REHABILITATION CONSTRUCTION SPECIALIST

Number of positions: 1 (additional vacancies possible pending budget approval). Open to the public and current City employees covered under the City’s collective bargaining agreement with AFSCME – Bargaining Unit 1, 3, 4 & 5.

About the role

Under supervision, performs technical inspections of housing construction and rehabilitation projects, and related duties as required.

Responsibilities

• Inspects existing residential properties for scope of rehabilitation and new construction specifications to determine eligibility for City and federal housing and rehabilitation program funding.
• Inspects with independent contractors the condition and extent of rehabilitation work required on building structures and operating components (e.g., roofing, heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical systems).
• Evaluates structures and recommends building improvements to property owners based on inspection findings; provides owners with a general assessment on the condition of their property, including any building code violations and health and public safety hazards.
• Reviews construction specifications and cost estimates submitted by contractors to ensure planned rehabilitation work is in compliance with inspection findings, cost-effective, and complete.
• Reviews architectural plans and drawings for the construction of new single and multi-family homes and evaluates for cost-effectiveness and program compliance.
• Reviews and approves or rejects contract modifications submitted by contractors based on initial contract specifications.
• Inspects work in progress to evaluate the quality of workmanship and to resolve problems that may arise as construction or rehabilitation work progresses.
• Conducts final inspections to certify completion of work.
• Provides technical assistance to contractors, developers, architects, and property owners, as required.
• Reviews and approves vouchers for partial and final payments to contractors.
• Reviews and approves multi-family payment draw requests, including title company and American Institute of Architects (AIA) construction and contract documents.
• Inputs and reviews data in construction estimation software and database management systems.

Qualifications

• Four (4) years of skilled building construction, rehabilitation, or inspection work experience.
• If the above criteria are not fulfilled, one of the following may be acceptable:
  • Successful completion of a U.S. Department of Labor registered apprenticeship training program in a building trade and journeyman status.
  • Successful completion of an industry or company-sponsored apprenticeship training program in a building trade, plus two (2) years of journey-level work experience in skilled building construction, rehabilitation, or inspection.
  • Graduation from an accredited college with an Associate’s degree in Construction Management or Building Inspection, plus two (2) years of journey-level experience in skilled building construction, rehabilitation, or inspection.
  • Graduation from an accredited college with a Bachelor’s degree or higher in Construction Management or Building Inspection, plus one (1) year of journey-level experience in skilled building construction, rehabilitation, or inspection.

Licensure & Certifications

• A valid State of Illinois driver's license is required.
• Must have permanent use of an automobile that is properly insured, including a clause specifically insuring the City of Chicago from accident liability.

Selection Process

This position requires applicants to complete an interview which will include a written exercise and/or a skills assessment test. The interviewed candidate(s) possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position, based on the oral and written parts of the interview, will be selected.

Desired Skills

• Previous experience inspecting single and multi-family housing construction and rehabilitation projects.
• Previous experience working with HUD (U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development) rules, regulations, and standards.
• Previous experience managing and resolving a diverse range of difficult customer interactions.
• Proficiency working with Microsoft Office products.

Pay

Starting salary: $82,644. New hires are paid the starting rate. Current employees’ pay rate is determined by their job title and years of service.

Schedule

• Location: 2 N LaSalle, 6th Floor
• Days: Monday – Friday
• Hours: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Benefits

For information on employee benefits, visit the City of Chicago Benefits website.