Salary : $88,242.76 - $130,494.10 Annually
Location : Ventura and may require travel throughout Ventura County, CA
Job Type: Full-Time Regular
Job Number: 1708PWA-26AA (KF)
Department: Public Works Agency
Opening Date: 10/08/2026
DescriptionThe
PUBLIC WORKS AGENCY, Engineering Services Department isresponsible for a wide range of engineering services to clients within the County of Ventura organization and the public. The Department is comprised of three (3) divisions, Project Services, Land Development Services and the Surveyor's Office. Services include project and construction management for vertical projects, land development services, floodplain development permitting and land surveying services. The
Land Development Services Division is responsible for the issuance of grading and floodplain development permits and associated inspections; geotechnical report review and approvals; enforcement of the Ventura County Grading Ordinance; Water Availability Letter Reviews, Water Will-Serve letter processing; flood hazard reviews and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) determinations; and flood acreage assessments for new subdivision and property improvements within the unincorporated county areas.
THE POSITION Under general direction of an Engineering Manager, the Land Development Specialist (Staff/Services Specialist II) is responsible for inspecting/reviewing a variety of the most complex land development Public Works construction projects; supervises and reviews the work of inspectors and/or engineering technicians; performs specialty inspections; functions as a field office engineer; and performs other project support and related duties as required.
Examples Of Duties Duties may include but are not limited to the following:
- Performs and/or oversees the Land Development permit application submittal processes including initial review for completeness and intake of fees for grading, flood hazard, water availability, water will serve, geotechnical, acreage assessment and complaints; evaluates projects for environmental triggers and floodplain ordinance requirements; and prepares discretionary grading permit staff reports and reviews memorandums for grading permit applications.
- Interprets & evaluates grading plans for Building Code compliance; reviews geotechnical reports; verifies recommendations are included in grading plans; prepares grading plan checklist and provides grading plan review comments; reviews related stormwater documents; prepares plan check review letter for applicant; and verifies environmental triggers and geologic hazards.
- Performs construction inspection for grading and floodplain projects; performs initial review of Change Order submittal; documents field inspections for grading, stormwater, floodplain and environmental mitigations.
- Plans, organizes and supervises the work of maintenance, custodial, technical or clerical support staff including participating in the selection and evaluation of staff, providing training and employee development, assigning work, evaluating outcomes and determining the most effective use of resources.
- Performs and/or oversees initial review and conditions for flood plain permits; reviews Elevation Certificates; prepares floodplain closure/completeness; verifies financial reconciliation prior to closing permit; performs inspections relating to Floodplain Development permit conditions and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Elevation Certificates; maintains good standing of Floodplain Manager Certification.
- Reviews and evaluates grading complaints for violations of Building Code; coordinates grading violations with other County and State agencies/departments; and determines violation abatement procedures and reconciles financial obligations.
- Provides liaison with representatives from other agencies/departments; answers inquiries from other staff, agencies/departments and members of the public; investigates and resolves problems related to the line operation's service.
- Reviews projects for CEQA compliance; develops conditions of approval; and attends meetings to discuss findings.
- Provides and/or oversees Public Records research; and documents customer inquiries including tracking of requests.
- Performs other related duties as required.
Staff/Services Specialist II is represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and is eligible for overtime compensation.
Typical Qualifications These are entrance requirements to the examination process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.
EDUCATION, TRAINING and EXPERIENCE Considerable progressively responsible operations, project or staff experience related to the reporting level, complexity of work performed and other requirements leading to the acquisition of knowledge, skills and abilities of the position.
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS - Five (5) years of land development planning, construction inspection, floodplain management, construction trades, materials testing, field surveying and/or other directly related Public Works construction experience;
- Must possess and maintain a valid California driver's license;
- Ability to walk on rough or uneven surfaces and climb ladders on construction sites including above or below grade on falsework or in trenches; and withstand exposure to dust, noise, chemicals, gas, fumes, heights, and inclement weather or hazardous conditions requiring moderate to heavy physical activities;
- Ability to take soil and concrete samples which requires the use of a shovel; and to lift up to 50 pounds; and
- Strong communication skills, both written and verbal. Skills must be demonstrated in the completion of the employment application and supplemental questionnaire.
A degree in engineering, physical/environmental science, construction technology, mathematics or a related field may be substituted for two (2) years of the required experience.
DESIRED - Certified Floodplain Manager by the Association of State Floodplain Managers, Inc.;
- Some land development planning experience;
- Effective, demonstrated customer service with the general public and/or elected/government officials; and
- Intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Access; Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software; Acrobat Adobe; and AutoCAD (or Bluebeam).
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES Knowledge of: materials, methods, and techniques used in grading and floodplain development; grading procedures and operations; geology and geologic features; soil engineering calculations and principles; FEMA special flood hazard zones; floodplain development requirements; California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) assessments and initial studies; earth materials lab tests and characteristics; principles and practices of effective supervision; interpretation of geotechnical lab test results; civil engineering grading plan check; grading and floodplain inspections; project management techniques; County, State and Federal agencies and departments general functions and responsibilities relating to public works projects; and principles, practices, methods and techniques used in public works disaster service and response.
Skill in: verifying grading plans for code requirements; preparing floodplain conditions for floodplain development; conducting grading, floodplain, and stormwater inspections; reviewing and applying grading, building, floodplain, and planning conditions to project reviews and during construction; and utilizing computer applications/systems such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Access, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software, Acrobat Adobe and AutoCAD (or Bluebeam).
Ability to: read, interpret and apply applicable codes, ordinances and regulations to grading and floodplain projects; understand and apply findings of technical reports, plans and projects; supervise staff and organize and prioritize work assignments; exercise independent judgment; explain department policies and procedures and serve as resource and liaison; provide effective customer service; communicate effectively both orally and in writing; maintain effective working relationships; and make decisions under emergency conditions such as earthquakes, during storms, and while flood fighting, based on Agency policies
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATIONWork is performed primarily in an office environment and may include travel to and from construction and maintenance sites, which may involve working near equipment or machinery.
Recruitment ProcessFINAL FILING DATE: This is a continuous recruitment and may close at any time; therefore, apply as soon as possible if you are interested in it. Your application must be received by the County of Ventura, Human Resources no later than 5:00 p.m. on the closing date.
FIRST REVIEW: A first review of applications is anticipated to occur on or around
Wednesday, October 21, 2026,and subsequent reviews will be conducted until sufficient applications are received to meet business needs.
To apply online, please refer to our website at A paper application can be obtained by calling (805) 654-5129. Our address is County of Ventura, Human Resources Division, 800 South Victoria Avenue, L-1970, Ventura, CA 93009.
NOTE TO APPLICANTS: It is essential that you complete all sections of your application and supplemental questionnaire thoroughly and accurately to demonstrate your qualification. A resume and/or other related documents may be attached to supplement the information in your application; however, it/they may not be substituted in lieu of the application.
SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE - qualifying: All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this exam at the time of filing. This questionnaire may be used throughout the examination process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications and acceptability for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in removal of the application from further consideration.
APPLICATION EVALUATION - qualifying: All applications will be reviewed to determine whether the stated requirements are met. Applicants meeting the stated requirements will be invited to continue to the next step in the recruitment process.
TRAINING and EXPERIENCE EVALUATION: A Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E) is a structured evaluation of the job application materials submitted by a candidate, including the written responses to the supplemental questionnaire. The T&E is NOT a determination of whether the candidate meets the stated requirements; rather, the T&E is one method for determining who are the better qualified among those who have shown that they meet the stated requirements. In a T&E, applications are either scored or rank ordered according to criteria that most closely meet the business needs of the department. Candidates are typically scored/ranked in relation to one another; consequently, when the pool of candidates is exceptionally strong, many qualified candidates may receive a score or rank which is moderate or even low re
