Landscape Inspector

The City of Palm Desert provides exemplary and sustainable services, amenities and programs for the benefit of the local and surrounding communities. When you interact with a City employee, you will find our collaborative, driven and efficient staff working together to provide strategic solutions for the community and each other. We are a city focused on external and internal customer service and try to find a way to say “yes,” while not compromising the City’s or our own integrity.  Our efforts are guided by our core values:  

• Integrity 
• Stewardship 
• Service 
• Community 
• Innovation 
• Teamwork  

Our employees are passionate about innovation, collaboration and growth, which is supported by the City’s Council and Executive Team. We are an environment that thrives on making changes, pivoting quickly, and is full of movers and shakers. We are constantly striving to improve processes and better our approach so that we can better support the needs of the City. If you have growth mindset and find change exciting, the City of Palm Desert may be your ideal working environment!

THE OPPORTUNITY
The City of Palm Desert is looking for a qualified candidate with strong communication, organization, and problem-solving skills. This role focuses on keeping public landscaped areas well-maintained and visually appealing for the community. The ideal candidate should have experience in landscaping and horticulture, as well as hands-on experience with automatic and central irrigation systems. The ideal candidate should thrive in a fast-paced environment and be skilled in using computer software for tracking and monitoring data. They will need to prepare reports showing the landscaped areas' conditions and needs. Attention to detail and understanding of data will help with maintenance and improvements. The City of Palm Desert values individuals who want to create a vibrant environment and connect the community through well-maintained public spaces. We are looking for someone who meets these qualifications and is passionate about enhancing the beauty and functionality of our city's outdoor areas.

Under general supervision, conducts a variety of duties to monitor and inspect the workmanship and materials used by contractors performing landscape, irrigation, and parks construction projects, including landscape maintenance and installation projects; ensures conformance with applicable City codes and ordinances, plans, specifications, and departmental standards and procedures; may participate in landscape and irrigation maintenance work as needed; and performs related work as required.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED  
Receives supervision from the Community Services Manager.  Does not directly supervise other employees but may provide technical and functional direction and training to lower-level staff.This is a journey-level class.  Incumbents perform a wide range of technical duties to inspect the work of contractors who are hired to perform landscape and parks projects, including directing and guiding contractors to achieve quality control and proper use of materials.   Incumbents perform the full range of duties, working independently and exercising moderate judgment and initiative.  Incumbents work alone on routine or regular work assignments and check with the supervisor on non-routine assignments or when in doubt as to the correct procedures to follow.  Incumbents must be fully aware of the operating procedures and policies of the work unit.  This class is distinguished from the Community Services Manager in that the latter describes complex supervisory responsibility and oversight overall parks, recreation, landscape and irrigation operations and maintenance, construction services, programs, contract management, and capital improvement projects.Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job. 

• Inspects all phases of various landscape and parks construction, installation, and maintenance projects for conformance with plans, specifications, contract provisions, and safe work practices in accordance with City codes and ordinances. 
• Confers with contractors regarding conformance to standards, plans, specifications, and codes; explains requirements and evaluates alternatives; implements stop work orders if needed.
• Tracks project progress: inspects and documents materials used, work performed, deficiencies, and corrective action. 
• Prepares and maintains daily inspection reports, progress payments, change orders, claims, and other written documentation.
• Assists in the development of requests for proposal for various park and landscape services including but not limited to tree maintenance, fertilization, gates, fencing, and electrical; assists in evaluating proposals and recommends project award; monitors adherence to contracts after award; tracks project costs. 
• Reviews plans and specifications of existing landscape projects to ensure compliance with code ordinances and regulations; recommends corrective action as needed.
• Acts as liaison between the City, contractors, other divisions and agencies, and businesses and residents affected by projects; maintains communication among the parties and researches and responds to questions and provides information to contractors, City staff, and the public; investigates complaints; recommends corrective actions to resolve issues; interprets operating policies and procedures to staff and the public.
• Prepares general construction and site improvement specification and plan review.
• Participates in the development and implementation of division goals, objectives, policies, and procedures.
• Prepares a variety of correspondence, reports, correction notices, work orders, and other written materials.
• May participate in landscape project and facility repair work if needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge of: 
 

• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, standards, and procedures relevant to assigned area of responsibility.
• Materials, methods, principles, and practices used in landscape construction and maintenance.
• Principles and practices of landscape construction inspection.
• Basic practices of construction contract administration in a public agency setting.
• Technical principles and practices of landscape design, specification, and cost estimate preparation.
• Defects and faults in construction.
• Basic mathematics related to landscaping and construction.
• Technical report writing and preparation of correspondence. 
• Record keeping principles and procedures. 
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment and applications related to the work.
• English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation. 
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and City staff.

 
Ability to: 
 

• Interpret, apply, explain, and ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local policies, procedures, laws, and regulations.
• Inspect standard landscape projects to ensure compliance with plans and specifications.
• Detect and locate faulty materials and workmanship and determining the stage of construction during which defects are most easily found and remedied.
• Review and evaluate project plans, specifications, and maps for conformance with City standards and policies.
• Coordinate activities with multiple contractors.
• Respond to complaints or inquiries from citizens, staff, and outside organizations.
• Prepare clear and concise reports, correspondence, policies, procedures, and other written materials.
• Maintain accurate databases, records, and files.
• Organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner; organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines. 
• Effectively use computer systems, software, and modern business equipment to perform a variety of work tasks.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines.
• Communicate effectively in English, both orally and in writing.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work. 

 
Education and Experience: Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying.   A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth (12th) grade; AND five (5) years of increasingly responsible landscape and irrigation maintenance experience. Specialized training in horticulture and ground maintenance is desirable. 

Licenses and Certifications: 
 

• Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid California driver’s license by time of appointment.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, a Qualified Applicator Certificate (QAC) within one year of appointment

Salary : $70,824 - $97,178