approved construction documents. Work requires knowledge of all aspects of the building, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing trades with an emphasis on requirements, installation techniques, assembly methods, and industry practices. An incumbent shall be able to investigate alleged violations and recommend of acceptable alternatives; which meet the intent of all applicable state and municipal codes. Work is subject to general supervision from the Chief of Inspection and periodic checks and reviews by a technical superior.

Building Inspector I : As the first class in this series, incumbents are expected to perform a variety of the more routine and standardized tasks and duties in building inspection work, primarily focused on residential inspections with some limited commercial inspection, under the close supervision of the Chief of Inspection.

Building Inspector II : As the second class in this series, incumbents at this level are distinguished from the Building Inspector I by their performance of the full range of combination inspections (building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical) on a variety of residential and commercial projects and by their depth of knowledge and understanding of the laws, rules, ordinances, and code provisions pertaining to building construction. Incumbents at this level are expected to conduct the more advanced and complex multi-family, commercial, and accessibility inspections. Incumbents at this level exhibit a thorough understanding of the California Accessibility Codes (CBC 11a & 11b). Incumbents in this position are expected to work independently and exercise judgment and initiative. Incumbents may provide technical assistance, training, and guidance to employees in lower level classifications.

Positions in the Building Inspector I / II series are flexibly staffed. At the discretion of the Department Director, positions may be filled at the level of Building Inspector I or Building Inspector II based upon the level of skill and experience required by the Department. The Department may recommend an incumbent for reclassification, subject to verification by Human Resources when the employee has gained sufficient experience in independently conducting the more advanced and complex multi-family and commercial building inspections, meets the requirements of the higher level position, and has successful performance including completion of the probationary period.

Applications must be completed and submitted online. This recruitment will remain open until filled and may close without prior notice, therefore prompt application is encouraged. First application review date : December 5, 2025. Candidates are requested to provide specific information regarding their education and experience as it relates to the position by completing all fields of the application. Applications may be rejected if incomplete. Additional documents will not be reviewed during the application evaluation process. If selected to proceed further in the recruitment process, an opportunity to provide work samples, letters of recommendation, etc. will be appropriate during the interview process. Based upon the information presented on the application, a limited number of candidates who possess qualifications most pertinent to the position will be invited to participate in the selection process. The selection process may include but is not limited to the following components : application review and evaluation, written examination or exercise, physical examination, practical exercise, and interview evaluation. Please notify the Human Resources Division 72 hours in advance of the test date if you have a disability which requires accommodation for the testing process. The eligibility list will be in effect for one (1) year, unless exhausted sooner. The eligibility list from this recruitment may be utilized to fill lower-level vacancies which occur during the life of the list. It is recommended you use a personal email address on your application instead of a work email address. Notifications during this recruitment will be sent by email only (regardless of the notification preference selected during the on-line application process). Notifications will be sent to the email address that is listed on your online application. All employment offers made by the City are contingent upon establishing proof of a prospective candidates legal authorization to work in the United States and successfully passing all components of the pre-employment process which may include, but is not limited to : comprehensive background check, criminal history check (Live Scan fingerprint check), polygraph examination, post-offer psychological evaluation, and post-offer medical evaluation (may include drug screen).

Note : The provisions of this job bulletin do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provisions contained within may be modified or revoked without notice.