Job Description

Under general supervision, plumbing inspectors work at the Department of Building Inspection and the San Francisco International Airport; physically inspect all plumbing, gas appliance, low pressure boiler, and fire sprinkler installation, maintenance and repair work to assure compliance with existing codes, laws, ordinances, approved plans and specifications; explain the applications of existing codes, laws, methods and procedures relative to the installation of plumbing and mechanical facilities; make regular contact with the general public and other departments in connection with the inspection and enforcement of existing codes and laws; provide written and oral reports of inspection activities; drive a vehicle to inspection sites; and perform related duties as required.

Role description

According to Civil Service Commission Rule 109, the duties specified below are representative of the range of duties assigned to this job code/class and are not intended to be an inclusive list.

1. Inspects all plumbing, mechanical, gas appliance, low-pressure boiler and fire sprinkler installation, maintenance and repair work to assure compliance with existing plumbing and mechanical codes, laws and ordinances; approves plans and specifications.
2. Explains the application of existing codes, laws, methods and procedures relative to the installation of plumbing and mechanical facilities.
3. Makes regular contact with construction professionals, the general public and other departments in connection with the inspection and enforcement of existing codes and laws.
4. Provides written and oral reports of inspection activities and conduct plan checks.
5. Drives a vehicle to inspection sites, meetings, hearings, emergency activities and other related events.
6. Determines the nature and severity of violations and makes necessary referrals to other inspection groups and agencies and may coordinate building, plumbing and electrical inspections.
7. Advises and consults with building owners, design professionals, contractors and others on the correction of code deficiencies with respect to plumbing and mechanical code standards.
8. Testifies as an expert witness in court litigation involving plumbing and mechanical code violations.
9. Authorizes abatement orders or emergency orders for correction to be issued; makes inspections, prepares reports and testifies in court on abatement proceedings.
10. Issues reports and conducts follow-up inspections leading to the correction of violations or abatement proceedings.
11. Conducts statistical surveys and provides data regarding code enforcement as required.
12. Assists in the training of new inspectors by introducing them to departmental procedures and working alongside them in the field and in the office to ensure that their inspections and reports are accurate and timely.
13. Issues misdemeanor citations on plumbing and mechanical violations which may result in participation in arrest procedures.
14. Makes investigations of complaints of violation of plumbing, water and gas codes and ordinances.
15. Makes periodic inspections of various buildings and institutions for conditions which might cause water supply contamination.
16. Performs related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of: plumbing and mechanical system design and installation practices; plumbing and mechanical materials and their uses; existing ordinances, regulations and code requirements regarding the installation and maintenance of plumbing and mechanical systems; and modern construction methods and techniques, particularly as applied to plumbing and mechanical phases of construction projects.
• Ability to: read and interpret plans and specifications of plumbing and mechanical system installations; deal effectively and courteously with property owners, contractors and the general public; effectively apply knowledge of the plumbing codes and construction procedures to inspection practices; use a computer, software programs and cell phone for work-related purposes.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:

• Completion of plumbing apprenticeship which has been certified by the State of California and three (3) years of journey-level experience in the trade; OR
• A plumbing contractor with a C-36 license issued by the State of California with experience in the trade totaling eight (8) years.

License and Certification:

• Possession of a valid driver license.

Working Conditions: Must be willing to work under hazardous conditions such as: small enclosed areas, dangerous heights and general construction conditions.

** Selection Plan:**

After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following:

Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire (Weight: Qualifying): Candidates will be prompted to complete a Supplemental Questionnaire as part of the online employment application at a later time. This Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire is designed to obtain specific information regarding an applicant's experience in relation to the Minimum Qualifications for this job class. Applicants must also complete the official application. It is essential that applicants provide complete information in identifying their education, experience and training. The Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire will be used to evaluate if the applicant possesses the required minimum qualifications.

Written Examination (Weight: 50%): Qualified candidates will be scheduled for the written exam which is designed to measure knowledge, skills and/or abilities in job-related areas which may include but not be limited to: knowledge of plumbing and mechanical system design and installation practices; knowledge of plumbing and mechanical materials and their uses; knowledge of existing ordinances, regulations and code requirements regarding the installation and maintenance of plumbing and mechanical systems; knowledge of modern construction methods and techniques, particularly as applied to plumbing and mechanical phases of construction projects; ability to read and interpret plans and specifications of plumbing and mechanical system installations; ability to effectively apply knowledge of the plumbing codes and construction procedures to inspection practices.

This is a standardized written multiple-choice examination. In accordance with Civil Service Rule 111.11.4, inspection privileges do not apply to the questions and answers in this examination.

Oral Examination (Weight: 50%) : Candidates who pass the written exam will be invited to participate in an oral examination that is designed to determine their relative knowledge, skill and ability levels in job related areas, including but not be limited to: technical knowledge and construction practices; knowledge of safety procedures and practices; interpersonal relations ability; and oral communication ability. Written communication ability may be evaluated during the hiring process.

This is a standardized examination and, therefore, test questions and test answers are not available for public inspection or review.

Candidates must achieve a passing score on the written examination and oral examination in order to be ranked on the Score Report.

Selection Procedures Notes:

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Security Clearance: Candidates for employment with the San Francisco Airport Commission are required to undergo a criminal history record check, including FBI fingerprints, and Security Threat Assessment in order to determine eligibility for security clearance and may be required to undergo drug/alcohol screening. Per Civil Service Commission Rule Section 110.9.1, every applicant for an examination must possess and maintain the qualifications required by law and by the examination announcement for the examination. Failure to obtain and maintain security clearance may be basis for termination from employment with the Airport Commission.

Condition of employment : Possession of the UPC Residential and Commercial Plumbing Inspector Certification , issued by the International Association of Plumbing Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), is required within one (1) year of appointment. Inspectors must maintain the certification as a condition of continued employment.

Additional Information

Verification of Education and Experience:

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at: https://sfdhr.org/information-about-hiring-process#verification

All work experience, education, training and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications.

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

Applicants must meet the minimum qualification requirement by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.

Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility, disqualification or may lead to lower scores.

Eligible List/Score Report : A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created, and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.

Certification Rule: The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be Rule of Three Scores. Additional selection processes may be conducted by the hiring department prior to making final hiring decisions.

The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be of 12 months , and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director.

Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights:

Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations. [Note: The correction of clerical errors in an announcement may be posted on the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.sf.gov.] The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 110.4. Such appeals must be submitted in writing to the Department of Human Resources, 1 S Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103-5413 by close of business on the 5th business day following the issuance date of this examination announcement. Information concerning other Civil Service Commission Rules involving announcements, applications and examination policies, including applicant appeal rights, can be found on the Civil Service Commission website at http://sfgov.org/civilservice/rules.

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

• Information About the Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Veterans Preference
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

HOW TO APPLY

Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit https://careers.sf.gov and begin the application process.

• Select the “I’m Interested” button and follow instructions on the screen.

Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and kept up-to-date. Also, applicants must ensure that email from CCSF is not blocked on their computer by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept CCSF mail from the following addresses (@sfgov.org, @sfdpw.org, @sfport.com, @flysfo.com, @sfwater.org, @sfdph.org, @asianart.org, @sfmta.com, @sfpl.org, @dcyf.org, @first5sf.org, @famsf.org, @ccsf.edu, @smartalerts.info, and @smartrecruiters.com).

Applicants will receive a confirmation email that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.

Human Resources Analyst Information : If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the Analyst, Jason Hammack at Jason.hammack@sfgov.org.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.