Senior Building Inspector and Plans Examiner

The Town of Vail is seeking an experienced Senior Building Inspector / Plans Examiner to join our Community Development team. This position combines two critical functions within the Building Division: performing complex residential and commercial building inspections in the field and conducting comprehensive plan reviews to ensure compliance with adopted building codes Town ordinances and applicable life-safety standards.

This is a dual-function position and we are looking for a well-rounded building professional with demonstrated experience in both building inspection and plans examination. The successful candidate will be comfortable moving between active construction sites and detailed technical plan review and will have the knowledge and judgment necessary to interpret and apply building codes in both environments.

In this role you will:

• Perform building plumbing mechanical and related inspections of commercial and residential construction projects to ensure compliance with adopted codes and approved construction documents.
• Conduct commercial and residential plan reviews for new construction renovations alterations additions and repairs.
• Review permit applications construction drawings specifications and other technical documents for completeness and code compliance.
• Ensure new construction and alterations meet minimum life-safety requirements including accessibility emergency egress fire resistance and protection structural soundness and air quality.
• Interpret and apply International Code Council codes Town of Vail ordinances regulations and adopted standards.
• Review construction materials methods and techniques and identify potentially unsafe noncompliant or illegal conditions.
• Maintain accurate records of inspections and plan reviews and communicate required corrections clearly to applicants contractors architects engineers and property owners.
• Respond to technical questions regarding code compliance code interpretation plan review permitting and inspection requirements.
• Assist customers at the Community Development counter by phone and electronically with permitting plan review and inspection processes.
• Investigate construction-related complaints and citizen requests and issue Stop Work Orders or Dangerous Building notices when appropriate.
• Exercise independent judgment in evaluating complex construction and code-compliance issues.
• Serve as a technical resource and mentor for less-experienced Building Division staff.
• Work collaboratively with other Town departments and maintain productive relationships with architects engineers contractors utility providers business owners and homeowners.

These responsibilities reflect the substantial inspection duties of the Senior Building Inspector role and the technical plans-review responsibilities of the Plans Examiner role.

The ideal candidate brings substantial hands-on experience in building construction and code compliance and is equally capable of evaluating work in the field and reviewing detailed construction documents.

Candidates should have:

• Strong professional experience performing residential and commercial building inspections.
• Strong professional experience conducting residential and commercial plans examination.
• Thorough knowledge of building construction construction techniques materials means and methods and code-compliance practices.
• Demonstrated ability to read analyze and interpret complex construction drawings technical specifications building codes and standards.
• Thorough working knowledge of International Code Council codes and the ability to interpret and apply adopted codes to both construction documents and actual field conditions.
• Strong understanding of permitting inspection and plan-review processes and experience using electronic permitting and plan-review systems.
• Excellent judgment communication customer-service and problem-solving skills.
• The ability to communicate technical code requirements effectively with contractors architects engineers property owners coworkers and members of the public.

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Significant professional experience in code enforcement/compliance building inspection plans examination construction project management or a closely related technical field.
• Demonstrated experience performing both building inspections and plans examination is required.
• A minimum of four to five years of experience reading and interpreting construction drawings technical specifications building codes and standards.
• International Code Council (ICC) certifications appropriate to both inspection and plans examination responsibilities are required or must be obtained within the timeframe established by the Town.
• Building Inspector Mechanical Inspector and Plumbing Inspector certifications are highly desirable.
• Building Plans Examiner and Residential Plans Examiner certifications are highly desirable.
• Additional ICC certifications across inspection and plans-examination disciplines are preferred.
• Must possess and maintain a valid Colorado drivers license.

The existing Senior Building Inspector description requires 610 years of related experience Building Mechanical and Plumbing Inspector certifications plus at least four additional ICC inspection/plans-examiner disciplines; the Plans Examiner description requires five years of related experience and specifically requires ICC Building Plans Examiner and Residential Plans Examiner certifications.

We are particularly interested in candidates who have built their careers on both sides of the building process. You may have spent significant time conducting inspections in the field while also reviewing plans specifications and construction documents for code compliance. You understand how decisions made during plan review translate to actual construction in the field and can confidently identify and resolve code-compliance issues throughout the permitting and construction process.

This position is an excellent opportunity for an experienced building professional who enjoys variety and wants a role that combines technical plans examination field inspection problem-solving customer service and collaboration within a high-volume municipal building environment.

The Town of Vail offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support employees both at work and outside of it. Benefits include competitive medical dental and vision coverage; generous paid time off and holidays; robust retirement benefits; wellness resources; professional development opportunities; and access to a variety of employee perks. As a Town of Vail employee youll also enjoy the unique opportunity to build your career while working in and serving one of Colorados most exceptional mountain communities.