FIRE INSPECTOR

Salary : $71,850.78 - $93,748.95 Annually

Location : 1 Civic Center Drive San Marcos, CA

Job Type : Full Time

Job Number : 2025 - 11

Department : Fire

Opening Date : 02 / 07 / 2025

Closing Date : 2 / 24 / 2025 4 : 30 PM Pacific

FLSA : Non-Exempt

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

The City of San Marcos is seeking a Non-Safety Fire Inspector to join the San Marcos Fire Department. In this role, you will be responsible for conducting fire safety inspections, ensuring compliance with fire codes, and supporting the department's efforts to maintain a safe environment for the community. Your work will involve technical inspections and other fire prevention-related tasks across the city. This position plays a key role in upholding safety standards and contributing to the overall well-being of the public. This full time position offers competitive health benefits, participation in the CalPERS retirement system, generous paid time off and a 9 / 80 work schedule. Don't delay- applications will be accepted through 4 : 30pm on February 24th, 2025.

The Fire Inspector is a non-safety, Confidential, non-exempt position. Under the general supervision of the Fire Marshal, the Fire Inspector performs technical fire safety inspections of industrial, commercial, and residential properties to determine compliance with state and local fire and building codes; conducts inspections for new construction and tenant improvements in all types of occupancies. The Fire Inspector is responsible for performing a wide range of administrative duties and related work within the Fire Prevention Division as required.

The ideal candidate is a self-starter, highly motivated, capable of embracing innovative management principles, and enjoys the challenge of blending traditional fire service values with modern community risk reduction principles. Candidates should possess qualities of leadership, integrity, and competency to safely deliver the highest level of customer service. The ability to develop cooperative relationships with other city departments and community organizations is crucial in fulfilling the responsibilities of the Fire Inspector. The candidate must be capable of carrying out the Division's responsibilities with minimal direction and supervision. Persons hired for these positions must be dedicated and self-disciplined, assuring that the Division's high operational standards are maintained.

Applications accepted through : 4 : 30pm, February 24th

First Interview : Wednesday, March 5th

Chief's Interview : Friday, March 7th, afternoon

Anticipated start date : March 24th

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and / or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

• Performs technical fire safety inspections of industrial, commercial, and residential properties to determine compliance with state and local fire and building codes.
• Uses computer data systems to collect, analyze trends, and report on the effectiveness of the fire inspection program; specifically streamline inspection software of permitting software
• Performs special miscellaneous inspections (i.e. sprinkler systems, fire alarms and special extinguishing systems); recommends alternate methods and materials when it is appropriate to do so; follows up for compliance with codes when violations or deficiencies were noted during inspection.
• May respond to major fires to assist in logistics and in the dissemination of public information.
• Performs special research projects in the areas of data analytics and emergency response planning as assigned.
• Prepares letters, memos, inspection records and technical reports; maintains reports and records.
• Monitors commercial and industrial use of hazardous substances through permits and inspections and makes recommendations.
• Performs plan check duties as required; communicates with consultants, city and / or county staff, architects and contractors on requirements for projects. Issues permits (fire protection, tents, pyrotechnics, special events, etc.).
• Gives public presentations on community risk reduction topics; presents programs to civic groups and participates in the Fire Department and district wide public relations programs; assists in training city employees in fire prevention and protection techniques.
• Inspect or investigate citizen complaints about potential fire hazards.
• Assists in managing annual vegetation management program.
• In the event of a major fire or emergency, may be called in from off duty to work an extended period of time.
• Meets with citizen groups, organizations, contractors, architects, engineers, and developers regarding fire protection systems, access requirements, building requirements, and other fire prevention life safety issues.
• Performs other related duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and / or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

Knowledge of :

Local, state and federal laws, codes and ordinances pertaining to fire safety and enforcement, including California Health and Safety Code, CCR Titles 19 and 24, California Building Code, California Fire Code, NFPA Standards and Codes and the National Fire Incident Reporting System; fire inspections and educational methods used in fire prevention; public relations techniques; permitting and inspection software programs, and appropriate safety precautions and procedures.

Ability to :

Perform inspections and detect violations of applicable codes and regulations; read and interpret codes, regulations, technical reports, and building plans; complete required training in such subjects as fire prevention and fire protection systems; establish and maintain credibility and effective working relationships with City employees and the public; use good judgment within the scope of assigned authority; communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; keep accurate records and prepare comprehensive verbal and written reports; operate a computer terminal to enter and retrieve data; prepare and present professional fire safety presentations to civic organizations; and demonstrate an awareness and appreciation of the cultural diversity of the community. Ability to operate Fire Department owned vehicles; radio / telephone equipment; computers; flashlights, hydrant testing equipment, and cameras.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be :

Education / Training

Education equivalent to a high school diploma, with specialized coursework in fire prevention, or an Associate's degree in Fire Technology, or two years of college (30 credits), including specialized training from the California State Fire Marshal / State Fire Training in fire plan review. A Bachelor's degree is highly desirable.

Experience

Any combination of course work and fire prevention experience which provide the necessary knowledge and ability to effectively perform the duties of the position are qualifying.

License or Certificate

The following license and certificate are required to be maintained throughout employment and are not subject to waiver :

Special Requirements

Any person hired as a Fire Inspector after July 1, 1992, shall be required to remain a nonsmoker throughout his or her employment with the San Marcos Fire Department. Fire Inspector shall have no Federal or State felony convictions.

Fire Inspector must live within the Department Residency Boundary. Employees must reside in the local counties of San Diego, Riverside, Orange or Los Angeles.

Holidays - The City observes fourteen (14) paid holidays that include eleven (11) specifically designated days as recognized by the State of California and three (3) floating holidays.

Vacation Leave - A new employee will accrue eighty (80) hours of vacation per calendar year for the first five years of service (one hundred, twenty (120) hours for years five through ten, one hundred, sixty (160) hours for years eleven through fifteen and two hundred (200) hours after fifteen years). Vacation accrual begins immediately; however, a new employee is not eligible to take vacation leave until the completion of six (6) months of service with the City.

Sick Leave - A new employee will earn ninety-six (96) hours of sick leave each year.

Bereavement Leave - Employees are eligible to use up to 40 hours of bereavement leave per fiscal year.

Group Health Insurance Program - A new employee will become a member of one of the City's group health plans (Aetna HMO, Aetna AVN HMO, Aetna PPO, or Kaiser HMO) effective the first day of the month following their date of hire. The City will pay 90% of the health care premium and employees will pick up 10% of the premiums of the plan they select.

Voluntary Dental / Vision Insurance Programs - The City offers two voluntary dental insurance programs, an HMO program and a PPO Program, as well as a voluntary vision insurance program.

Section 125 Flexible Spending Account - All employees are eligible to participate in the City's Section 125 Flexible Spending Account plan administered by Benefit Coordinators Corporation (BCC). This is an IRS-approved plan which enables you to have withheld from your paycheck an amount to cover eligible dependent care, and certain eligible medical expenses without being subject to federal income or social security tax on the income used to pay for these benefits.

Retirement - The City participates in both the Social Security (FICA) and the California Public Employees' Retirement Systems (CalPERS). The City currently contracts with CalPERS for the 2% at 55 benefit formula, Post-Retirement Survivor Allowance, and 3 year average final pay for CLASSIC members and 2% at 62, Post-Retirement Survivor Allowance, and 3 year average final pay for PEPRA (new) members. Employees will contribute 7% or 6.5% towards CalPERS, depending whether a classic or new member.

Retiree Health Savings (RHS) - All employees participate in a Retiree Health Savings plan through the ICMA Retirement Corporation.

Bilingual Pay : A stipend of $100 per month will be paid to those employees utilizing their bilingual skills in the performance of their duties.

Additional Benefits - The City offers additional benefits such as short and long-term disability, group life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, employee benefit allocation program and workers' compensation insurance.

The following licenses and certificates are required at time of hire and to be maintained throughout employment and are not subject to waiver. Please check all qualifications that you currently possess. Copies of required certifications must be included as an attachment to your application. Applications submitted without the required copies of licenses / certificates will be considered incomplete.

Please list any additional educational / training courses that you have completed in fire prevention and fire inspection, outside of the above listed required certifications.

Please describe your philosophy on customer service and how it relates to the fire inspection / code enforcement process.

Describe your experience preparing and delivering programs and / or presentations to the public. Please include the subject matter, audio / visual aids utilized and the type of group to whom these presentations were given.

Please describe any experience you have related to the following : - Plan Review- Weed abatement - Inspections of fire protection systems - Investigating basic complaints

Required Question

Salary : $71,851 - $93,749