Plans Examiner, Senior*

About the Role

The City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities is seeking a qualified Plans Examiner, Senior to ensure that the requirements for stormwater regulations, erosion and sediment control and Chesapeake Bay program regulations are met by engineers, developers, and owners of planned, new, and existing commercial and residential land development projects within the City.

Responsibilities

• Review and approve civil plans for proposed development projects ensuring they meet environmental regulations imposed on the city
• Lead internal meetings to discuss issues with proposed development
• Regularly attend training to understand changing regulatory guidelines
• Assist external customers with questions about permitting process, ChesBay, floodplain, and stormwater management
• Review Special Inspections completion packages for compliance with Chapter 17 of the Virginia Construction Code
• Reports errors of non-compliance and reviews and approves Special Inspection daily report and final packages for code compliance on behalf of the City Of Richmond and the Building Official
• Schedules and facilitates special inspection project meetings with owners, contractors, architects, and engineers in a virtual setting for compliance with Chapter 17 of the Virginia Construction Code
• Conducts site visits and inspections of commercial projects
• Prepares written reports concerning inspections to contractors, owners, and plan designers
• Reviews documents, conducts code research, conducts site inspections for issuance of Certificates of Occupancies
• Reviews permit applications and construction documents as assigned for compliance with the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC); conducts pre-construction meetings
• Prepares written reports concerning plan reviews to contractors, owners, and plan designers
• Provides customer service by answering technical questions about codes, inspections, audits, etc. to walk-in customers; meets with and answers phone calls and emails from developers, architects, contractors, etc.

Qualifications

Minimum training and experience: Bachelor's degree in architecture, engineering, building construction, or related field, 2-3 years of plan review experience. Three years of architecture, engineering or plans reviewing experience preferred. An equivalent combination of training and experience (as approved by the department) may be used to meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.

• Professional Engineer or Architecture License preferred
• Requires a valid Driver's License and a valid Commonwealth of Virginia Driver's License within 30 days of hire
• VA DEQ Dual Plan Review certification or equal within 1 year of hire

Preferred qualifications: VA DEQ certified Stormwater Plan Reviewer, VA DEQ certified E & S Reviewer, Engineer In Training.

Skills

TYPICAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: These are a representative sample; position assignments may vary.

Knowledge: Civil Engineering, VA DEQ Stormwater codes, Chesapeake Bay Protection Area Program regulations, Wetland permitting, Engineering, drainage and utility design standards and practices, Hydraulic Modeling, VPDES Permitting, VA DEQ Erosion & Sediment Control regulations, DEQ Stormwater regulations, FEMA Floodplain regulations.

• Computer proficiency, including Microsoft Office Suite
• Technical writing
• Reading and reviewing construction documents
• Reviewing multiple large construction documents at a time to meet deadlines
• Effective Customer service in person, writing and virtual
• Organizing
• Writing guidelines and manuals for customers and staff

Abilities: Assemble and disseminate complex information for others, Interact with architects, engineers, consultants, contractors, City employees and other external agencies to resolve any questions or differences, Interact with the public and property owners.

Work Environment

Working conditions may include exposure to travel to other locations within the City of Richmond as well as outside of the City of Richmond; exposure to hazardous physical conditions such as mechanical parts, electrical currents, vibrations, etc.; atmospheric conditions such as fumes, odors, dusts, gases, and poor ventilation; inadequate lighting; intense noise; and environmental hazards such as disruptive people, imminent danger, and a threatening environment.

Physical requirements: Due to the nature of work assignments, incumbents must be able to perform detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks, with frequent interruptions and under time constraint. While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to see, talk, hear, and use wrists, hands, and fingers in repetitive movements.