Electrical Inspector / Combination Inspector

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Electrical Inspector / Combination Inspector

Salary

$44.97 Hourly

Location

City of Bellingham, WA

Job Type

Full Time

Job Number

26-Electrical/Combo. Inspector

Department

Planning and Community Development

Opening Date

08/07/2026

Closing Date

8/28/2026 4:30 PM Pacific

FLSA

Non-Exempt

Bargaining Unit

Local 1937

Description

Benefits

Questions

Nature of Work

Join the City of Bellingham as an Electrical or Combination Inspector in the Planning and Community Development Department (https://cob.org/gov/dept/pcd) and apply your technical expertise to ensure that construction projects meet strict safety and code requirements. This role supports high-quality development through thorough inspections, accurate documentation, and clear guidance to contractors, residents, and partner agencies. Inspectors help maintain the City's commitment to safe, compliant, and well-constructed buildings across our community.

JOB SUMMARY:

This series performs progressively responsible and complex inspections of new and existing industrial, commercial, multi-family and single-family buildings evaluating electrical systems installations. As additional experience and certifications are gained, this position is also responsible for inspecting building construction; mechanical systems; plumbing systems; to ensure minimum standards exist for fire and life safety; structural integrity and public welfare as well as ensuring compliance with laws, codes and regulations. Reviews construction plans to ensure compliance with the National Electrical Code and related codes, laws and regulations. Investigates compliance complaints. Approves or disapproves the work completed by a contractor or builder and makes recommendations to the contractor for making corrections to meet applicable codes.

For more information, please review the job classification (https://cob.org/gov/dept/hr/job-classifications#docaccess-0b36fd19f93431fc33b4eb99915673d40f8cea3957e0cab4543bbb336066dd8b) .

WHY JOIN OUR TEAM?

Joining the City of Bellingham means becoming a part of a team that believes our greatest impact comes from working together with purpose, humility and a shared commitment to our community. Every employee contributes to delivering meaningful results for the people who live, work and visit here. We value people who approach challenges with curiosity, respect and collaboration. If you are motivated by building a career in public service, we encourage you to apply.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

This position will start at Step 1 ($44.97/hour). Employees receive step increases annually in accordance with the Guild of Pacific Northwest Employees, Local 1937 Collective Bargaining Agreement (https://cob.org/about/employment/labor-agreements-pay-schedule) and City policy. The full hourly range for this position is $44.97 - $58.69. For internal candidates, placement within the range is based on City Pay Placement Procedures.

At the City of Bellingham, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that helps you thrive in both your career and personal life. Join our team and enjoy the peace of mind knowing that you and your loved ones are well cared for. Here's a closer look at the outstanding benefits that come with being part of our team. You can find more details on our employment benefits page (https://cob.org/gov/dept/hr/employee-benefits) and labor agreements page. (https://cob.org/about/employment/labor-agreements-pay-schedule)

10 hours of vacation leave per month, with increased accrual over time

12 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday per year

8 hours sick leave accrued monthly

Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families

Life insurance and long-term disability coverage

Flexible spending accounts and medical insurance opt-out program

Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Washington State Retirement plan (DRS) for retirement security

Optional 457 deferred compensation (Retirement Savings Plan) with employer match

Leave accruals are based on 1.0 FTE, accruals are pro-rated if part-time and require employees to be in paid status at least 120 hours/month.

Closing Date/Time: Fri. 08/28/2026 4:30 PM Pacific Time

Experience and Training

ELECTRICAL INSPECTOR:

High school graduation or equivalency (GED).

Four (4) years of experience as a journey-level electrician or equivalent experience as defined by RCW 19.28.321.

Possess and maintain a journey-level electrician license (or temporary license) issued by the State of Washington.

Experience and/or training as an electrical inspector with a municipality preferred.

Must secure and maintain International Code Council Residential Electrical Inspector (E1) Certification within one (1) year of hire

Must secure and maintain International Code Council Commercial Electrical Inspector (E2) Certification within two (2) years of hire

Must secure and maintain International Code Council Residential and Commercial Mechanical Inspector Certification (M1 & M2) within three (3) years of hire.

Must secure and maintain International Code Council Residential and Commercial Plumbing Inspector (P1 & P2) or International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) Plumbing Inspector Certification within four (4) years of hire.

Must secure and maintain International Code Council Residential and Commercial Building Inspector Certification (B1 & B2) within five (5) years of hire.

COMBINATION INSPECTOR:

High school graduation or equivalency (GED).

Four years (4) of experience as a journey-level electrician or equivalent experience as defined by RCW 19.28.321.

Possess and maintain a journey-level electrician license (or temporary license) issued by the State of Washington.

Three (3) years of experience as an Electrical Inspector with the City of Bellingham or an equivalent position with another jurisdiction subsequent to obtaining ICC Residential Electrical Inspector (E1) Certification. (ex: an incumbent Electrical Inspector who obtains ICC Residential Electrical Inspector (E1) Certification within six (6) months of hire into the position would be eligible for promotion to the Combination Inspector level within three (3) years and six (6) months provided the certifications required at the Combination Inspector level are obtained)

ICC Residential and Commercial Electrical Inspector (E1 and E2) certification

ICC Residential and Commercial Building Inspector (B1 and B2) certification,

ICC Residential and Commercial Mechanical Inspector (M1 and M2) certification and International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) Plumbing Inspector Certification or ICC Residential and Commercial Plumbing Inspector (P1 and P2) certification.

Other recognized certifications from ICC, Washington Association of Building Officials (WABO), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), etc., preferred.

Necessary Special Requirements

Employment contingent upon passing a criminal convictions check, child and adult abuse records check and local background check (see Fair Hiring Practices below).

Verification of ability to work in the United States by date of hire.

Valid Washington State driver's license at time of hire and good driving record. A three-year driving record abstract must be submitted at time of hire.

Failure to secure required certifications or skill standards within established time limits will result in dismissal.

Selection Process

Please ensure your application is complete and all required information has been provided. Standard completeness means all application fields (contact information, personal information, education, work experience, references, and supplemental questions). Application materials should comprehensively document your experience and skills related to the position responsibilities and experience/training requirements. As part of the City's commitment to reducing bias in the hiring process, Human Resources redacts personally identifiable information for reviewers. Only the documents listed as required will be reviewed.

Application Review Process:

Minimum Qualifications: Applicants must provide specific, detailed information so an initial determination can be made regarding your level of qualifications for this position. Applicant status will be updated on or around August 31, 2026.

If there are seven (7) or more qualified candidates;

Experience and Training Rating: Applicants that meet minimum qualifications will go through an Experience and Training Rating. Applicant status will be updated on or around September 10, 2026.

The top six (6) scoring applicants from the Experience and Training Rating will be invited to participate in an Oral Board Interview, tentatively scheduled for the week of September 21, 2026.

If six (6) or less candidates meet the minimum qualifications, all will be invited to the Oral Board Interviews, tentatively scheduled for the week of September 07, 2026.

Applicants will be notified via email of Final Scores & Ranks. The final ranking of the register will be based on total scores for the following:

If there are seven (7) applicants that meet minimum qualifications, the Experience and Training Rating will be 40% of overall score and Oral Board Interview will be 60% of overall score. Candidates scoring a 60% or higher on the Oral Board Interview will be placed on the eligibility list.

If six (6) or less candidates meet the minimum qualifications, the Oral Board Interview will be 100% of overall score. Candidates scoring a 60% or higher on the Oral Board Interview will be placed on the eligibility list.

Final candidates will be referred to the department for additional examination, assessment, or test.

This recruitment process will create a Civil Service eligibility register that will be used to fill current and future vacancies as they become available. There is currently 1 full-time vacancy in the Planning and Community Development department. This position is represented by a union.

If you wish to claim Veterans' Preference Points, please complete the Veterans Scoring Criteria Declaration Form (https://cob.org/wp-content/uploads/COB-Veterans-Scoring-Criteria-Declaration-PDF.pdf) and upload it to your application with your DD214.

Please Note: Candidates will receive updates regarding application status via email. Please be sure to check your email frequently, including your spam folders for messages filtered by your email providers.

Equal Opportunity:

The City of Bellingham is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not make decisions on the basis of an individual's race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, age (40+), disability, retaliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. All are encouraged to apply for employment.

Fair Hiring Practices

The City provides individuals who have been arrested or convicted of a criminal offense an equal and fair opportunity to obtain employment.

The City will not inquire about an applicant's criminal history until after a conditional job offer has been made.

The City will disregard the prior arrest and conviction record of an otherwise qualified individual unless the offense is directly related to the job position for which the individual has applied.

The City will notify an otherwise qualified applicant about a potentially disqualifying conviction and give the applicant an opportunity to submit information regarding the accuracy of the criminal records as well as evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation, as appropriate.

There are many good reasons for working at the City of Bellingham. The work is rewarding and you have an opportunity to serve your community. Another good reason is the great benefits that the City offers its employees. See our benefits section (https://www.cob.org/employment/pages/benefits.aspx) for additional information.

This position is represented by The Guild of Pacific Northwest Employees, Local 1937 bargaining unit. Specific benefit information including Holidays, Vacation Accruals, Health, Dental and Vision Plans with cost sharing and Deferred Compensation Match can be found in the Local 1937 labor agreement (https://cob.org/wp-content/uploads/1937-2022-2023-CBA.pdf) .

This position is covered by the State of Washington Department of Retirement Systems PERS plan. PERS requires mandatory employee and City contributions. Please visit the DRS website (http://www.drs.wa.gov/) for more information on PERS.

Civil Service Information

This position is subject to the Bellingham Civil Service Commission. When a vacancy occurs, the top fifteen candidates or the top 25% of the register will be forwarded to the department for further consideration. All new Civil Service employees are subject to a one-year probationary period. A candidate may challenge the scope, content, or method of an examination or test, and a protest may be filed in writing with the Examiner within five (5) days following the date of the challenged examination. A candidate may also challenge the scoring of an examination or test, failure of the candidate on any part of an examination, or clerical error in examination results of any examination or test, and a protest may be filed in writing with the Examiner within five (5) days of notification of the challenged result. The Examiner shall consider all timely filed protests and make appropriate corrections if an error is demonstrated.

Veteran's Scoring Criteria

Applicants who have been honorably discharged from active military duty may be eligible to receive veteran's scoring criteria points as provided by Washington State Law (RCW 41.04.010). If you wish to claim Veterans' Preference Points, please complete the Veterans Scoring Criteria Declaration Form (https://cob.org/wp-content/uploads/COB-Veterans-Scoring-Criteria-Declaration-PDF.pdf) and upload it to your application with your DD214.

Thank you for your interest in this position at the City of Bellingham! To ensure a consistent review, only the City of Bellingham job application and required supplemental documents will be reviewed. Cover letters and resumes are not reviewed unless they are required as part of the process. When applying for this position, you must thoroughly complete each section of your application, and provide a thorough response to each of the supplemental questions. Please do not indicate "see resume" or copy content that is unrelated to the position being applied for from your resume when answering these questions.

Have you read and understood the information listed above?

Yes

Do you have a high school diploma or equivalent (GED)?

Yes

Do you have or are you willing to obtain a Washington State drivers license and provide a 3-year driving history prior to hire if required by the position?

Yes

Do you have four years of experience as a journey-level electrician or equivalent experience as defined by RCW 19.28.321?

How We Count Work Experience: Your experience must be equal to full-time paid work. If you worked part-time, we'll calculate your experience based on the total number of hours you worked in a year. For example, if you worked 10 hours per week for 12 months, that equals 3 months of full-time experience (10 hrs x 52 weeks= 520 hrs/173.33 full time hrs per month = 3 months).

Yes

If you answered "Yes" to Question 4, please describe in detail your education and experience, or combination of education/experience that provides you the necessary skills, knowledge and abilities to perform this role.

[Note: this must also be reflected on your application under Education and Work Experience.]

Do you currently possess a journey-level electrician license (or temporary license) issued by the state of Washington?

Yes

The Electrical Inspector position requires that the following certifications be obtained and maintained within the specified timelines after hire:

Must secure and maintain International Code Council Residential Electrical Inspector (E1) Certification within one (1) year of hire

Must secure and maintain International Code Council Commercial Electrical Inspector (E2) Certification within two (2) years of hire

Must secure and maintain International Code Council Residential and Commercial Mechanical Inspector Certification (M1 & M2) within three (3) years of hire

Must secure and maintain International Code Council Residential and Commercial Building Inspector Certification (B1 & B2) within five (5) years of hire

Do you agree to secure and maintain the above certifications within the listed time frames?

Yes

To be placed at the Combination Inspector level, the following are required:

Three years of experience as an Electrical Inspector with the City of Bellingham or an equivalent position with another jurisdiction subsequent to obtaining ICC Residential Electrical Inspector (E1) Certification

ICC Residential and Commercial Electrical Inspector (E1 and E2) certification

ICC Residential and Commercial Building Inspector (B1 and B2) certification

ICC Residential and Commercial Mechanical Inspector (M1 and M2) certification

International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) Plumbing Inspector Certification or ICC Residential and Commercial Plumbing Inspector (P1 and P2) certification

Do you have all of the experience and certifications listed above?

Yes

Do you currently have any of the following certifications? Check all that apply. (Note: certifications are not required at the time of hire but are used to determine placement within the series.)

ICC Residential Electrical Inspector (E1)

ICC Commercial Electrical Inspector (E2)

ICC Residential Building Inspector (B1)

ICC Commercial Building Inspector (B2)

ICC Residential Mechanical Inspector (M1)

ICC Commercial Mechanical Inspector (M2)

UPC Residential Plumbing Inspector (P1)

UPC Commercial Plumbing Inspector (P2)

IAPMO UPC Plumbing Inspector Certification

I do not currently possess any of the above certifications.

Thoroughly describe your experience as a journey level electrician, including all relevant training and experience in electrical maintenance and construction. This information should be as descriptive as possible since it will be used to determine your placement within the job series.

If you are requesting Veteran's Preference points, a completed Veterans Scoring Criteria Status Declaration is required along with a copy of your DD214. The required form is in the Selections Process section of the Job Posting. Check "YES" here if you are attaching a Veteran's Declaration form and DD214.

Yes

Required Question

Employer

City of Bellingham

Address

104 West Magnolia Street Bellingham, Washington, 98225

Phone

360-778-8220

Website

http://www.cob.org/employment

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Electrical Inspector / Combination Inspector